Moving to Nigeria from Russia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Russia to Nigeria? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Russia to Nigeria, you would find that Nigeria is 0.2% more expensive than Russia overall. A RUB5,776,862 salary in Russia would need to be roughly NGN92,124,454 in Nigeria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Abuja averages 91°F vs 48°F in Moscow, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Russia and Nigeria.
What does your salary buy?
RUB5,776,862 → NGN92,124,454
To maintain the same standard of living in Nigeria
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 45.6% less
Groceries
pay 56.6% more
Transportation
pay 35.2% more
Housing
pay 96.4% more
Childcare
pay 76.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.2% less
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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Nigeria compared to Russia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Russia performs better than Nigeria across all safety metrics.
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 Russia 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
Russia generally does better on environment, though Nigeria leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Russia performs better than Nigeria across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Russia generally does better on employment & economy, though Nigeria leads in unemployment rate.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Russia performs better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Tax Service of Russia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Moscow | Abuja |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) | 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) | 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Moscow | Abuja |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) | 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) |
| Feb | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) | 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) |
| Mar | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) | 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) |
| Apr | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) | 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) |
| May | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) | 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) |
| Jun | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Jul | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) | 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) | 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) |
| Oct | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) | 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) |
| Nov | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) | 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) |
| Dec | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) | 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) |
Data:
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring,
Nigerian Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia and Nigeria. To live, work, or study long-term in Nigeria, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Nigeria's immigration authority.
Russia passport holder visiting Nigeria
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Nigeria passport holder visiting Russia
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Nigeria than Russia?
On average Nigeria is about 11% less expensive than Russia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Nigeria?
Budget about NGN23,031,114 for 3 months in Nigeria (based on a RUB5,776,862 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Nigeria?
Connectivity is usually fine (Nigeria: 0.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Nigeria offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Nigeria safe for expats?
Russia performs better than Nigeria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Nigeria is 21.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia. About 79% of people in Nigeria feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Nigeria compared to Russia?
Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Nigeria, compared to 38.3 in Russia. Nigeria scores 38 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).
What's the weather like in Nigeria compared to Russia?
The average high temperature in Abuja is 91°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Abuja receives around 48.1 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.
What language do they speak in Nigeria?
The official language in Nigeria is English. In Russia, the official language is Russian.
