A lot of people swear that Abuja has a lot of things going for it. I mean, it should — it’s the nation’s capital. That’s a decent claim to fame too. I was curious about how money moves in the city, so I asked 7 people living there to talk about their expenses.
1. Patrick, 31 years
“Abuja is peaceful. I grew up in Lagos and worked there for a while, but I don鈥檛 miss it. “
Years lived in Abuja: 5 years. I moved here in 2015
Occupation: Product Designer
Monthly income: 鈧600k. My side hustle brings in an additional 鈧100办 – 鈧500办 once in a few months.
Feeding: 鈧70k. I cook a lot, so I spend about 鈧40办 on the major food supplies every month. I spend an additional 鈧30k on groceries and beverages.
Accommodation: 鈧1.3m for a 3-bedroom bungalow in an estate in Lokogama, and I get the compound to myself. I pay an additional 鈧100办 service charge yearly.
A 2-bedroom bungalow in one of the newer estates in the area cost 鈧1.4m. But you can also get a 2-bedroom apartment in a building for about 鈧700k.
Transportation: 鈧0.00. I work remotely and hardly go out. Save for my evening strolls, I spend my days inside my house.
Utilities: 鈧30k. 鈧20k goes to my power bill every month. My service charge covers waste disposal. My laundry is outsourced and runs into 鈧10办 every month.
Internet: 鈧40办
Flex: This depends on the month, but I budget 鈧10办-鈧15办 per month on alcohol, and I treat myself to grilled fish and Sharwama at least once every week and on days I get some money from a minor gig. I rarely go to the club, but I spent close to 鈧90k the last time I went.
Savings: I save between 鈧150k – 鈧300办 in a month.
2. Deborah, 29 years
“I love living in Abuja. Although I have to admit that it鈥檚 a hard city to make it in. There aren鈥檛 many opportunities, so you鈥檝e got to be creative to secure the bag. I鈥檝e been here for three years now, and I plan to stay a little longer.”
Years lived in Abuja: 3+ years. I鈥檓 originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but I moved to Abuja from Paris in 2017 for an internship and ended up not leaving.
Occupation: Consultant.
I also run a food business on the side.
Annual income: It boils down to the number of contacts I鈥檓 able to secure in a year. In a good year, I make 鈧5M-鈧6M. But it hasn鈥檛 been a good year in what feels like forever 鈥 I made approximately 鈧2.5M in 2020.
My food delivery business brings in 鈧100办-鈧200k monthly, so that too.
Feeding: &苍产蝉辫;鈧50办-鈧70办. I love good food. I鈥檓 big on buying quality ingredients to make my gourmet meals. But since food prices have skyrocketed, I鈥檝e been fasting.
Rent: My rent is on the high side. I pay 鈧3.4M for a semi-furnished 2-bedroom flat in Asokoro. I鈥檓 in the process of moving and looking to find a 1-bedroom apartment that won鈥檛 cost me more than 鈧2M.
Transportation:鈧10办-鈧12k. I鈥檓 always at home, but when I go out, I use Uber for the most part. My trips are between 鈧500 and 鈧700, and I spend some 鈧2k-鈧3k on moving around weekly.
Utilities: Power bill is a madness! I used to pay 鈧15办 every month, but now it鈥檚 鈧30k, even though I鈥檝e reduced my power consumption. The cost of other utilities is included in my rent. I have a washing machine for my laundry needs.
Internet: 鈧5办 per month.
Flexing: I love travelling back home to the DRC, and I do it at least once a year. The cost of doing this runs into $3000.
3. Fadila, 28 years
“I enjoy living in Abuja a lot. I would hate to move.”
Years lived in Abuja: 2 years
Occupation: Executive Assistant
Monthly income: 鈧85办
Feeding: I currently don鈥檛 have a food budget. I鈥檓 in a situationship with a guy who owns a big eatery/supermarket, so I get breakfast, lunch and dinner delivered to me every day. Before I met him, I was averaging 鈧20k on food.
