Cost of Living Comparison Between Nigeria and South Africa Cost of Living Comparison Between Nigeria and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $526 in Nigeria versus $1,021 in South Africa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $876 in Nigeria versus $1,594 in South Africa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,226 in Nigeria versus $2,167 in South Africa.

Living in Nigeria costs about 48% less than in South Africa on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Nigeria 61% lower, South Africa 24% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Nigeria: monthly costs span $0 to $1,671, compared to $804–$1,352 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Nigeria.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ₦2,731

$9.20 R 151

-77.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.68 ₦44.1K

$38.46 R 632

-15.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ₦7,373

$5.11 R 84.0

7.05%

Cappuccino

$2.13 ₦2,872

$2.03 R 33.32

4.93%

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

$0.40 ₦535

$0.95 R 15.57

-57.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₦339

$0.79 R 13.03

-68.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 ₦1,159

$2.31 R 37.90

-62.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₦1,677

$2.46 R 40.40

-49.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 ₦3,697

$1.08 R 17.74

153.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₦1,693

$0.96 R 15.83

31.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ₦3,071

$1.60 R 26.36

42.50%

Eggs

$1.90 ₦2,556

$2.32 R 38.21

-18.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.17 ₦6,976

$7.48 R 123

-30.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.48 ₦6,043

$4.57 R 75.1

-1.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.48 ₦6,040

$6.56 R 108

-31.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ₦4,629

$1.58 R 26.01

117.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 ₦2,643

$1.45 R 23.85

35.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ₦2,332

$1.50 R 24.73

15.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 ₦2,525

$1.55 R 25.40

20.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 ₦2,745

$1.26 R 20.79

61.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 ₦2,477

$1.29 R 21.19

42.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ₦1,177

$1.07 R 17.61

-18.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₦677

$0.90 R 14.84

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.31 ₦1,764

$2.92 R 48.03

-55.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.00 ₦5,392

$4.99 R 82.1

-19.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₦1,164

$1.39 R 22.83

-38.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₦1,519

$1.68 R 27.57

-32.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ₦775

$1.72 R 28.27

-66.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.57 ₦45.3K

$45.17 R 743

-25.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ₦1,259

$1.11 R 18.24

-16.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 ₦2,310

$1.06 R 17.45

61.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.44 ₦5,992

$4.84 R 79.6

-8.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 ₦961

$1.24 R 20.43

-42.74%

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

$16.3K ₦22.0M

$21.0K R 345.8K

-22.54%

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

$21.9K ₦29.5M

$24.1K R 395.9K

-9.02%

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

$29.22 ₦39.4K

$112 R 1,842

-73.93%

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

$10.08 ₦13.6K

$31.87 R 524

-68.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.72 ₦41.4K

$40.80 R 671

-24.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.40 ₦42.3K

$31.46 R 517

-0.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.51 ₦11.5K

$9.71 R 160

-12.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 ₦8,494

$6.68 R 110

-5.69%

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

$75.3 ₦101.5K

$192 R 3,153

-60.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,603 ₦2.2M

$4,306 R 70.8K

-62.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.02 ₦24.3K

$49.12 R 807

-63.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.56 ₦35.8K

$30.89 R 508

-14.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.3 ₦74.6K

$93.2 R 1,533

-40.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 ₦77.6K

$78.6 R 1,292

-26.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ₦1.2M

$451 R 7,413

103.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₦791.5K

$366 R 6,022

60.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 ₦3.0M

$888 R 14.6K

151.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ₦1.6M

$709 R 11.7K

70.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,678 ₦3.6M

$1,148 R 18.9K

133.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ₦2.0M

$807 R 13.3K

81.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$114 ₦153.2K

$1,467 R 24.1K

-92.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

11.55

41.39%

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

Last update for Nigeria: April 20, 2026

Last update for South Africa: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $376 in Nigeria, $368 in South Africa. Capital cities: $2,485 in Abuja vs $762 in Cape Town.

National salary averages: $93 in Nigeria, $1,458 in South Africa. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 35% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 129% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 1468% higher in South Africa, giving South Africa stronger purchasing power.

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 South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $836 per month in Nigeria and $1,078 in South Africa, there's a 29% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Nigeria is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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.

Rent in South Africa beats Nigeria across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Nigeria, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In South Africa, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Nigeria wins on affordability; South Africa may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.