Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lagos and Port Harcourt

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Harcourt: $394 a month against $951 in Lagos, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Lagos
Learn more

Lagos Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Port Harcourt
Learn more

Port Harcourt Living Index

Jump to prices

Lagos

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$951

/mo nomad

Port Harcourt

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$394

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lagos and in Port Harcourt

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

A single person spends $951 per month in Lagos vs $394 in Port Harcourt, rent included.

Lagos $951
Port Harcourt $394

A couple spends around $1,859 per month in Lagos vs $816 in Port Harcourt, rent included.

Lagos $1,859
Port Harcourt $816

A family of three spends $2,768 per month in Lagos vs $1,239 in Port Harcourt, rent included.

Lagos $2,768
Port Harcourt $1,239

Lagos costs about 141% more than Port Harcourt, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Lagos and Port Harcourt are more affordable than the global median – Lagos 30% lower, Port Harcourt 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 ₦5,082

$1.96 ₦2,612

94.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 ₦67.5K

$29.96 ₦39.9K

69.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 ₦9,815

$4.63 ₦6,157

59.40%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ₦3,768

$1.65 ₦2,195

71.52%

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

$0.43 ₦577

$0.63 ₦834

-31.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ₦291

$0.61 ₦810

-63.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₦1,348

$1.47 ₦1,962

-31.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₦2,692

$2.97 ₦3,954

-31.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 ₦4,120

$2.60 ₦3,456

19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₦1,989

$0.97 ₦1,287

54.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 ₦1,669

$3.36 ₦4,464

-62.80%

Eggs

$2.27 ₦3,013

$1.73 ₦2,307

31.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.44 ₦4,578

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 ₦5,040

$1.91 ₦2,540

98.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.58 ₦6,093

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ₦2,255

$2.46 ₦3,269

-30.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ₦1,716

$2.20 ₦2,929

-41.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 ₦1,475

$1.78 ₦2,366

-37.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 ₦1,718

$3.03 ₦4,031

-57.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ₦1,823

$2.28 ₦3,031

-39.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ₦1,803

$1.49 ₦1,976

-8.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 ₦1,128

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₦528

$0.69 ₦921

-42.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.60 ₦793

Wine (Bottle)

$2.52 ₦3,346

$5.20 ₦6,921

-51.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₦721

$0.72 ₦956

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₦612

$1.48 ₦1,970

-68.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₦532

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 ₦26.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₦864

$0.40 ₦529

62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 ₦1,270

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 ₦2,987

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₦1,098

$0.59 ₦781

40.68%

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

$30.58 ₦40.7K

270.57%

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

$15.08 ₦20.1K

$3.86 ₦5,140

290.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.09 ₦44.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.10 ₦37.4K

$14.55 ₦19.4K

93.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.79 ₦9,027

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 ₦8,237

$3.95 ₦5,259

56.71%

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

$659 ₦877.1K

$24.93 ₦33.2K

2544.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K ₦26.0M

$801 ₦1.1M

2340.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.85 ₦19.8K

$6.84 ₦9,093

117.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.95 ₦23.9K

$11.83 ₦15.7K

51.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.30 ₦48.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.95 ₦65.1K

$15.02 ₦20.0K

225.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₦936.6K

$152 ₦202.3K

362.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₦554.1K

$106 ₦140.4K

294.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,825 ₦3.8M

$1,145 ₦1.5M

146.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 ₦2.0M

$500 ₦664.7K

203.30%

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

$56.9 ₦75.7K

104.90%

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 Port Harcourt: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lagos

$417 43.8%

Port Harcourt

$106 26.8% 74.7% $311

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lagos

$161 17%

Port Harcourt

$34 * 8.7% 78.7% $127

Groceries & Markets

Lagos

$154 16.2%

Port Harcourt

$148 * 37.7% 3.5% $5.4

Eating Out

Lagos

$98 10.4%

Port Harcourt

$68 17.2% 31.3% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Lagos

$53 5.6%

Port Harcourt

$15 * 3.9% 71.5% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Lagos

$40 4.3%

Port Harcourt

$22 5.7% 44.5% $18

Getting Around

Lagos

$27 2.8%

Port Harcourt

$0.4 * 0.1% 98.5% $26

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $704 in Lagos versus $152 in Port Harcourt. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 105% 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 $51.0 in Lagos versus $30.00 in Port Harcourt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $154 vs $148 – making Port Harcourt the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Lagos

🇳🇬 Port Harcourt

🕒 Local time

15:43 3:43 PM

Same time as Lagos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,404,112

1,382,592

💱 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

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lagos Port Harcourt 440 km

From you

Lagos
Port Harcourt

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 Port Harcourt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lagos costs about 141% more than Port Harcourt, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. 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 $591 in Port Harcourt. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Harcourt, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Lagos and $30.00 in Port Harcourt. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Harcourt, where all-in costs run around $394, than in Lagos at $951. In Port Harcourt it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lagos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port Harcourt – 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 Port Harcourt. 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.