Accommodation: I pay 鈧400k for a self-contained apartment in Kubwa. It鈥檚 possible to get a good self-contained apartment here for 鈧200k. 鈧150k is doable too, but you might not get what you want. If you鈥檙e really about comfort, a rent budget of 鈧200k-鈧500办 will do.
Transportation: 鈧16k. A co-worker drives me to work and drops me off at home every day, and I pay him 鈧10办. The other transportation expenses go into cabs and uber rides.
Utilities: I pay 鈧15办 service charge every month, and it covers power, laundry, and cleaning.
Internet: 鈧5办
Flexing: That鈥檚 never on my dime. There鈥檚 always someone ready to take care of that.
Savings: I鈥檓 a big saver. I save 鈧25k from my salary. I get a lot of cash gifts too, and I mostly save all of it.
4.Teju, 26 years
鈥淚 love Abuja. There鈥檚 hardly any stress. I honestly can鈥檛 live anywhere else in Nigeria. I moved here from Lagos… Lagos is hell.鈥
Years lived in Abuja: 4 years. I came to Abuja in 2016 for NYSC and didn鈥檛 leave.
Occupation: Chef
Monthly income: 鈧500办
Feeding: 鈧20k-鈧25k. I鈥檓 not a big fan of cooking for myself, so I eat out a lot. A meal costs between 鈧1000 and 鈧2500 on a meal. I do buy food supplies, but it鈥檚 not something I do every month. I stocked my house with 鈧50k in December, and I still have enough foodstuff to last me until the end of the month.
Accommodation: Accommodation is the biggest problem in Abuja. I currently pay 鈧500办 for a very tiny room and parlour in Gwarinpa. The room is so small that it can only fit my TV and bed. The kitchen can only take my gas cooker. My refrigerator and wardrobe stay in the parlour.
I鈥檓 moving to a bigger space in Kado 鈥 a room and parlour, and the rent is 鈧1M.
Transportation: 鈧30k-鈧40办. I drive sometimes, but I don鈥檛 buy more than 鈧4k worth of fuel at a go. My friend fills my tank sometimes. I take Ubers on days I don鈥檛 drive, and my trips in a day can run into 鈧4k-鈧5办.
Utilities: 鈧13K. I pay 鈧3k per months as service charge, and it covers waste disposal, security, and all of that. A lady comes to clean my house twice a week, and I pay her 鈧10办 every month. I have a washing machine for laundry.
Internet: 鈧15办-鈧20办
Flex: I don鈥檛 have a budget for this. I鈥檓 a homebody, and when I do go out, I hardly pay for it.
Savings: 鈧150k-鈧200k. I鈥檓 frugal, so I manage to save that every month. But the thing is, I buy things on impulse. I can wake up one morning, dip into my savings and splurge on a purchase. I鈥檝e started saving in Dollars, and it鈥檚 helped me curtail this.
5. Gbenga, 25 years
“Abuja is a very nice city if you can afford it. Otherwise, it’s just another Lagos with wider roads.”
Years lived in Abuja: It鈥檚 my second month here. I got a new job and relocated in January 2021
Occupation: Policy analyst
Monthly income: 鈧300办
Feeding: I spent about 鈧30k on food last month. Most of it went into buying lunch at restaurants. On average, a meal cost me 鈧1k – 鈧1.5k, although I did try some Bukas that cost 鈧500 or less.
I like to cook, but I haven鈥檛 had the chance to do a lot of it because I鈥檓 still trying to figure out the markets here. I鈥檓 budgeting 鈧50k for food next month, but I expect that the cost of feeding will drop in subsequent months as I get more used to the city.
Accommodation: I got a mini flat for 鈧400k in Dutse-Alhaji.It’s about 40 minutes away from work, but I think it鈥檚 fair. Getting a place closer would mean paying as high as 鈧800k.
It鈥檚 easy to get a self-contained apartment in the area for 鈧250k-鈧300办. The price of mini-flat ranges from 鈧300办 and 鈧500办, depending on how neat and 鈥渕odern鈥 the house is.
