Moving to Germany from Nigeria
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Nigeria to Germany — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Nigeria to Germany, you would find that Germany is 2.7 times more expensive than Nigeria overall. A NGN100,000,000 salary in Nigeria would need to be roughly €181,000 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Berlin averages 56°F vs 87°F in Lagos, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Germany cheaper than Nigeria?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 5.2 times more
Groceries
pay 71.3% more
Transportation
pay 2.8 times more
Housing
pay 2.6 times more
Childcare
pay 3.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.2 times more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Germany?
What does your salary buy?
NGN100,000,000 → €181,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Germany
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Germany
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Nigeria to Germany, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Nigeria to Germany · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How Nigeria and Germany stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Germany generally does better on safety, though Nigeria leads in feel safe walking at night.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Nigeria generally does better on environment, though Germany leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Germany generally does better on infrastructure, though Nigeria leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Nigeria generally does better on employment & economy, though Germany leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Germany performs significantly better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria (2016), Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Germany vs Nigeria
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lagos | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/71°F (28°/22°C) | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 88°/72°F (31°/22°C) | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lagos | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.2°/22.3°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) |
| Feb | 92°/74°F (33.1°/23.5°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Mar | 91°/75°F (32.7°/23.8°C) | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.6°C) | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) |
| May | 88°/74°F (30.9°/23.1°C) | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 85°/73°F (29.2°/22.6°C) | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) |
| Jul | 83°/72°F (28.1°/22.1°C) | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) |
| Aug | 83°/71°F (28.1°/21.7°C) | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 84°/71°F (28.9°/21.9°C) | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 87°/72°F (30.4°/22.3°C) | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) |
| Nov | 88°/73°F (31.0°/22.6°C) | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) |
| Dec | 89°/72°F (31.9°/22.4°C) | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) |
Data:
Nigerian Meteorological Agency,
Deutscher Wetterdienst
Can you move from Nigeria to Germany?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nigeria and Germany. To live, work, or study long-term in Germany, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Germany's immigration authority.
Nigeria passport holder visiting Germany
Visa Required
Germany passport holder visiting Nigeria
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Germany than Nigeria?
Day-to-day costs in Germany run about 170% higher than Nigeria on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Germany?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NGN100,000,000 comparable salary, that's around €45,250 in Germany for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Germany?
With 45.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Germany can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Nigeria and Germany.
Is Germany safe for expats?
Germany generally does better on safety, though Nigeria leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 15.8 in Nigeria. About 72% of people in Germany feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Germany compared to Nigeria?
Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 3.8 in Nigeria. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nigeria: 38).
What's the weather like in Germany compared to Nigeria?
The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 87°F in Lagos. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Lagos gets 60.6 in.
What language do they speak in Germany?
The official language in Germany is German. In Nigeria, the official language is English.
