Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Benin and Lagos

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.

21

Cost of Living Index in Benin
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Benin Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Lagos
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Lagos Living Index

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Benin

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$445

/mo nomad

Lagos

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$952

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Benin 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 Benin and in Lagos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

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

Benin $445
Lagos $952

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

Benin $753
Lagos $1,852

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

Benin $1,061
Lagos $2,753

Benin is about 53% cheaper than Lagos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.29 ₦1,727

$3.62 ₦4,851

-64.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.53 ₦66.4K

$50.7 ₦67.9K

-2.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.72 ₦7,661

$7.67 ₦10.3K

-25.42%

Cappuccino

$2.82 ₦3,786

$2.82 ₦3,778

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

$0.29 ₦390

$0.43 ₦578

-32.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ₦264

$0.24 ₦324

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₦1,249

$0.97 ₦1,305

-4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₦1,333

$1.95 ₦2,619

-49.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 ₦4,092

$3.20 ₦4,293

-4.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 ₦1,026

$1.49 ₦1,997

-48.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 ₦1,665

$1.26 ₦1,692

-1.59%

Eggs

$2.19 ₦2,939

$2.27 ₦3,044

-3.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.55 ₦4,764

$3.42 ₦4,587

3.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ₦5,264

$3.77 ₦5,050

4.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.41 ₦5,908

$4.36 ₦5,843

1.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.65 ₦2,206

$1.63 ₦2,187

1.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ₦1,688

$1.33 ₦1,779

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 ₦1,445

$1.13 ₦1,514

-4.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ₦1,970

$1.49 ₦1,999

-1.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ₦2,074

$1.61 ₦2,158

-3.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 ₦2,120

$1.52 ₦2,037

3.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ₦1,194

$0.89 ₦1,190

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₦487

$0.40 ₦531

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.54 ₦730

$0.55 ₦735

-1.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.44 ₦3,267

$2.37 ₦3,179

2.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₦683

$0.54 ₦719

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₦614

$0.50 ₦666

-8.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₦512

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.99 ₦29.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₦914

$0.70 ₦934

-2.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 ₦1,189

$0.97 ₦1,296

-8.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 ₦2,982

$2.10 ₦2,821

5.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 ₦981

$0.85 ₦1,137

-14.12%

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

$11.2K ₦14.9M

$11.3K ₦15.2M

-1.38%

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

$28.7K ₦38.4M

$29.0K ₦38.9M

-1.13%

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

$111 ₦148.5K

$112 ₦149.6K

-0.73%

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

$14.93 ₦20.0K

$14.92 ₦20.0K

0.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.50 ₦43.6K

$32.44 ₦43.5K

0.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.80 ₦37.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.91 ₦9,263

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 ₦8,332

$6.23 ₦8,350

-0.16%

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

$668 ₦894.8K

$654 ₦876.4K

2.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K ₦26.2M

$20.1K ₦26.9M

-2.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.65 ₦19.6K

$14.83 ₦19.9K

-1.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.85 ₦23.9K

$17.94 ₦24.0K

-0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.59 ₦49.0K

$36.62 ₦49.1K

-0.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.06 ₦64.4K

$47.49 ₦63.6K

1.20%

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)

$113 ₦151.1K

$118 ₦157.9K

-4.31%

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 Benin: October 27, 2026

Last update for Lagos: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Benin

$158 35.5%

Lagos

$159 16.7% 0.5% $0.7

Groceries & Markets

Benin

$147 33%

Lagos

$156 16.4% 6.1% $9

Eating Out

Benin

$70 15.7%

Lagos

$97 10.2% 39% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Benin

$53 11.8%

Lagos

$53 5.5% 0.2% $0.1

Sport & Entertainment

Benin

$12 * 2.8%

Lagos

$40 4.2% 224% $28

Getting Around

Benin

$5.1 * 1.2%

Lagos

$29 3.1% 467% $24

Accommodation & Living

Benin

- * 0%

Lagos

$417 43.9%

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 $50 in Benin versus $51 in Lagos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $147 vs $156 – making Benin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Benin

🇳🇬 Lagos

🕒 Local time

19:06 7:06 PM

Same time as Benin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,147,188

10,404,112

💱 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

Benin vs Lagos: 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 $668 per month in Benin and $1,427 in Lagos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $445 in Benin and $952 in Lagos. That’s a gap of about 114%.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $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, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lagos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.