Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lagos and Maiduguri

For one person, living is cheaper in Maiduguri: $172 a month against $951 in Lagos, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lagos
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Lagos Living Index

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Lagos

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$951

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Maiduguri

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$172

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lagos and in Maiduguri

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

A single person spends $951 per month in Lagos vs $172 in Maiduguri, rent included.

Lagos $951
Maiduguri $172

A couple spends around $1,859 per month in Lagos vs $288 in Maiduguri, rent included.

Lagos $1,859
Maiduguri $288

A family of three spends $2,768 per month in Lagos vs $403 in Maiduguri, rent included.

Lagos $2,768
Maiduguri $403

Lagos costs about 453% more than Maiduguri, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Lagos and Maiduguri are more affordable than the global median – Lagos 30% lower, Maiduguri 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 ₦5,082

$0.55 ₦735

594.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 ₦67.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 ₦9,815

$1.90 ₦2,521

288.42%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ₦3,768

$0.86 ₦1,138

229.07%

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

$0.43 ₦577

$0.25 ₦331

72.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ₦291

$0.18 ₦240

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₦1,348

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₦2,692

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 ₦4,120

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₦1,989

$1.03 ₦1,368

45.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 ₦1,669

$1.99 ₦2,643

-37.19%

Eggs

$2.27 ₦3,013

$1.76 ₦2,341

28.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.44 ₦4,578

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 ₦5,040

$5.15 ₦6,847

-26.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.58 ₦6,093

$3.97 ₦5,286

15.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ₦2,255

$4.06 ₦5,397

-58.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ₦1,716

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 ₦1,475

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 ₦1,718

$1.02 ₦1,360

26.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ₦1,823

$1.54 ₦2,045

-11.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ₦1,803

$1.02 ₦1,355

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 ₦1,128

$0.42 ₦554

102.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₦528

$0.31 ₦412

29.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.60 ₦793

Wine (Bottle)

$2.52 ₦3,346

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₦721

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₦612

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₦532

$0.39 ₦525

2.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 ₦26.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₦864

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 ₦1,270

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 ₦2,987

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₦1,098

$0.25 ₦332

232.00%

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

$11.1K ₦14.8M

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

$13.6K ₦18.1M

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

$113 ₦150.7K

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

$15.08 ₦20.1K

$8.04 ₦10.7K

87.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.09 ₦44.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.10 ₦37.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.79 ₦9,027

$8.05 ₦10.7K

-15.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 ₦8,237

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

$659 ₦877.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K ₦26.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.85 ₦19.8K

$20.39 ₦27.1K

-27.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.95 ₦23.9K

$17.78 ₦23.6K

0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.30 ₦48.3K

$25.34 ₦33.7K

43.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.95 ₦65.1K

$25.13 ₦33.4K

94.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₦936.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₦554.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,825 ₦3.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 ₦2.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,283 ₦4.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,597 ₦2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$117 ₦155.2K

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 13, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lagos

$417 43.8%

Maiduguri

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lagos

$161 17%

Maiduguri

–

Groceries & Markets

Lagos

$154 16.2%

Maiduguri

–

Eating Out

Lagos

$98 10.4%

Maiduguri

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lagos

$53 5.6%

Maiduguri

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lagos

$40 4.3%

Maiduguri

–

Getting Around

Lagos

$27 2.8%

Maiduguri

–

Good to know

🇳🇬 Lagos

🇳🇬 Maiduguri

🕒 Local time

14:51 2:51 PM

Same time as Lagos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,404,112

1,197,497

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Lagos Maiduguri 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

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Maiduguri

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 Maiduguri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lagos costs about 453% more than Maiduguri, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Lagos and $258 in Maiduguri. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $951 in Lagos and $172 in Maiduguri. That's a gap of about 453%.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Lagos, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maiduguri, where all-in costs run around $172, than in Lagos at $951. In Maiduguri it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lagos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maiduguri – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Maiduguri. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lagos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.