Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lagos and Onitsha

For one person, living is cheaper in Onitsha: $0.71 a month against $952 in Lagos, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 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

$952

/mo nomad

Onitsha

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$0.71

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lagos and in Onitsha

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

A single person spends $952 per month in Lagos vs $0.71 in Onitsha, rent included.

Lagos $952
Onitsha $0.71

A couple spends around $1,852 per month in Lagos vs $1.25 in Onitsha, rent included.

Lagos $1,852
Onitsha $1.25

A family of three spends $2,753 per month in Lagos vs $1.78 in Onitsha, rent included.

Lagos $2,753
Onitsha $1.78

Lagos costs about 133915% more than Onitsha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Lagos and Onitsha are more affordable than the global median – Lagos 30% lower, Onitsha 100% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 ₦4,837

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ₦67.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 ₦10.3K

Cappuccino

$2.82 ₦3,768

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

$0.43 ₦576

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₦323

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₦1,301

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₦2,611

Milk (1 liter)

$3.20 ₦4,281

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₦1,992

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ₦1,688

Eggs

$2.27 ₦3,036

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.42 ₦4,575

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ₦5,036

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.36 ₦5,827

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 ₦2,181

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 ₦1,774

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₦1,510

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₦1,994

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ₦2,152

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 ₦2,031

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ₦1,187

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₦529

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.55 ₦733

Wine (Bottle)

$2.37 ₦3,170

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₦717

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₦664

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₦510

$0.18 ₦239

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.99 ₦29.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₦932

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ₦1,293

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₦2,813

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₦1,134

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

$11.3K ₦15.1M

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

$29.0K ₦38.8M

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

$112 ₦149.2K

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

$14.92 ₦19.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.44 ₦43.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.80 ₦37.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.91 ₦9,237

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 ₦8,327

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

$654 ₦874.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K ₦26.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.83 ₦19.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.94 ₦24.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.62 ₦48.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.49 ₦63.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₦941.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₦557.9K

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 ₦2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$118 ₦157.5K

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 Onitsha: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lagos

$417 43.9%

Onitsha

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lagos

$159 16.7%

Onitsha

–

Groceries & Markets

Lagos

$156 16.4%

Onitsha

–

Eating Out

Lagos

$97 10.2%

Onitsha

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lagos

$53 5.5%

Onitsha

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lagos

$40 4.2%

Onitsha

–

Getting Around

Lagos

$29 3.1%

Onitsha

–

Good to know

🇳🇬 Lagos

🇳🇬 Onitsha

🕒 Local time

01:13 1:13 AM

Same time as Lagos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,404,112

1,080,000

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.48 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.68 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.48 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Onitsha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lagos costs about 133915% more than Onitsha, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $1.07 in Onitsha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

It depends on your priorities. Lagos has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $0.71 in Onitsha to $952 in Lagos. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.