Lagos is on the list of the most expensive cities to live in Nigeria. However, by many accounts, the quality of life in the city is not the best. I spoke to a few Nigerian living in Lagos about how they get by and the financial cost of living in the city.
1. Amanda, 26
鈥淟iving in Lagos is ridiculously expensive and the quality of life is poor. I鈥檓 aware of my privilege and I think my cost of living would be exponentially more expensive if I wasn鈥檛 living with my parents. We鈥檙e not spending too much or saving too much, we just don鈥檛 have money. The jobs don鈥檛 pay enough. However, the chaos in the city keeps me grounded, so I鈥檒l take what I can. 鈥
Occupation: Management consultant.
Monthly income: My salary is 鈧100k a month. I get an additional 鈧90k from my parents. Also, I get dividends from stocks. While they don鈥檛 come in every month, they run into 鈧1m every year.
Feeding: 鈧30k. I live with my parents and my feeding budget would have been nothing if I don鈥檛 eat out. I go to the office three times a week and I spend about 鈧1k on lunch. Also, I spend 鈧5k on Tacos every other Tuesday.
Accommodation: I don鈥檛 pay rent. My parents live in a 3-bedroom apartment on the Island. I think a 3-bedroom apartment in the area costs about 鈧2.2m.
Transportation: 鈧40k. I have a car and my dad gives me 鈧10k every week for fuel. I don鈥檛 go out unless it鈥檚 a work thing so that does it for me. However, there are times I spend an additional 鈧2k-鈧4k on fuel.
Utilities: I don鈥檛 pay the power bill. Occasionally, I offer to buy diesel for the generator and this is between 鈧9k and 鈧16k. However, this is far and in-between and I don鈥檛 consider it a major expense.
Flex: I don鈥檛 have a flex budget. Anything I don鈥檛 save goes into this. But I鈥檒l put the figure at 鈧50k. The money mostly goes into buying my skincare products and investing in my wardrobe.
Savings: I save 鈧40k from my salary and 鈧40k from what I get from my parents. I still think I鈥檓 living above my means though.
2. Ronke, 27
“Lagos is all hype.It’s like everyone is surviving but not thriving. I’m praying for a breakthrough that will up my lifestyle and an opportunity to change location. “
Occupation: Teacher
Monthly income: 鈧70办&苍产蝉辫;
Feeding: 鈧25k. I cook all the food I eat and take lunch to work. I don鈥檛 eat out at all and I don鈥檛 spend a lot of money on groceries because I don鈥檛 eat a lot.
Accommodation: 鈧100k for a room self-contained apartment in Berger. The average cost of self-contained apartments where I live is between 鈧150k and 鈧200k.
Transportation: 鈧5k. I live very close to work and I rarely go out.
Utilities: My neighbours and I split the power bill with my neighbours, and my share is 鈧1k. I don鈥檛 spend money on laundry 鈥 I wash my clothes myself.
Flex: I set aside 鈧10k every month to buy something nice for myself. The bills are rarely on me when I hang out with my male friends because they take care of it.
3. Keji, 26
鈥淚鈥檓 not exactly happy living in Lagos. This place is not good for my health and personality. I鈥檓 here because I don鈥檛 have another choice. The crime rate has also increased, which means I鈥檓 not safe. Going out requires a lot of planning to evade traffic and crime hotspots.鈥
Occupation: Graphics Designer and Content Writer
Monthly Income: My 9-5 pays me 鈧132k. Side gigs bring in between 0-鈧100k
Feeding: 鈧40k. My younger siblings live with me and we cook a lot. However, I鈥檓 looking at ways to cut the feeding budget because there鈥檚 an increase in the price of food every time I visit the market.
Accommodation: 鈧120k for a studio apartment in Alimosho LGA. I don鈥檛 consider rent a monthly expense because my 13th-month salary can take care of it. My landlord has been moving mad lately and has stopped maintaining the property. I may have to move out soon.
The average cost of studio apartments in the area is between 鈧150k – 鈧300k depending on the quality of the apartment.
Transportation: 鈧6k. I go to work once in a week, so I don鈥檛 spend a lot on transport. I rarely go anywhere else. For the occasional outings, I rely on Bolt and Uber rides.
