Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lagos and Benin

For one person, living is cheaper in Benin: $445 a month against $952 in Lagos, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Lagos
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Lagos Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Benin
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Benin Living Index

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Lagos

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$952

/mo nomad

Benin

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$445

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lagos and in Benin

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

A single person spends $952 per month in Lagos vs $445 in Benin, rent included.

Lagos $952
Benin $445

A couple spends around $1,852 per month in Lagos vs $753 in Benin, rent included.

Lagos $1,852
Benin $753

A family of three spends $2,753 per month in Lagos vs $1,061 in Benin, rent included.

Lagos $2,753
Benin $1,061

Lagos costs about 114% more than Benin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Lagos and Benin are more affordable than the global median – Lagos 30% lower, Benin 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 ₦4,851

$1.29 ₦1,727

180.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ₦67.9K

$49.53 ₦66.4K

2.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 ₦10.3K

$5.72 ₦7,661

34.09%

Cappuccino

$2.82 ₦3,778

$2.82 ₦3,786

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

$0.43 ₦578

$0.29 ₦390

48.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₦324

$0.20 ₦264

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₦1,305

$0.93 ₦1,249

4.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₦2,619

$0.99 ₦1,333

96.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.20 ₦4,293

$3.05 ₦4,092

4.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₦1,997

$0.77 ₦1,026

93.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ₦1,692

$1.24 ₦1,665

1.61%

Eggs

$2.27 ₦3,044

$2.19 ₦2,939

3.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.42 ₦4,587

$3.55 ₦4,764

-3.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ₦5,050

$3.93 ₦5,264

-4.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.36 ₦5,843

$4.41 ₦5,908

-1.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 ₦2,187

$1.65 ₦2,206

-1.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 ₦1,779

$1.26 ₦1,688

5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₦1,514

$1.08 ₦1,445

4.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₦1,999

$1.47 ₦1,970

1.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ₦2,158

$1.55 ₦2,074

3.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 ₦2,037

$1.58 ₦2,120

-3.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ₦1,190

$0.89 ₦1,194

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₦531

$0.36 ₦487

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.55 ₦735

$0.54 ₦730

1.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.37 ₦3,179

$2.44 ₦3,267

-2.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₦719

$0.51 ₦683

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₦666

$0.46 ₦614

8.70%

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 ₦914

2.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ₦1,296

$0.89 ₦1,189

8.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₦2,821

$2.22 ₦2,982

-5.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₦1,137

$0.73 ₦981

16.44%

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

$11.3K ₦15.2M

$11.2K ₦14.9M

1.40%

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

$29.0K ₦38.9M

$28.7K ₦38.4M

1.14%

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

$112 ₦149.6K

$111 ₦148.5K

0.73%

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

$14.92 ₦20.0K

$14.93 ₦20.0K

-0.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.44 ₦43.5K

$32.50 ₦43.6K

-0.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.80 ₦37.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.91 ₦9,263

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 ₦8,350

$6.22 ₦8,332

0.16%

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

$654 ₦876.4K

$668 ₦894.8K

-2.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K ₦26.9M

$19.6K ₦26.2M

2.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.83 ₦19.9K

$14.65 ₦19.6K

1.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.94 ₦24.0K

$17.85 ₦23.9K

0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.62 ₦49.1K

$36.59 ₦49.0K

0.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.49 ₦63.6K

$48.06 ₦64.4K

-1.19%

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

$113 ₦151.1K

4.51%

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 Benin: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lagos

$417 43.9%

Benin

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lagos

$159 16.7%

Benin

$158 35.5% 0.5% $0.7

Groceries & Markets

Lagos

$156 16.4%

Benin

$147 33% 5.8% $9

Eating Out

Lagos

$97 10.2%

Benin

$70 15.7% 28.1% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Lagos

$53 5.5%

Benin

$53 11.8% 0.2% $0.1

Sport & Entertainment

Lagos

$40 4.2%

Benin

$12 * 2.8% 69.1% $28

Getting Around

Lagos

$29 3.1%

Benin

$5.1 * 1.2% 82.4% $24

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 5% higher in Lagos, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Lagos versus $50 in Benin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $156 vs $147 – making Benin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Lagos

🇳🇬 Benin

🕒 Local time

20:59 8:59 PM

Same time as Lagos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,404,112

1,147,188

💱 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

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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 Benin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lagos costs about 114% more than Benin, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,427 per month in Lagos and $668 in Benin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $952 in Lagos and $445 in Benin. That makes Benin about 53% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Lagos, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Benin, where all-in costs run around $445, than in Lagos at $952. In Benin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lagos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lagos has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $445 in Benin to $952 in Lagos. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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