Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lagos and Ilesha

For one person, living is cheaper in Ilesha: $477 a month against $952 in Lagos, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lagos, Nigeria
Ilesha, Nigeria
Lagos
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$952
/mo nomad
Ilesha
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$477
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lagos and in Ilesha

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lagos and in Ilesha actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $952 per month in Lagos vs $477 in Ilesha, rent included.

  • Lagos $952
  • Ilesha $477

A couple spends around $1,852 per month in Lagos vs $804 in Ilesha, rent included.

  • Lagos $1,852
  • Ilesha $804

A family of three spends $2,753 per month in Lagos vs $1,131 in Ilesha, rent included.

  • Lagos $2,753
  • Ilesha $1,131

Lagos costs about 99% more than Ilesha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Lagos and Ilesha are more affordable than the global median – Lagos 30% lower, Ilesha 65% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lagos
Ilesha
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.62 ₦4,851
$3.63 ₦4,859
-0.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.7 ₦67.9K
$49.95 ₦66.9K
1.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ₦10.3K
$7.33 ₦9,819
4.64%
Cappuccino
$2.82 ₦3,778
$2.74 ₦3,679
2.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 ₦578
$0.41 ₦548
4.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 ₦324
$0.22 ₦294
9.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.97 ₦1,305
$1.02 ₦1,364
-4.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 ₦2,619
$2.05 ₦2,744
-4.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lagos
Ilesha
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.20 ₦4,293
$3.09 ₦4,148
3.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 ₦1,997
$1.48 ₦1,990
0.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.26 ₦1,692
$1.27 ₦1,697
-0.79%
Eggs
$2.27 ₦3,044
$2.23 ₦2,982
1.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.42 ₦4,587
$3.55 ₦4,760
-3.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 ₦5,050
$3.78 ₦5,071
-0.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.36 ₦5,843
$4.33 ₦5,807
0.69%
Apples (1kg)
$1.63 ₦2,187
$1.69 ₦2,261
-3.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.33 ₦1,779
$1.30 ₦1,746
2.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.13 ₦1,514
$1.08 ₦1,447
4.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.49 ₦1,999
$1.48 ₦1,988
0.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 ₦2,158
$1.61 ₦2,154
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.52 ₦2,037
$1.50 ₦2,016
1.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 ₦1,190
$0.89 ₦1,190
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40 ₦531
$0.36 ₦487
11.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.55 ₦735
$0.59 ₦787
-6.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$2.37 ₦3,179
$2.49 ₦3,331
-4.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 ₦719
$0.51 ₦679
5.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ₦666
$0.50 ₦674
-
🚌 Getting Around
Lagos
Ilesha
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 ₦512
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.99 ₦29.5K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.70 ₦934
$0.68 ₦912
2.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.97 ₦1,296
$0.90 ₦1,200
7.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.10 ₦2,821
$2.21 ₦2,958
-4.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 ₦1,137
$0.91 ₦1,217
-6.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.3K ₦15.2M
$11.1K ₦14.9M
1.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.0K ₦38.9M
$29.3K ₦39.3M
-1.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lagos
Ilesha
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$112 ₦149.6K
$110 ₦147.1K
1.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.92 ₦20.0K
$14.50 ₦19.4K
2.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.44 ₦43.5K
$32.73 ₦43.9K
-0.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lagos
Ilesha
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.80 ₦37.3K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.91 ₦9,263
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.23 ₦8,350
$6.15 ₦8,241
1.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lagos
Ilesha
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$654 ₦876.4K
$664 ₦889.8K
-1.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.1K ₦26.9M
$20.0K ₦26.8M
0.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lagos
Ilesha
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.83 ₦19.9K
$14.39 ₦19.3K
3.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.94 ₦24.0K
$17.99 ₦24.1K
-0.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$36.62 ₦49.1K
$35.77 ₦47.9K
2.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.49 ₦63.6K
$48.26 ₦64.7K
-1.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lagos
Ilesha
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$704 ₦943.8K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$417 ₦559.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,809 ₦3.8M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,498 ₦2.0M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,242 ₦4.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,607 ₦2.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lagos
Ilesha
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$118 ₦157.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
18.39
18.39
-

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lagos: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ilesha: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lagos
$417
Ilesha
- * 100%
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lagos
$159
Ilesha
$157 1.3% $2.1
Groceries & Markets
Lagos
$156
Ilesha
$155 0.9% $1.4
Eating Out
Lagos
$97
Ilesha
$96 1.7% $1.6
Clothing & Footwear
Lagos
$53
Ilesha
$52 0.4% $0.2
Sport & Entertainment
Lagos
$40
Ilesha
$12 * 69.4% $28
Getting Around
Lagos
$29
Ilesha
$5.2 * 82.2% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Lagos versus $50 in Ilesha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $156 vs $155 – making Ilesha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇬 Lagos
🇳🇬 Ilesha
🕒 Local time
23:11 11:11 PM
23:11 11:11 PM
Same time as Lagos
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
10,404,112
277,904
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,492 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lagos Ilesha 200 km
From you
  • Lagos
  • Ilesha

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Lagos vs Ilesha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ilesha cheaper than Lagos?
Yes – Lagos is pricier by about 99%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,427 per month in Lagos and $715 in Ilesha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Lagos and in Ilesha?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $952 in Lagos and $477 in Ilesha. That makes Ilesha about 50% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $654 per month in Lagos and $664 in Ilesha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is it better to live in Lagos or in Ilesha?
It depends on your priorities. Lagos has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $477 in Ilesha to $952 in Lagos. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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