Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Addis Ababa vs Lagos

Addis Ababa vs Lagos

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Addis Ababa 22% cheaper Lagos +16 Mbps Moderate / Low

Addis Ababa

Abenezer Shewaga/Unsplash

Lagos

Nupo Deyon Daniel/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$862

Addis Ababa

$1,109

Lagos

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Addis Ababa

Low

Lagos

Air Quality

5/5

Addis Ababa

5/5

Lagos

Healthcare

High

Addis Ababa

High

Lagos

Population

2.7m

Addis Ababa

16.1m

Lagos

Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and Lagos (Nigeria) 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: Addis Ababa costs $862/mo, saving 22% compared to Lagos's $1109/mo — that's $2964 per year.

Internet & Infrastructure

Remote workers will appreciate Lagos's 25 Mbps (global #158) — considerably faster than Addis Ababa's 9 Mbps (#188).

Quality of Life

Addis Ababa has a stronger safety profile than Lagos, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Addis Ababa and Lagos.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Addis Ababa is January (around 22 degrees, 0mm rain, score 399), while Lagos peaks in November (37 degrees, 1mm rain, score 410). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

Addis AbabaLagos

Nomad$862/mo$1,109/mo

Expat$332/mo$744/mo

Local––

Family––

Internet & Infrastructure

Addis AbabaLagos

City Speed

9 Mbps#188

25 Mbps#158

Country Speed9 Mbps26 Mbps

Environment & Health

Addis AbabaLagos

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighHigh

ClimateHighModerate

Humidity4979

Quality of Life

Addis AbabaLagos

SafetyModerateLow

HealthcareHighHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Addis Ababa

Lagos

Jan

22°

0mm399

37°

0mm390

Feb

23°

0mm397

38°

0mm390

Mar

24°

2mm368

38°

1mm376

Apr

24°

1mm333

38°

1mm363

May

24°

0mm395

38°

2mm348

Jun

24°

0mm395

34°

4mm222

Jul

23°

6mm297

31°

2mm317

Aug

22°

9mm220

31°

1mm327

Sep

22°

3mm322

33°

4mm307

Oct

21°

0mm385

34°

4mm307

Nov

21°

0mm399

37°

1mm410

Dec

21°

0mm399

38°

0mm390

Who Should Choose Addis Ababa?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $862
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Major city energy with 2.7m residents
Peak season in January — 22 degrees, score 399

Who Should Choose Lagos?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1109
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Major city energy with 16.1m residents
Peak season in November — 37 degrees, score 410

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Addis Ababa is the stronger pick. At $862/mo it beats Lagos's $1109/mo by 22%, and the 9 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Addis Ababa Lagos

ItemAddis AbabaLagosDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$7.66$3.71

52%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$30$45.03

33%

McMeal or equivalent combo$4$6.75

41%

Cappuccino (regular)$0.72$3.4

79%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$0.75$1.13

34%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.3$1.8

28%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.61$0.4

34%

Water (0.33L)$0.38$0.26

32%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$0.91$3.59

75%

White bread (500g)$0.53$1.37

61%

White rice (1kg)$1.98$2.84

30%

Eggs (12)$2.13$2.15

Chicken fillets (1kg)$8.09$5.5

32%

Beef round (1kg)$8.73$5.91

32%

Local cheese (1kg)$8.12$4.88

40%

Apples (1kg)$3.19$3.15

Bananas (1kg)$0.86$2.03

58%

Oranges (1kg)$1.66$1.76

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.81$2.77

71%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.46$2.77

83%

Onions (1kg)$0.66$1.75

62%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.42$1.34

69%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.39$0.55

29%

Wine, mid-range bottle$8.15$6.75

17%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$0.96$0.99

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.23$1.54

20%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$4$1.13

72%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.3$0.9

67%

Monthly transport pass$12$33.77

64%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.42$1.29

Taxi per 1km$0.4$2.25

82%

Taxi 1hr waiting$3$4.5

33%

Gasoline (1L)$0.75$0.39

48%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$33,000$18,911.68

43%

Toyota Corolla (new)$49,195.71$33,770.85

31%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$168.33$28.27

83%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$202.38$52.83

74%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.02$0.04

50%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$57.25$40.01

30%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$35$9.63

72%

Cinema, 1 ticket$4$7.88

49%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$78.15$129.58

40%

International primary school/yr$26,666.67$2,916.01

89%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$24.09$20.05

17%

Summer dress (chain store)$53.82$26.88

50%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$57.32$68.4

16%

Men's leather business shoes$57.74$68.08

15%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$466.89$1,406.6

67%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$243$714.57

66%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,693.09$4,929.84

66%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$671.6$2,251.39

70%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,457.18$746.59

49%

Price per m², outside centre$999$301.12

70%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$194.78$214.64

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$16.54$17.5

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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