Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Onitsha and Lagos

For one person, living is cheaper in Onitsha: $0.71 a month against $952 in Lagos, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lagos
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Lagos Living Index

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Onitsha

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$0.71

/mo nomad

Lagos

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$952

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $0.71 per month in Onitsha vs $952 in Lagos, rent included.

Onitsha $0.71
Lagos $952

A couple spends around $1.25 per month in Onitsha vs $1,852 in Lagos, rent included.

Onitsha $1.25
Lagos $1,852

A family of three spends $1.78 per month in Onitsha vs $2,753 in Lagos, rent included.

Onitsha $1.78
Lagos $2,753

Onitsha is about 100% cheaper than Lagos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Onitsha and Lagos are more affordable than the global median – Onitsha 100% lower, Lagos 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 ₦4,868

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ₦68.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 ₦10.3K

Cappuccino

$2.82 ₦3,791

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

$0.43 ₦580

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₦325

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₦1,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₦2,628

Milk (1 liter)

$3.20 ₦4,308

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₦2,004

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ₦1,698

Eggs

$2.27 ₦3,055

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.42 ₦4,603

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ₦5,067

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.36 ₦5,864

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 ₦2,194

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 ₦1,785

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₦1,519

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₦2,006

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ₦2,165

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 ₦2,044

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ₦1,194

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₦533

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.55 ₦737

Wine (Bottle)

$2.37 ₦3,190

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₦722

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₦668

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₦240

$0.38 ₦514

-52.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.99 ₦29.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₦938

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ₦1,301

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₦2,831

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₦1,141

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

$11.3K ₦15.2M

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

$29.0K ₦39.0M

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

$112 ₦150.1K

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

$14.92 ₦20.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.44 ₦43.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.80 ₦37.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.91 ₦9,295

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 ₦8,379

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

$654 ₦879.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K ₦27.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.83 ₦19.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.94 ₦24.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.62 ₦49.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.49 ₦63.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₦947.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₦561.4K

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 ₦4.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,607 ₦2.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$118 ₦158.5K

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 Onitsha: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lagos: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Onitsha

–

Lagos

$417 43.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Onitsha

–

Lagos

$159 16.7%

Groceries & Markets

Onitsha

–

Lagos

$156 16.4%

Eating Out

Onitsha

–

Lagos

$97 10.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Onitsha

–

Lagos

$53 5.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Onitsha

–

Lagos

$40 4.2%

Getting Around

Onitsha

–

Lagos

$29 3.1%

Good to know

🇳🇬 Onitsha

🇳🇬 Lagos

🕒 Local time

00:39 12:39 AM

Same time as Onitsha

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,080,000

10,404,112

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.63 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Onitsha Lagos 380 km

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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

Onitsha vs Lagos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lagos costs about 133915% more than Onitsha, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1.07 per month in Onitsha and $1,427 in Lagos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

It depends on your priorities. Lagos has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $0.71 in Onitsha to $952 in Lagos. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.