How much does it cost to live in Lagos?

CostLiving tracks Lagos at $900 a month on a budget, $1,500 at the moderate tier, and $2,325 for a comfortable single-person lifestyle, with $3,600 covering the luxury standard. Those dollar figures hide the split that defines the city. Housing swings wider here than almost anywhere: a room in a shared flat on the mainland can run a couple of hundred dollars, while a serviced one-bedroom on Lagos Island or in Ikoyi and Victoria Island is priced in the same bracket as a mid-size Western city, because expat and returnee demand concentrates on a small stock of secure, powered buildings. Two costs catch newcomers out. Power is the big one, since the public grid is unreliable and most households run a generator or pay for an inverter setup, so a monthly diesel or fuel line is normal rather than exceptional. Transport is the other, as traffic pushes many residents toward ride-hailing over long commutes. Food is affordable if you buy local and cook, and expensive the moment you lean on imported goods. For where Lagos sits among the world’s most affordable options, see our roundup of the cheapest places to live. Full tier breakdown on our Lagos cost of living page.