Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Asmara vs Lagos

Asmara vs Lagos

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lagos 11% cheaper Lagos +23 Mbps N/A / Low

Asmara

mulugeta wolde/Unsplash

Lagos

Nupo Deyon Daniel/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,253

Asmara

$1,109

Lagos

Internet

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Asmara

Low

Lagos

Air Quality

5/5

Asmara

5/5

Lagos

Healthcare

N/A

Asmara

High

Lagos

Population

804.0k

Asmara

16.1m

Lagos

Asmara (Eritrea) 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

Lagos edges ahead on affordability at $1109/mo versus Asmara's $1253/mo, a 11% difference worth considering for budget-focused nomads.

Internet & Infrastructure

Lagos leads on internet connectivity at 25 Mbps (ranked #158 globally) versus Asmara's 2 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

Both Asmara and Lagos share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Asmara and Lagos.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Asmara is February (around 24 degrees, 0mm rain, score 344), 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

AsmaraLagos

Nomad$1,253/mo$1,109/mo

Expat$661/mo$744/mo

Local––

Family––

Internet & Infrastructure

AsmaraLagos

City Speed

2 Mbps

25 Mbps#158

Country Speed0 Mbps26 Mbps

Environment & Health

AsmaraLagos

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AHigh

ClimateN/AModerate

Humidity3579

Quality of Life

AsmaraLagos

SafetyN/ALow

HealthcareN/AHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Asmara

Lagos

Jan

22°

0mm324

37°

0mm390

Feb

24°

0mm344

38°

0mm390

Mar

24°

0mm344

38°

1mm376

Apr

25°

0mm344

38°

1mm363

May

26°

0mm344

38°

2mm348

Jun

25°

0mm329

34°

4mm222

Jul

21°

2mm232

31°

2mm317

Aug

20°

7mm109

31°

1mm327

Sep

22°

0mm314

33°

4mm307

Oct

21°

0mm324

34°

4mm307

Nov

21°

0mm324

37°

1mm410

Dec

20°

0mm324

38°

0mm390

Who Should Choose Asmara?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1253
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Peak season in February — 24 degrees, score 344

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

Overall, Lagos edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1109/mo it runs 11% cheaper than Asmara's $1253/mo, with 25 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Asmara Lagos

ItemAsmaraLagosDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$11.4$3.71

67%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$20$45.03

56%

McMeal or equivalent combo$2.67$6.75

60%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.06$3.4

69%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1$1.13

12%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2$1.8

10%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$1.56$0.4

74%

Water (0.33L)$1.57$0.26

83%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.45$3.59

60%

White bread (500g)$0.5$1.37

64%

White rice (1kg)$1.87$2.84

34%

Eggs (12)$4.8$2.15

55%

Chicken fillets (1kg)—$5.5

—

Beef round (1kg)$10$5.91

41%

Local cheese (1kg)—$4.88

—

Apples (1kg)$4.33$3.15

27%

Bananas (1kg)$1$2.03

51%

Oranges (1kg)$1.89$1.76

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.44$2.77

48%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.56$2.77

44%

Onions (1kg)$1$1.75

43%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.67$1.34

50%

Water (1.5L bottle)$1.58$0.55

65%

Wine, mid-range bottle—$6.75

—

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1$0.99

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.33$1.54

14%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.5$1.13

55%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.22$0.9

76%

Monthly transport pass—$33.77

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.67$1.29

48%

Taxi per 1km$0.67$2.25

70%

Taxi 1hr waiting$6.67$4.5

33%

Gasoline (1L)$2.17$0.39

82%

Volkswagen Golf (new)—$18,911.68

—

Toyota Corolla (new)—$33,770.85

—

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$30$28.27

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo—$52.83

—

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.1$0.04

60%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly—$40.01

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$10$9.63

Cinema, 1 ticket$1$7.88

87%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$25$129.58

81%

International primary school/yr$750$2,916.01

74%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$30$20.05

33%

Summer dress (chain store)$30$26.88

10%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)—$68.4

—

Men's leather business shoes$40$68.08

41%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$650$1,406.6

54%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$600$714.57

16%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$850$4,929.84

83%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$750$2,251.39

67%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,038.2$746.59

28%

Price per m², outside centre$1,337.96$301.12

77%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$1,060$214.64

80%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)—$17.5

—

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

Related Comparisons

See all comparisons

AsmaravsMbuji-Mayi

AsmaravsLivingstone

AsmaravsDar es Salaam