Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Harcourt and Abuja

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Harcourt: $392 a month against $991 in Abuja, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Abuja
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Abuja Living Index

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Port Harcourt

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$392

/mo nomad

Abuja

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$991

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Port Harcourt and in Abuja

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $392 in Port Harcourt versus $991 in Abuja.

Port Harcourt $392
Abuja $991

Estimated couple costs with rent: $815 in Port Harcourt versus $1,872 in Abuja.

Port Harcourt $815
Abuja $1,872

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,238 in Port Harcourt versus $2,753 in Abuja.

Port Harcourt $1,238
Abuja $2,753

Living in Port Harcourt costs roughly 60% less than in Abuja, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Port Harcourt 71% lower, Abuja 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ₦2,745

$1.94 ₦2,611

5.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ₦40.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 ₦6,483

$4.08 ₦5,483

18.14%

Cappuccino

$1.61 ₦2,170

$3.28 ₦4,415

-50.91%

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

$0.60 ₦807

$0.43 ₦575

39.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₦879

$0.71 ₦959

-8.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₦1,939

$0.97 ₦1,306

48.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ₦4,069

$1.97 ₦2,656

53.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 ₦3,496

$3.59 ₦4,830

-27.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ₦1,220

$1.29 ₦1,737

-29.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 ₦4,384

$2.27 ₦3,058

43.61%

Eggs

$1.76 ₦2,369

$1.81 ₦2,428

-2.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 ₦14.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.88 ₦2,525

$5.35 ₦7,189

-64.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.82 ₦7,822

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 ₦3,308

$2.07 ₦2,785

18.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 ₦2,997

$1.50 ₦2,013

48.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 ₦2,462

$1.52 ₦2,046

20.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 ₦4,109

$2.29 ₦3,078

33.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₦2,983

$1.79 ₦2,401

24.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ₦2,056

$2.48 ₦3,335

-38.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₦797

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₦835

$0.39 ₦528

58.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 ₦2,633

Wine (Bottle)

$5.28 ₦7,106

$5.83 ₦7,845

-9.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₦972

$1.20 ₦1,610

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₦1,967

$1.85 ₦2,492

-21.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₦622

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.58 ₦43.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 ₦478

$0.61 ₦826

-40.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 ₦1,090

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₦2,482

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 ₦783

$0.57 ₦768

1.75%

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

$26.1K ₦35.1M

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

$37.3K ₦50.2M

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

$30.24 ₦40.7K

$110 ₦148.3K

-72.57%

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

$3.82 ₦5,138

$6.48 ₦8,717

-41.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.14 ₦39.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.22 ₦19.1K

$25.74 ₦34.6K

-44.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.62 ₦12.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 ₦5,467

$6.31 ₦8,485

-35.50%

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

$24.79 ₦33.3K

$44.68 ₦60.1K

-44.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$788 ₦1.1M

$3,103 ₦4.2M

-74.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$6.85 ₦9,210

$26.03 ₦35.0K

-73.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.43 ₦15.4K

$60.8 ₦81.7K

-81.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 ₦102.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.09 ₦20.3K

$105 ₦141.8K

-85.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$151 ₦203.3K

$589 ₦792.6K

-74.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 ₦140.5K

$348 ₦467.4K

-69.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 ₦1.5M

$1,405 ₦1.9M

-19.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₦670.7K

$1,346 ₦1.8M

-62.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$699 ₦940.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$378 ₦508.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$55.8 ₦75.0K

$162 ₦218.3K

-65.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

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

Last update for Port Harcourt: October 26, 2026

Last update for Abuja: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Port Harcourt

–

Abuja

$348 35.1%

Groceries & Markets

Port Harcourt

–

Abuja

$218 22%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Port Harcourt

–

Abuja

$146 14.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Port Harcourt

–

Abuja

$121 12.2%

Eating Out

Port Harcourt

–

Abuja

$81 8.1%

Getting Around

Port Harcourt

–

Abuja

$39 4%

Sport & Entertainment

Port Harcourt

–

Abuja

$38 3.9%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $151 in Port Harcourt and $589 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abuja pays about 2.9 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $30 in Port Harcourt vs $30 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $218 per month, with Port Harcourt cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Port Harcourt

🇳🇬 Abuja

🕒 Local time

00:15 12:15 AM

Same time as Port Harcourt

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,382,592

776,298 Capital

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.66 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Port Harcourt Abuja 480 km

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Port Harcourt
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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

Port Harcourt vs Abuja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $392 in Port Harcourt and $991 in Abuja, so Port Harcourt is about 60% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 66% lower in Port Harcourt. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $151 in Port Harcourt versus $589 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $25 in Port Harcourt versus $45 in Abuja. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $392 per month in Port Harcourt versus $991 in Abuja – Port Harcourt is about 60% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Port Harcourt gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Port Harcourt wins on affordability, Abuja on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.