Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Abuja vs Dakar

Abuja vs Dakar

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Abuja 57% cheaper Low / Moderate

Abuja

Ovinuchi Ejiohuo/Unsplash

Dakar

Omoniyi David/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,325

Abuja

$3,101

Dakar

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Low

Abuja

Moderate

Dakar

Air Quality

5/5

Abuja

5/5

Dakar

Healthcare

Moderate

Abuja

High

Dakar

Population

107.1k

Abuja

1.1m

Dakar

Abuja (Nigeria) and Dakar (Senegal) are both in Africa, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Budget-conscious nomads take note: Abuja costs $1325/mo, saving 57% compared to Dakar's $3101/mo — that's $21312 per year.

Internet & Infrastructure

Internet speeds are comparable: Dakar at 30 Mbps (#154) slightly outpaces Abuja's 26 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

Dakar has a stronger safety profile than Abuja, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Dakar offers better healthcare infrastructure than Abuja — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Abuja is October (around 36 degrees, 1mm rain, score 383), while Dakar peaks in January (28 degrees, 0mm rain, score 416). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

AbujaDakar

Nomad$1,325/mo$3,101/mo

Expat$803/mo$1,370/mo

Local–$1,069/mo

Family–$3,742/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

AbujaDakar

City Speed

26 Mbps

30 Mbps#154

Country Speed26 Mbps24 Mbps

Environment & Health

AbujaDakar

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateHigh

ClimateHighHigh

Humidity2862

Quality of Life

AbujaDakar

SafetyLowModerate

HealthcareModerateHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Abuja

Dakar

Jan

34°

0mm357

28°

0mm416

Feb

36°

0mm357

29°

0mm416

Mar

39°

0mm347

25°

0mm416

Apr

39°

0mm357

28°

0mm416

May

39°

0mm377

29°

0mm416

Jun

35°

1mm368

31°

0mm416

Jul

32°

4mm217

33°

1mm387

Aug

31°

2mm217

34°

2mm334

Sep

34°

3mm309

35°

1mm401

Oct

36°

1mm383

36°

0mm416

Nov

34°

0mm377

33°

0mm396

Dec

34°

0mm357

28°

0mm416

Who Should Choose Abuja?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1325
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 107.1k residents
Peak season in October — 36 degrees, score 383

Who Should Choose Dakar?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Peak season in January — 28 degrees, score 416

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Abuja is the stronger pick. At $1325/mo it beats Dakar's $3101/mo by 57%, and the 26 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Abuja Dakar

ItemAbujaDakarDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.38$8.03

58%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$39.4$54.62

28%

McMeal or equivalent combo$5.63$8.03

30%

Cappuccino (regular)$2.15$3.4

37%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.13$2.41

53%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.58$3.21

51%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.52$1.1

53%

Water (0.33L)$0.25$0.82

70%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$2.93$1.91

35%

White bread (500g)$1.45$0.56

61%

White rice (1kg)$2.99$1.02

66%

Eggs (12)$1.99$2.06

Chicken fillets (1kg)$5.45$9.68

44%

Beef round (1kg)$5.72$8.23

30%

Local cheese (1kg)$6.59$11.89

45%

Apples (1kg)$4.13$2.03

51%

Bananas (1kg)$1.74$1.4

20%

Oranges (1kg)$0.53$1.92

72%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.39$1.27

Potatoes (1kg)$3.21$1.08

66%

Onions (1kg)$1.63$0.89

45%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.35$0.84

38%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.43$0.73

41%

Wine, mid-range bottle$6.75$8.84

24%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.13$0.99

12%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.37$1.76

22%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.13$1.29

12%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.79$0.36

54%

Monthly transport pass$33.77$20.08

41%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.13$2.41

53%

Taxi per 1km$0.68$2.41

72%

Taxi 1hr waiting$6.75$12.85

47%

Gasoline (1L)$0.4$1.34

70%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$23,020.47$26,506

13%

Toyota Corolla (new)$31,519.46$26,238.27

17%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$31.52$103.26

69%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$55.44$48.8

12%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.05$0.08

38%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$38.27$66.67

43%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$7.88$16.06

51%

Cinema, 1 ticket$7.88$8.03

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$183.86$236.5

22%

International primary school/yr$3,686.65$4,851.4

24%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$21.67$51.41

58%

Summer dress (chain store)$37.15$34.81

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$47.28$80.05

41%

Men's leather business shoes$74.3$73.09

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$2,273.9$763.01

66%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,069.41$475.38

56%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$5,928.66$1,602.98

73%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$2,560.96$906.91

65%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$12,157.51$9,016.38

26%

Price per m², outside centre$11,504.6$11,705.38

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$235.83$441.77

47%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$17.67$8.75

50%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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