Lagos is Nigeria's coastal megacity and West Africa's largest metropolis, a sprawling lagoon-side sprawl of islands and mainland districts that serves as the country's commercial, cultural, and entertainment capital. Spread across Lagos Island, Victoria Island, Ikeja, and dozens of mainland neighborhoods, Lagos is the beating heart of Afrobeats music, Nollywood film, West African fashion, and a fast-growing tech scene, all layered over historic markets, colonial-era streets, and Atlantic beaches.
Local currency: Nigerian Naira (NGN).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Lagos.
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- ₦8,000-15,000 (~$5-10)
- Budget
- ₦15,000-30,000 (~$10-20)
- Midrange
- ₦35,000-70,000 (~$23-47)
- Luxury
- ₦100,000-350,000+ (~$67-233+)
Food
- Street
- ₦300-1,500 (~$0.20-1)
- Local
- ₦2,000-5,000 (~$1.30-3.30)
- Midrange
- ₦6,000-15,000 (~$4-10)
- Fine
- ₦20,000-60,000+ (~$13-40+)
Transport
- Bus
- ₦200-800 (~$0.15-0.55)
- Taxi
- ₦1,500-6,000 (~$1-4)
- Airport
- ₦4,000-15,000 (~$2.70-10)
- Daytrip
- ₦5,000-20,000 (~$3.30-13)
Activities
- Museum
- ₦1,000-3,000 (~$0.65-2)
- Sites
- ₦1,000-5,000 (~$0.65-3.30)
- Tour
- ₦15,000-50,000 (~$10-33)
- Excursion
- ₦10,000-80,000 (~$6.70-53)
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Lagos costs end-to-end.
Weekend escape
A short city break covering essentials and a few highlights.
One-week tour
Comfortable pace including major attractions and day trips.
Two-week explorer
In-depth exploration covering multiple regions.
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Travel in shoulder season — fewer crowds and significantly lower accommodation rates.
Use public transport instead of taxis where possible. Day passes often pay for themselves after 3 trips.
Eat where locals eat — markets and neighbourhood eateries offer better food at a fraction of tourist-strip prices.
Book accommodation with kitchen access for longer stays so you can self-cater some meals.