Cost of Living · Africa
Cost of living in Lagos
Nigeria · Updated May 2026
Mid-tier monthly
$2,200
all categories below
Best for: African-tech nomads with the patience for power, traffic, and entry-bureaucracy friction.
Monthly breakdown
- Rent1-bedroom, central, decent neighborhood$1,100
- Groceriescooking ~50% of meals at home$320
- Dining out~12 meals out per month$280
- Transportmonthly transit pass or scooter$80
- Utilitieselectricity, water, 100Mbps internet$200
- Coworkingmonthly hot-desk membership$220
- Total$2,200
How Lagos compares
Versus four reference nomad cities, mid-tier monthly totals.
- Lisbon-10%
$1,980/mo
- Berlin+15%
$2,540/mo
- Bangkok-35%
$1,430/mo
- Mexico City-10%
$1,970/mo
Climate at a glance
Climate FinderJan
27°C
75% humidity · 1 mm/day rain
Apr
28°C
80% humidity · 5 mm/day rain
Jul
26°C
85% humidity · 9 mm/day rain
Oct
27°C
82% humidity · 5 mm/day rain
Field notes
Africa's most consequential tech-startup hub by a wide margin — also some of the harder logistics on this list. Power generation costs are the structural variable (most apartments include or charge for diesel-generator backup). Ikoyi, Victoria Island, and Lekki are the expat anchors. Visa-on-arrival exists but requires pre-approval; check current rules.
Visa for nomads
Low nomad-friendlyPathway
Extendable tourist
Program
—
Typical max stay
3 months
e-Visa or visa-on-arrival with pre-approval; longer stays via business / Subject To Regularisation route.
Editorial summary, not legal advice. Verify with the relevant consulate before applying — visa programs change with little notice.
Useful while you’re in Lagos
Travel insurance
Long-term, nomad-friendly cover that travels with you to Lagos
Multi-currency banking
Avoid the 4% conversion fees foreign cards rack up in Nigeria
eSIM data plan
Day-one connectivity in Nigeria without local-SIM friction
Coworking & coliving
Day passes, monthly memberships, and verified workspaces in Lagos
Flight deals
Cheapest routes in and out of Lagos
Cities at a similar price point
Editorial estimates aggregated from public data (Numbeo, expat surveys, recent nomad reports). Prices vary by neighborhood and lifestyle — treat the totals as an order-of-magnitude comparison, not a budget.