Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maiduguri and Lagos

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.

46

Cost of Living Index in Lagos
Learn more

Lagos Living Index

Jump to prices

Maiduguri

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$172

/mo nomad

Lagos

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$951

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maiduguri and in Lagos

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

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

Maiduguri $172
Lagos $951

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

Maiduguri $288
Lagos $1,859

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

Maiduguri $403
Lagos $2,768

Maiduguri is about 82% cheaper than Lagos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.55 ₦735

$3.82 ₦5,082

-85.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 ₦67.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$1.90 ₦2,521

$7.38 ₦9,815

-74.25%

Cappuccino

$0.86 ₦1,138

$2.83 ₦3,768

-69.61%

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

$0.25 ₦331

$0.43 ₦577

-41.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₦240

$0.22 ₦291

-18.18%

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)

$1.03 ₦1,368

$1.50 ₦1,989

-31.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 ₦2,643

$1.25 ₦1,669

59.20%

Eggs

$1.76 ₦2,341

$2.27 ₦3,013

-22.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.44 ₦4,578

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 ₦6,847

$3.79 ₦5,040

35.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.97 ₦5,286

$4.58 ₦6,093

-13.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 ₦5,397

$1.70 ₦2,255

138.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ₦1,716

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 ₦1,475

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₦1,360

$1.29 ₦1,718

-20.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ₦2,045

$1.37 ₦1,823

12.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 ₦1,355

$1.36 ₦1,803

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 ₦554

$0.85 ₦1,128

-50.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₦412

$0.40 ₦528

-22.50%

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)

$0.39 ₦525

$0.40 ₦532

-2.50%

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)

$0.25 ₦332

$0.83 ₦1,098

-69.88%

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)

$8.04 ₦10.7K

$15.08 ₦20.1K

-46.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.09 ₦44.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.10 ₦37.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.05 ₦10.7K

$6.79 ₦9,027

18.56%

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)

$20.39 ₦27.1K

$14.85 ₦19.8K

37.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.78 ₦23.6K

$17.95 ₦23.9K

-0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.34 ₦33.7K

$36.30 ₦48.3K

-30.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.13 ₦33.4K

$48.95 ₦65.1K

-48.66%

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 Maiduguri: October 10, 2026

Last update for Lagos: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Maiduguri

–

Lagos

$417 43.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maiduguri

–

Lagos

$161 17%

Groceries & Markets

Maiduguri

–

Lagos

$154 16.2%

Eating Out

Maiduguri

–

Lagos

$98 10.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Maiduguri

–

Lagos

$53 5.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Maiduguri

–

Lagos

$40 4.3%

Getting Around

Maiduguri

–

Lagos

$27 2.8%

Good to know

🇳🇬 Maiduguri

🇳🇬 Lagos

🕒 Local time

07:48 7:48 AM

Same time as Maiduguri

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,197,497

10,404,112

💱 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

Maiduguri Lagos 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Maiduguri
Lagos

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 Lagos: 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 $258 per month in Maiduguri and $1,426 in Lagos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $172 in Maiduguri and $951 in Lagos. 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.