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: $521 in Nigeria versus $388 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $875 in Nigeria versus $617 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,228 in Nigeria versus $846 in India.

Living in Nigeria is roughly 34% more expensive than in India on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Nigeria 61% lower, India 71% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nigeria
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.98 ₦2,723
$2.53 ₹244
-21.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.00 ₦45.5K
$13.73 ₹1,322
140.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.42 ₦7,472
$4.00 ₹385
35.50%
Cappuccino
$2.02 ₦2,788
$1.91 ₹184
5.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ₦548
$0.43 ₹41.85
-6.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 ₦347
$0.17 ₹16.11
47.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.91 ₦1,260
$1.93 ₹186
-52.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 ₦1,790
$3.54 ₹341
-63.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nigeria
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.67 ₦3,675
$0.73 ₹69.9
265.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.22 ₦1,679
$0.52 ₹50.1
134.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.28 ₦3,142
$0.73 ₹69.9
212.33%
Eggs
$1.89 ₦2,599
$0.95 ₹91.4
98.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.21 ₦7,178
$5.32 ₹512
-2.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.51 ₦6,211
$3.10 ₹299
45.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.36 ₦6,006
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 ₦4,891
$2.16 ₹208
64.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 ₦2,730
$0.70 ₹67.7
182.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.65 ₦2,274
$1.05 ₹101
57.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.79 ₦2,461
$0.53 ₹50.8
237.74%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 ₦2,777
$0.39 ₹37.66
417.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.78 ₦2,449
$0.48 ₹46.64
270.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.83 ₦1,141
$0.52 ₹49.78
59.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47 ₦644
$0.36 ₹34.33
30.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.31 ₦1,810
$4.02 ₹387
-67.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$2.60 ₦3,585
$7.28 ₹701
-64.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 ₦1,256
$1.90 ₹183
-52.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₦1,487
$3.03 ₹292
-64.36%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.84 ₹562
-
🚌 Getting Around
Nigeria
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 ₦739
$0.36 ₹34.66
50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.86 ₦48.0K
$9.84 ₹948
254.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.93 ₦1,283
$0.95 ₹91.8
-2.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 ₦2,356
$0.30 ₹29.03
470.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.32 ₦5,958
$1.79 ₹172
141.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.66 ₦904
$1.21 ₹117
-45.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.8K ₦23.2M
$13.9K ₹1.3M
21.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K ₦30.9M
$22.4K ₹2.2M
0.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nigeria
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$29.31 ₦40.4K
$40.16 ₹3,867
-27.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.74 ₦13.4K
$3.76 ₹362
159.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.43 ₦43.3K
$8.04 ₹774
290.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nigeria
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.26 ₦43.1K
$16.25 ₹1,565
92.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.73 ₦12.0K
$7.56 ₹728
15.48%
Cinema Ticket
$6.27 ₦8,641
$3.43 ₹330
82.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nigeria
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$74.4 ₦102.6K
$69.7 ₹6,713
6.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,637 ₦2.3M
$1,852 ₹178.3K
-11.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nigeria
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.03 ₦24.9K
$25.59 ₹2,463
-29.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.47 ₦36.5K
$26.30 ₹2,532
0.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$55.7 ₦76.8K
$44.89 ₹4,322
24.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$56.1 ₦77.3K
$33.20 ₹3,197
68.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nigeria
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$899 ₦1.2M
$174 ₹16.8K
415.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$585 ₦806.2K
$112 ₹10.8K
420.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,175 ₦3.0M
$405 ₹39.0K
437.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,215 ₦1.7M
$258 ₹24.8K
371.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,657 ₦3.7M
$1,263 ₹121.6K
110.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,173 ₦1.6M
$653 ₹62.8K
79.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nigeria
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$81.9 ₦112.9K
$424 ₹40.8K
-80.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.33
9.02
81.04%

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

Last update for Nigeria: July 13, 2026

Last update for India: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $374 in Nigeria, $127 in India. Capital cities: $2,418 in Abuja vs $242 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $71.0 in Nigeria, $398 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 194% higher in Nigeria.

Dining out costs 136% more in Nigeria.

Public transport is 29% more expensive in India.

Salaries are 461% 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 $589 per month in India and $831 in Nigeria, there's a 41% 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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