What will be the budgetary cost of living at Lagos, Nigeria?

What's the cost of living in Lagos or other commercial Nigerian cities? Nigeria?

• Answer:

  Assuming you are talking about a western standard quality (middle class or upper middle class) way of life in Lagos, the cost of living is HIGH, though not as high as the two most expensive Western cities, New York and London. High costs in Lagos are associated with extremely high rent (commonly paid to landlords two years in advance) and costs such as generator, fuel, borehole or water truck fees, security, and other costs that are not normally associated with life in the West. However, most people in Lagos do not pay taxes, so if you are not tied into paying tax in another country, this can compensate and make your cost of living somewhat more bearable. You have to ask yourself whether the cost of living in Lagos gives you bang for your buck, so to speak. Some people say yes, others no. In my opinion, crime, traffic, pollution and corrupt civil service (police, health service, etc) make the disadvantages outweigh the advantages of Lagos (though I sure miss the highlife and Afrobeat!). However, in less expensive (and generally less chaotic) Nigerian cities such as Calabar and Jos, the cost/benefit ratio improves. Property prices are cheaper in these two cities, and you can get a nice bungalow in a quiet neighborhood, with much less crime, have fewer traffic problems each day, for much less money. An equivalent salary in Calabar and Jos goes much further than it does in Lagos or even Abuja!