Moving to Nigeria from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Nigeria — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Nigeria, you would find that Nigeria is 58.2% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly NGN46,823,472 in Nigeria to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Abuja averages 91°F vs 66°F in Washington, making it significantly warmer.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from United States to Nigeria.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → NGN46,823,472
To maintain the same standard of living in Nigeria
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 77.6% less
Groceries
pay 27.2% less
Transportation
pay 34.8% less
Housing
pay 64.0% less
Childcare
pay 93.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 64.2% 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
How United States and Nigeria 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
United States 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 United States 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
United States 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
United States 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
United States 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
United States performs better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, 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 | Washington | Abuja |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Abuja |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Nigerian Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Nigeria
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Nigeria passport holder visiting United States
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 United States?
Generally yes: Nigeria runs about 55% cheaper than United States on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Nigeria?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around NGN11,705,868 in Nigeria for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Nigeria?
With 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Nigeria can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United States and Nigeria.
Is Nigeria safe for expats?
United States generally does better on safety, though Nigeria leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Nigeria is 21.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States. About 79% of people in Nigeria feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Nigeria compared to United States?
Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Nigeria, compared to 36.1 in United States. Nigeria scores 38 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Nigeria compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Abuja is 91°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Abuja receives around 48.1 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Nigeria?
Both United States and Nigeria share the same official language: English.