Utilities: 鈧14k. Power is relatively stable where I live so I don鈥檛 use my generator often. I think the power bill is reasonable.
Flex: I don鈥檛 have a budget for this. If I feel like going out, I consider the impact it will have on my finances for the week or month before I make a decision.
Savings: Between 鈧50k and 鈧90k. It depends on how much I earn that month.
4. Dammy, 23
鈥淭here鈥檚 no such thing as too much money in Lagos. Just cut your coat according to your size.鈥
Occupation: Designer
Monthly income: 鈧300办+
Feeding: >鈧32k. On average, I spend 鈧6k on groceries and other foodstuffs every week. On days I order food, I spend about 鈧3500 per meal.
Accommodation: 鈧500k. I have only had my place for less than a year. It鈥檚 a 2-bedroom apartment I share with a flatmate.
Transportation: 鈧24k. I don鈥檛 have a car, so I use Bolt and Uber to move around. I spend an average of 鈧6k per week on transport.
Utilities: 鈧17k. Light and cleaning expenses are about 鈧12k monthly. I spend about 鈧5k on laundry every month.
Flex: I don鈥檛 particularly have a budget for this. I put aside 鈧10k every month for books though. I don鈥檛 have a budget when I go out but I can spend up to 鈧10k or more on one occasion.
5. Olufunmi, 25
Occupation: Software Tester
Monthly income: 鈧130办
鈥淟iving in Lagos is about survival. My quality of life is 4/10.鈥
Accommodation: 鈧200k. I live in a very tiny self-contained room in Yaba. The bathroom is ensuite but the kitchen is not, and I share it with three other neighbours. Now my landlady wants to increase the rent to 鈧250k. I鈥檝e managed to convince her not to increase the rent this year but now, I have to fix the roof of my apartment myself. That will cost 鈧25k
Feeding: 鈧40k. I buy food in bulk at the beginning of the month. My basic foodstuff runs into 鈧25k. The other groceries cost 鈧15k. However, the price of food has increased. A litre of vegetable oil has jumped from 鈧700 to 鈧1700. A crate of eggs is now 鈧1500 from 鈧850.
Transportation: &驳迟;鈧6办.&苍产蝉辫; I only go out for work and church. I spend an average of 鈧300 on my daily commute. My church is in Ikeja and I spend about 鈧1k on a round trip when I take public transport. On days when I want to flex, I order a bolt ride 鈥 a trip is about 鈧1300.
Utilities: 鈧2500. My power bill is 鈧2k and waste management is 鈧500.
Flexing: The only thing I flex on is my GoTV subscription and it costs 鈧2500. I don鈥檛 go out.
Savings: I try to save 鈧60k a month to make rent. When that鈥檚 settled, I use what I have left to change my daughter鈥檚 wardrobe and splurge on things we鈥檝e both wanted for some time.
6. Oluwadamilola, 21
鈥淟iving in Lagos is not easy. It鈥檚 the survival of the richest. I constantly have to remind myself that I鈥檓 just 21. While the quality of my life is good, I think it can be better.鈥
Occupation: Call centre representative (NYSC)
Monthly income: 鈧58办. 9-5: 鈧25k. Allawee: 3鈧3k
Feeding: 鈧15k. I live with my parents and they take care of that. But on days I don鈥檛 eat at home, I buy food and this costs between 鈧500 and 鈧1000 per meal. My favourite places to go to are the mama-put restaurants and chicken republic.
Accommodation: Haha, I live with my folk in a 4-bedroom apartment at Ogba. The average cost of rent for similar apartments in my estates ranges from 鈧1.3m to 鈧1.5.
If I was living alone, I imagine I鈥檇 be somewhere at Yaba and paying 鈧300k for a studio apartment.
Transportation: 鈧25k. I rely on the public buses on most days and spend between 鈧700 and 鈧800 daily.
Utilities: I don鈥檛 worry about those thanks to my parents.
Flex: I don鈥檛 have a budget anymore. I haven鈥檛 gone out in about three months because I can鈥檛 afford it.
Savings: I have a friend abroad who sends me 鈧20k every month. That goes straight to my savings.
