Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lagos and Kano

For one person, living is cheaper in Kano: $97.1 a month against $952 in Lagos, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Lagos
Learn more

Lagos Living Index

Jump to prices

Lagos

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$952

/mo nomad

Kano

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$97.1

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lagos and in Kano

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 Kano actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $952 in Lagos versus $97 in Kano.

Lagos $952
Kano $97

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,852 in Lagos versus $180 in Kano.

Lagos $1,852
Kano $180

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,753 in Lagos versus $263 in Kano.

Lagos $2,753
Kano $263

Living in Lagos is roughly 880% more expensive than in Kano, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lagos 30% lower, Kano 93% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 ₦4,851

$1.72 ₦2,301

110.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ₦67.9K

$15.31 ₦20.5K

230.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 ₦10.3K

$6.29 ₦8,437

21.94%

Cappuccino

$2.82 ₦3,778

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₦578

$0.20 ₦273

115.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₦324

$0.17 ₦230

41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₦1,305

$0.31 ₦420

212.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₦2,619

$0.31 ₦417

529.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.20 ₦4,293

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₦1,997

$0.60 ₦810

148.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ₦1,692

$0.58 ₦775

117.24%

Eggs

$2.27 ₦3,044

$0.92 ₦1,237

146.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.42 ₦4,587

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ₦5,050

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.36 ₦5,843

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 ₦2,187

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 ₦1,779

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₦1,514

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₦1,999

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ₦2,158

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 ₦2,037

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ₦1,190

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₦531

$0.58 ₦771

-31.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.55 ₦735

Wine (Bottle)

$2.37 ₦3,179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₦719

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₦666

$0.29 ₦386

72.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₦512

$0.29 ₦392

31.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.99 ₦29.5K

$12.64 ₦16.9K

73.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₦934

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ₦1,296

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₦2,821

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₦1,137

$0.52 ₦702

63.46%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$11.3K ₦15.2M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.0K ₦38.9M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$112 ₦149.6K

$7.26 ₦9,737

1437.74%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.92 ₦20.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.44 ₦43.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.80 ₦37.3K

$20.23 ₦27.1K

37.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.91 ₦9,263

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 ₦8,350

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$654 ₦876.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K ₦26.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.83 ₦19.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.94 ₦24.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.62 ₦49.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.49 ₦63.6K

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$118 ₦157.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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 Kano: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lagos

$417 43.9%

Kano

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lagos

$159 16.7%

Kano

–

Groceries & Markets

Lagos

$156 16.4%

Kano

–

Eating Out

Lagos

$97 10.2%

Kano

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lagos

$53 5.5%

Kano

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lagos

$40 4.2%

Kano

–

Getting Around

Lagos

$29 3.1%

Kano

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $51 in Lagos vs $15 in Kano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $156 vs $20 per month, with Kano cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Lagos

🇳🇬 Kano

🕒 Local time

12:09 12:09 PM

Same time as Lagos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,404,112

2,395,375

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lagos Kano 830 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Lagos
Kano

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 Kano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lagos and Kano differ by about 880% in total monthly costs ($952 vs $97 including rent). Kano is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $1,427 in Lagos and $146 in Kano to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Kano – a meal for two runs $15 versus $51 in Lagos. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Kano runs roughly 43% less than in Lagos. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kano gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.