Transportation: I work in Maitaima, and commute has been a little tricky. I combine 鈥淎long鈥 (the public transportation system) with drops/Uber. In the last month, I spent 鈧25k on moving around. I鈥檝e estimated my transportation cost to be 鈧30k per month, but I would have to limit using Uber/Bolt to once a week.
Utilities: Nothing on that front yet. I鈥檓 currently enjoying my first-month benefits. I do my laundry myself.
Internet: 鈧10办
Flex: I like food a lot, so I put an extra 鈧15办 aside to try one or two restaurants.
Savings: 鈧50k. But now that my apartment is sorted, I plan to start saving at least 鈧70k every month.
6. Esther, 24 years
“Abuja is amazing. The traffic is good and the people here are friendlier. Lagos people are always angry.鈥
Years lived in Abuja: 3 years.
Occupation: Procurement officer
Monthly income: 鈧100办
Feeding: About 鈧25k monthly. I spend 鈧4k-5k鈧 on food every week. I also spend an extra 鈧5办 on provisions and beverages 鈥 these are the things I fall back on when I鈥檝e squandered my feeding money.
Accommodation: Accommodation cost die! I pay 鈧250k for a room and bathroom in Lugbe, and that鈥檚 because my landlord is super nice. I don鈥檛 even have a kitchen.
On average, the price of a room self-contained apartment ranges from 鈧250k to 鈧400k in Lugbe. You will get a kitchen if you鈥檙e lucky. A room and parlour cost between 鈧500办-鈧700k. For a 2-bedroom apartment, you can expect to pay at least 鈧1M and up to 鈧2M.
Transportation: 鈧20k. I spend about 鈧900 moving around every day. This runs into about 鈧5办 every week. I mostly use 鈥淎long鈥 鈥 the public transportation system. If I do Bolt/Uber rides, I spend up to 鈧30k.
Utilities: I pay between 鈧2500 to 鈧5000 per month on power bills. This is because my landlord is super nice and my power consumption is pretty low.
Internet: 鈧12k
Flexing: This is pretty much vibes and inshallah. I don鈥檛 have a budget for it.
Savings: It鈥檚 hard to save. I鈥檓 struggling to find a balance. I鈥檓 working on putting 鈧25k asides every month. I currently have 鈧20k in an investment company. At some point, I had 鈧300办 with them but here we are now. This money thing is tricky but shoutout to my friends, sugar daddies, brothers, parents, and grandma for always coming through.
7. Tife, 30 years
“Abuja has evolved over the years, but it鈥檚 still not a stressful place to live and transportation is cheap. The number 1 rule to survive in Abuja? Learn Hausa.”
Years Lived in Abuja:聽 25 years. My parents moved from Lagos in 1994 when Babangida transferred civil servants here.
Occupation: Digital Producer
Monthly income: 鈧300办 gross
Feeding: 鈧30k-鈧40办. I live with my retired parents and the only major provider. I buy food supplies in bulk at the beginning of each month. My budget used to be 鈧20k, but Covid happened and affected the price of everything.
Accommodation: I live with my parents. They bought a 3-bedroom apartment in Life Camp from the government when Obasanjo was the president.
Transportation: 鈧15办. I mostly move around with 鈥淎long.鈥
Utilities: I pay 鈧10办 every two weeks for power. 鈧5办 every month for the water bill, although they just bring a huge bill without checking the metre. Fortunately, the waste bill comes once every 6 months, and I just give them 鈧5办. My laundry costs run into 鈧10办 per month, but I鈥檓 planning to buy a washing machine.
Internet: 鈧15办
Flexing: Hard to put a figure to this. Once I take care of my basic expenses, savings, and black tax, whatever remains is for vibes.
Savings: I put 鈧15办 in my emergency savings and 鈧50k in my Piggyvest fixed deposit account. I recently started saving an extra 鈧100办 aside for trips with my girls. I鈥檓 frugal with money, so it works out.
