Abuja vs Wellington Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Abuja vs Wellington: everyday costs favor Abuja (~190% CPI gap), housing index favors Abuja, wage stretch favors Wellington. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Abuja
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Purchasing Power (340% gap, Wellington ahead); Housing (232% gap, Abuja ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $1,255 lower in Abuja than in Wellington (~231% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $1,255 (favoring Abuja).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Abuja | CPI 23.1 vs 67 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Abuja | Rent index 14.2 vs 47.2 (lower is better) |
| Food | Abuja | Groceries index 32.4 vs 70.2 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Wellington | One-way ticket 2.81 vs 678.74 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Wellington | Utilities (85m²) 153.87 vs 44020 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Wellington | Internet 86.26 vs 29295 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Abuja | Restaurant index 22 vs 62 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Abuja | Avg net salary 2152640 vs 9964.52 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Wellington | PP index 98.6 vs 22.4 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Purchasing Power: Wellington leads with a 340% gap.
PP index 98.6 vs 22.4 (higher is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Abuja — Lower housing / rent index (232% gap).
- Families: Abuja — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Abuja; purchasing power favors Wellington.
- Remote Workers: Abuja — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Abuja (~190% gap).
- Budget Living: Abuja — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Abuja is the overall cost winner on CPI (~190% lower everyday-cost index than Wellington).
- Housing: Abuja leads on rent index (232% gap).
- Food / groceries: Abuja is lower (117% gap).
- Purchasing power: Wellington scores higher (340% gap).
- Largest category gap: Purchasing Power (340%), favoring Wellington.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$1,255 cheaper in Abuja.
Analysis
Abuja versus Wellington is not a single number. With a 190% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Abuja, while housing follows Abuja's rent index. Purchasing power (22.4 vs 98.6) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.