Moving to India from Nigeria

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Nigeria to India — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Nigeria to India, you would find that India is 24.7% cheaper than Nigeria overall. A NGN103,376,008 salary in Nigeria would need to be roughly ₹3,396,592 in India to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Nigeria to India.

What does your salary buy?

NGN103,376,008 ₹3,396,592

To maintain the same standard of living in India

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 23.4% less

Groceries

pay 54.0% less

Transportation

pay 31.0% less

Housing

pay 57.3% less

Childcare

pay 12.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 20.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 NGN = 0.0701 INR (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Nigeria to India, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
903 ↓ 7% vs 2015

people born in Nigeria live in India · UN DESA

Who's moving to India?

Top countries of origin for India's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Nigeria and India stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

NG
21.7
IN
2.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NG
17.2
IN
15.4

India performs significantly better than Nigeria across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

NG
$260
IN
$346
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NG
3.9
IN
7.3

India generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NG
77.0
IN
83.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NG
0.6t
IN
2.2t

Nigeria performs better than India across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NG
0.0
IN
2.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NG
9.7%
IN
66.5%

Nigeria generally does better on infrastructure, though India leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NG
3.1%
IN
4.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NG
$5,700
IN
$9,200

Nigeria generally does better on employment & economy, though India leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NG
61.3 yrs
IN
67.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NG
56.7
IN
30.3

India performs significantly better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.

Data: Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Abuja Rain: 48.1 in/yr (1221 mm)
91° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Delhi Rain: 28.2 in/yr (716 mm)
88° / 66°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Abuja Delhi
Jan–Mar 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) 76°/52°F (25°/11°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) 101°/78°F (38°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) 93°/79°F (34°/26°C)
Oct–Dec 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) 82°/56°F (28°/14°C)
View all months
Month Abuja Delhi
Jan 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C)
Feb 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C)
Mar 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C)
Apr 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C)
May 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C)
Jun 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C)
Jul 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C)
Sep 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C)
Oct 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C)
Nov 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C)
Dec 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C)

Data: Nigerian Meteorological Agency Nigerian Meteorological Agency, India Meteorological Department India Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nigeria and India. To live, work, or study long-term in India, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check India's immigration authority.

Nigeria passport

Nigeria passport holder visiting India

Visa Required
Nigeria passport holders need a visa to enter India.
India passport

India passport holder visiting Nigeria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
India passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Nigeria.

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 India than Nigeria?

Generally yes: India runs about 53% cheaper than Nigeria on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to India?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NGN103,376,008 comparable salary, that's around ₹849,148 in India for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from India?

With 2.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, India 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 India.

Is India safe for expats?

India performs significantly better than Nigeria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in India is 2.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 21.7 in Nigeria.

How is healthcare in India compared to Nigeria?

India generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.3 doctors per 10,000 people in India, compared to 3.9 in Nigeria. India scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nigeria: 38).

What's the weather like in India compared to Nigeria?

The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 91°F in Abuja. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while Abuja gets 48.1 in.

What language do they speak in India?

The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. In Nigeria, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

NG IN
Population 225,082,083 1,389,637,446
Currency Nigerian Naira (NGN) Indian Rupee (₹)
Languages English English, Hindi, Tamil
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +234 +91
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112