Cost of Living · NG vs AE
🇳🇬 Lagos vs 🇦🇪 Dubai: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $304 in Nigeria vs $1,546 in United Arab Emirates — 407.97% more expensive.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in United Arab Emirates
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: 70.83%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): 71.94%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): 71.95%
Closest to Nigeria prices
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: +566.85%
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: +566.84%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: +566.83%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Nigeria | United Arab Emirates | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $159 | $1,058 (3,886 AED) | +566.84% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $127 | $846 (3,108 AED) | +566.85% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $290 | $1,934 (7,105 AED) | +566.83% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $2.73 | $12.12 (45 AED) | +343.96% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $11.37 | $50.50 (185 AED) | +344.15% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $1.98 | $7.68 (28 AED) | +287.88% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.28 | $0.83 (3 AED) | +196.43% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $0.81 | $2.40 (9 AED) | +196.3% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $0.86 | $2.55 (9 AED) | +196.51% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $2.54 | $7.50 (28 AED) | +195.28% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $1.01 | $3.00 (11 AED) | +197.03% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $1.22 | $3.60 (13 AED) | +195.08% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $3.04 | $9.00 (33 AED) | +196.05% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $0.51 | $1.50 (6 AED) | +194.12% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $0.91 | $4.04 (15 AED) | +343.96% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $4.03 | $6.93 (25 AED) | +71.96% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $0.76 | $3.37 (12 AED) | +343.42% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $0.58 | $1.73 (6 AED) | +198.28% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $11.70 | $45.37 (167 AED) | +287.78% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $0.50 | $1.92 (7 AED) | +284% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $0.61 | $2.69 (10 AED) | +340.98% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $0.27 | $1.21 (4 AED) | +348.15% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.48 | $0.82 (3 AED) | +70.83% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $36.00 | $140 (513 AED) | +287.78% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $12.60 | $48.86 (179 AED) | +287.78% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $8.10 | $31.41 (115 AED) | +287.78% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $7.58 | $33.67 (124 AED) | +344.2% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $2.12 | $9.43 (35 AED) | +344.81% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $4.55 | $20.20 (74 AED) | +343.96% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $27.70 | $47.63 (175 AED) | +71.95% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $45.33 | $77.94 (286 AED) | +71.94% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $37.91 | $168 (618 AED) | +344.05% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much more expensive is United Arab Emirates than Nigeria?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,546 in United Arab Emirates versus $304 in Nigeria — 407.97% more. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in United Arab Emirates?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $4.04 in United Arab Emirates (≈ 14.84 AED), versus about $0.91 in Nigeria.
- How much is rent in United Arab Emirates compared to Nigeria?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $1,058/month in United Arab Emirates versus $159/month in Nigeria (+566.84%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.