Cost of Living Comparison Between Nigeria and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Nigeria and India

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $419 in Nigeria versus $366 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $723 in Nigeria versus $581 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,027 in Nigeria versus $795 in India.

Living in Nigeria is roughly 14% more expensive than in India on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Nigeria 70% lower, India 73% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nigeria
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.94 ₦2,576
$2.15 ₹205
-9.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.08 ₦39.9K
$10.42 ₹996
188.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.71 ₦6,244
$3.59 ₹343
31.20%
Cappuccino
$2.30 ₦3,049
$1.67 ₹160
37.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ₦468
$0.39 ₹37.26
-10.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 ₦292
$0.17 ₹15.92
29.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.76 ₦1,005
$1.87 ₹179
-59.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₦1,738
$3.18 ₹304
-58.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nigeria
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.90 ₦3,841
$0.64 ₹61.1
353.12%
White Bread (500g)
$1.00 ₦1,328
$0.45 ₹42.66
122.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.55 ₦2,060
$0.63 ₹59.9
146.03%
Eggs
$1.65 ₦2,183
$0.87 ₹83.5
89.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.60 ₦7,421
$4.62 ₹442
21.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.21 ₦5,584
$2.86 ₹273
47.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.59 ₦4,753
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.21 ₦2,925
$1.95 ₹186
13.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 ₦1,724
$0.67 ₹64.3
94.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.20 ₦1,595
$0.99 ₹94.3
21.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ₦2,062
$0.51 ₹48.45
205.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.52 ₦2,017
$0.35 ₹33.23
334.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.32 ₦1,743
$0.42 ₹39.69
214.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 ₦885
$0.44 ₹41.87
52.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.36 ₦476
$0.31 ₹29.80
16.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.78 ₦1,032
$5.14 ₹491
-84.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.46 ₦4,586
$7.58 ₹724
-54.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 ₦873
$1.67 ₹160
-60.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79 ₦1,048
$2.79 ₹266
-71.68%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.36 ₹512
-
🚌 Getting Around
Nigeria
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₦526
$0.25 ₹23.64
60.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.18 ₦20.1K
$8.53 ₹815
77.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.63 ₦831
$0.94 ₹89.4
-32.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 ₦1,444
$0.27 ₹25.96
303.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.22 ₦2,945
$1.60 ₹153
38.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.60 ₦795
$1.12 ₹107
-46.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.5K ₦15.3M
$12.4K ₹1.2M
-7.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.6K ₦22.0M
$20.2K ₹1.9M
-17.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nigeria
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ₦93.5K
$37.28 ₹3,562
89.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.28 ₦6,995
$3.49 ₹334
51.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.04 ₦27.9K
$7.20 ₹688
192.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nigeria
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.09 ₦26.6K
$14.69 ₹1,403
36.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.95 ₦9,213
$7.31 ₹698
-4.92%
Cinema Ticket
$4.47 ₦5,929
$3.08 ₹294
45.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nigeria
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$64.4 ₦85.4K
$59.1 ₹5,646
9.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,278 ₦5.7M
$1,693 ₹161.8K
152.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nigeria
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$11.72 ₦15.5K
$23.25 ₹2,221
-49.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.05 ₦25.2K
$24.03 ₹2,296
-20.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$34.16 ₦45.3K
$40.99 ₹3,917
-16.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.68 ₦48.6K
$30.46 ₹2,911
20.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nigeria
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$529 ₦700.5K
$143 ₹13.7K
268.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$307 ₦407.2K
$93.2 ₹8,902
229.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 ₦2.2M
$332 ₹31.7K
404.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$772 ₦1.0M
$214 ₹20.4K
261.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,658 ₦3.5M
$1,203 ₹115.0K
120.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,157 ₦1.5M
$643 ₹61.5K
79.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nigeria
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$88.3 ₦117.0K
$441 ₹42.1K
-79.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
17.59
8.93
96.98%

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

Last update for Nigeria: September 7, 2026

Last update for India: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $266 in Nigeria, $121 in India. Capital cities: $1,426 in Abuja vs $272 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $76.0 in Nigeria, $410 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 120% higher in Nigeria.

Dining out costs 130% more in Nigeria.

Public transport is 17% more expensive in India.

Salaries are 439% higher in India, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

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
Nigeria vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Nigeria?
At $519 per month in India and $1,206 in Nigeria, there's a 132% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in India: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Nigeria is consistently higher than in India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Nigeria?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Nigeria it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Nigeria?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Nigeria may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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