Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nigeria and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

For one person, living is cheaper in Nigeria: $750 a month against $1,203 in South Africa, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Nigeria
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Nigeria Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in South Africa
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South Africa Living Index

Jump to prices

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$750

/mo nomad

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,203

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nigeria and in South Africa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nigeria and in South Africa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $750 in Nigeria versus $1,203 in South Africa.

Nigeria $750
South Africa $1,203

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,279 in Nigeria versus $1,893 in South Africa.

Nigeria $1,279
South Africa $1,893

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,807 in Nigeria versus $2,583 in South Africa.

Nigeria $1,807
South Africa $2,583

Internal cost variation is higher in Nigeria: monthly costs span $1 to $2,392, compared to $618–$1,556 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Nigeria.

Living in Nigeria costs about 38% less than in South Africa on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Nigeria 45% lower, South Africa 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 ₦2,484

$10.67 R 177

-82.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.70 ₦39.8K

$41.66 R 693

-28.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.37 ₦5,864

$5.80 R 96.5

-24.66%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ₦3,230

$2.36 R 39.23

2.12%

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

$0.33 ₦447

$1.12 R 18.56

-70.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ₦295

$0.90 R 15.00

-75.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.84 ₦1,127

$2.42 R 40.20

-65.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₦1,716

$3.06 R 50.9

-58.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.92 ₦3,912

$1.18 R 19.58

147.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₦1,343

$1.13 R 18.83

-11.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 ₦1,996

$1.74 R 28.90

-14.37%

Eggs

$1.67 ₦2,232

$2.57 R 42.80

-35.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.02 ₦8,067

$8.43 R 140

-28.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 ₦5,953

$5.12 R 85.1

-13.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.98 ₦5,330

$7.59 R 126

-47.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ₦3,188

$1.77 R 29.52

34.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ₦1,755

$1.74 R 28.90

-24.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 ₦1,593

$1.77 R 29.43

-32.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ₦2,117

$1.76 R 29.26

-10.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ₦2,146

$1.49 R 24.81

7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ₦1,811

$1.47 R 24.38

-8.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₦893

$1.23 R 20.52

-45.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₦490

$1.10 R 18.25

-66.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.72 ₦965

$3.24 R 54.0

-77.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.92 ₦5,249

$5.00 R 83.2

-21.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₦907

$1.50 R 24.90

-54.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₦1,164

$1.94 R 32.26

-55.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₦510

$1.48 R 24.58

-74.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.71 ₦19.7K

$59.3 R 986

-75.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 ₦773

$1.09 R 18.21

-46.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ₦1,426

$0.99 R 16.46

7.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₦2,831

$7.46 R 124

-71.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 ₦841

$1.43 R 23.76

-55.94%

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

$11.0K ₦14.7M

$35.3K R 587.4K

-68.89%

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

$29.2K ₦39.1M

$32.4K R 539.7K

-10.12%

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

$69.2 ₦92.8K

$133 R 2,208

-47.85%

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

$5.08 ₦6,808

$34.83 R 580

-85.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.18 ₦29.7K

$39.76 R 662

-44.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.73 ₦26.4K

$33.09 R 551

-40.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.91 ₦9,257

$11.65 R 194

-40.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 ₦6,051

$7.18 R 119

-37.19%

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

$63.7 ₦85.4K

$224 R 3,728

-71.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,124 ₦5.5M

$5,462 R 90.9K

-24.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.68 ₦17.0K

$54.2 R 902

-76.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.21 ₦25.7K

$34.13 R 568

-43.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.96 ₦46.9K

$102 R 1,699

-65.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.74 ₦49.2K

$88.5 R 1,472

-58.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ₦649.0K

$492 R 8,189

-1.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 ₦437.6K

$398 R 6,617

-17.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 ₦2.0M

$946 R 15.7K

54.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ₦1.1M

$827 R 13.8K

0.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,624 ₦3.5M

$1,099 R 18.3K

138.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,173 ₦1.6M

$769 R 12.8K

52.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$90.1 ₦120.8K

$1,502 R 25.0K

-94.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

11.23

58.50%

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

Last update for Nigeria: October 25, 2026

Last update for South Africa: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nigeria

$327 43.5%

South Africa

$398 33.1% 21.8% $71

Groceries & Markets

Nigeria

$164 21.9%

South Africa

$196 16.3% 19.6% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nigeria

$96 12.9%

South Africa

$207 17.2% 115% $111

Eating Out

Nigeria

$66 8.8%

South Africa

$157 13.1% 139% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Nigeria

$47 6.2%

South Africa

$126 10.4% 169% $79

Sport & Entertainment

Nigeria

$29 3.8%

South Africa

$47 4% 65% $19

Getting Around

Nigeria

$22 3%

South Africa

$71 5.9% 222% $49

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $698 in Nigeria, $422 in South Africa. Capital cities: $589 in Abuja vs $450 in Pretoria.

National salary averages: $80 in Nigeria, $1,488 in South Africa. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 65% higher in Nigeria.

Dining out costs 11% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 190% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are about 19 times higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Africa.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Nigeria

🇿🇦 South Africa

🕒 Local time

05:40 5:40 AM

06:40 6:40 AM

1 h ahead of Nigeria

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

211,400,708

62,027,503

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.01 USD

100 ZAR = 5.39 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇬 Nigerian Naira (₦)

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,494 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 16.64 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.01 USD). 1 EUR = 18.55 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.39 EUR).

USD to NGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nigeria South Africa 4,700 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Nigeria
South Africa

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

Nigeria vs South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $750 per month in Nigeria and $1,203 in South Africa, there’s a 60% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in Nigeria: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

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.