Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maiduguri and Abuja

For one person, living is cheaper in Maiduguri: $170 a month against $1,001 in Abuja, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Abuja
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Abuja Living Index

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Maiduguri

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$170

/mo nomad

Abuja

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$1,001

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maiduguri and in Abuja

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Maiduguri and in Abuja actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $170 in Maiduguri versus $1,001 in Abuja.

Maiduguri $170
Abuja $1,001

Estimated couple costs with rent: $284 in Maiduguri versus $1,885 in Abuja.

Maiduguri $284
Abuja $1,885

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $398 in Maiduguri versus $2,770 in Abuja.

Maiduguri $398
Abuja $2,770

Living in Maiduguri costs roughly 83% less than in Abuja, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maiduguri 87% lower, Abuja 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.51 ₦673

$2.01 ₦2,675

-74.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.62 ₦40.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$1.83 ₦2,433

$3.92 ₦5,210

-53.32%

Cappuccino

$0.89 ₦1,178

$3.45 ₦4,589

-74.20%

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

$0.27 ₦361

$0.43 ₦576

-37.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₦249

$0.68 ₦898

-72.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₦1,300

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₦2,705

Milk (1 liter)

$3.77 ₦5,012

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₦1,368

$1.28 ₦1,702

-19.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ₦2,598

$2.18 ₦2,904

-10.55%

Eggs

$1.75 ₦2,326

$1.86 ₦2,476

-5.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.89 ₦14.5K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.90 ₦6,515

$5.34 ₦7,100

-8.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.04 ₦5,375

$5.98 ₦7,959

-32.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 ₦5,430

$1.99 ₦2,643

105.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₦1,911

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ₦1,961

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 ₦1,291

$2.35 ₦3,123

-58.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ₦1,973

$1.82 ₦2,420

-18.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ₦1,349

$2.38 ₦3,172

-57.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ₦514

$0.56 ₦741

-30.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₦417

$0.37 ₦488

-16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 ₦2,642

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 ₦7,808

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₦1,634

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₦2,396

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₦485

$0.46 ₦614

-21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.89 ₦43.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 ₦771

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 ₦1,099

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₦2,446

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.25 ₦331

$0.54 ₦718

-53.70%

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

$26.6K ₦35.4M

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

$37.2K ₦49.5M

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

$112 ₦149.6K

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

$7.92 ₦10.5K

$6.36 ₦8,465

24.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.25 ₦38.9K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 ₦34.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 ₦10.5K

$9.35 ₦12.4K

-15.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 ₦8,709

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

$45.94 ₦61.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,083 ₦4.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.38 ₦27.1K

$25.70 ₦34.2K

-20.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.88 ₦23.8K

$60.9 ₦81.0K

-70.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.37 ₦33.7K

$77.2 ₦102.7K

-67.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.82 ₦33.0K

$105 ₦139.5K

-76.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 ₦778.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₦468.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 ₦1.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 ₦1.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$698 ₦928.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$368 ₦490.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 ₦224.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

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

Last update for Maiduguri: October 20, 2026

Last update for Abuja: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Maiduguri

–

Abuja

$352 35.2%

Groceries & Markets

Maiduguri

–

Abuja

$219 21.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maiduguri

–

Abuja

$148 14.8%

Clothing & Footwear

Maiduguri

–

Abuja

$121 12.1%

Eating Out

Maiduguri

–

Abuja

$83 8.3%

Getting Around

Maiduguri

–

Abuja

$39 3.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Maiduguri

–

Abuja

$39 3.9%

Good to know

🇳🇬 Maiduguri

🇳🇬 Abuja

🕒 Local time

11:49 11:49 AM

Same time as Maiduguri

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,197,497

776,298 Capital

💱 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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Between locations

Maiduguri Abuja 690 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Maiduguri
Abuja

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

Maiduguri vs Abuja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maiduguri and Abuja differ by about 489% in total monthly costs ($170 vs $1,001 including rent). Maiduguri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $255 in Maiduguri and $1,501 in Abuja to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 121% higher in Abuja. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $170 per month in Maiduguri versus $1,001 in Abuja – a 489% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $170 in Maiduguri versus $1,001 in Abuja, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maiduguri but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Maiduguri the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Maiduguri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 489% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.