Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lagos and London

For one person, living is cheaper in Lagos: $964 a month against $4,048 in London, rent and utilities included – about $37,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lagos, Nigeria
London, United Kingdom
Lagos
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$964
/mo nomad
London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$4,048
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lagos and in London

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

A single person spends $964 per month in Lagos vs $4,048 in London, rent included.

  • Lagos $964
  • London $4,048

A couple spends around $1,871 per month in Lagos vs $5,903 in London, rent included.

  • Lagos $1,871
  • London $5,903

A family of three spends $2,777 per month in Lagos vs $7,758 in London, rent included.

  • Lagos $2,777
  • London $7,758

Lagos is about 76% cheaper than London, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lagos sits 29% below the global median, while London is 199% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lagos
London
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.78 ₦5,080
$26.36 £19.59
-85.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.0 ₦67.3K
$109 £80.7
-53.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.39 ₦9,936
$10.71 £7.96
-31.00%
Cappuccino
$2.87 ₦3,854
$5.59 £4.15
-48.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 ₦592
$3.00 £2.23
-85.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 ₦295
$2.22 £1.65
-90.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.03 ₦1,382
$9.65 £7.17
-89.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 ₦2,719
$8.26 £6.14
-75.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lagos
London
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.14 ₦4,226
$1.97 £1.46
59.39%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ₦1,919
$2.09 £1.55
-31.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.20 ₦1,614
$2.59 £1.93
-53.67%
Eggs
$2.24 ₦3,010
$5.37 £3.99
-58.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.45 ₦4,646
$13.12 £9.75
-73.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.92 ₦5,265
$11.03 £8.20
-64.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.35 ₦5,847
$17.73 £13.18
-75.47%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₦2,261
$3.17 £2.36
-47.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.26 ₦1,688
$1.38 £1.03
-8.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.10 ₦1,477
$2.82 £2.10
-60.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.26 ₦1,688
$3.36 £2.50
-62.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ₦1,970
$1.70 £1.26
-14.12%
Onion (1kg)
$1.92 ₦2,580
$1.78 £1.32
7.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.90 ₦1,212
$1.49 £1.11
-39.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40 ₦532
$1.82 £1.35
-78.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.58 ₦779
$23.85 £17.73
-97.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$2.64 ₦3,554
$13.44 £9.99
-80.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 ₦732
$3.11 £2.31
-82.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₦662
$4.49 £3.34
-89.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Lagos
London
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.78 ₦1,048
$4.13 £3.07
-81.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.97 ₦29.6K
$266 £198
-91.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.70 ₦938
$5.98 £4.45
-88.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.95 ₦1,275
$3.39 £2.52
-71.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.21 ₦2,968
$56.6 £42.03
-96.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 ₦1,241
$2.21 £1.64
-58.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.4K ₦15.3M
$38.3K £28.4K
-70.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.8K ₦41.5M
$41.0K £30.5K
-24.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lagos
London
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$113 ₦152.1K
$372 £277
-69.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.67 ₦19.7K
$18.66 £13.87
-21.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.64 ₦47.9K
$40.53 £30.13
-12.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lagos
London
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.38 ₦38.2K
$56.0 £41.63
-49.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.90 ₦9,277
$17.10 £12.71
-59.65%
Cinema Ticket
$6.35 ₦8,536
$17.95 £13.34
-64.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lagos
London
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$661 ₦889.3K
$2,946 £2,189
-77.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.6K ₦25.0M
$47.6K £35.4K
-60.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lagos
London
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.47 ₦19.5K
$116 £86.4
-87.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$18.12 ₦24.4K
$56.9 £42.29
-68.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$36.71 ₦49.4K
$128 £95.1
-71.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.80 ₦64.3K
$154 £114
-68.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lagos
London
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$702 ₦943.9K
$2,935 £2,182
-76.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$423 ₦568.8K
$2,258 £1,678
-81.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,801 ₦3.8M
$5,250 £3,902
-46.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,515 ₦2.0M
$3,859 £2,868
-60.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,241 ₦4.4M
$17.2K £12.8K
-81.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,652 ₦2.2M
$8,278 £6,153
-80.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lagos
London
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$120 ₦161.0K
$5,621 £4,177
-97.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
18.39
4.78
284.73%

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

Last update for Lagos: November 1, 2026

Last update for London: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lagos
$423
London
$2.3K 434% $1.8K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lagos
$163
London
$432 164% $268
Groceries & Markets
Lagos
$155
London
$360 133% $206
Eating Out
Lagos
$99
London
$396 301% $297
Clothing & Footwear
Lagos
$53
London
$205 289% $152
Sport & Entertainment
Lagos
$41
London
$92 124% $51
Getting Around
Lagos
$31
London
$305 900% $275

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $702 in Lagos versus $2,935 in London. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in London are about 47 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Lagos versus $109 in London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $360 – making Lagos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇬 Lagos
🇬🇧 London
🕒 Local time
06:07 6:07 AM
05:07 5:07 AM
1 h behind Lagos
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
10,404,112
8,908,083 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1,345 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,510 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.62 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.743 GBP (1 GBP = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lagos London 5,020 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lagos
  • London

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 London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lagos or London?
London costs about 320% more than Lagos, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lagos and in London?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,446 per month in Lagos and $6,072 in London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lagos or London?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lagos, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $702 there versus $2,935 in London.
How do childcare costs compare in Lagos and in London?
Kindergarten costs $661 per month in Lagos and $2,946 in London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Lagos or in London?
Groceries cost about 133% more in London, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Lagos or in London?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $964 in Lagos and $4,048 in London. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Lagos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Lagos or to London?
If budget matters most, go with Lagos. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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