For as long as I can remember, Nigeria has struggled with inflation and a currency that is perpetually tanking against the dollar. If you include the fact that we're a country heavily reliant on the import of goods, you'll find a very frustrating situation.
On the international scene, Nigeria has struggled to keep up with other countries. Macrotrends estimated that the life expectancy in Nigeria is about 55 years and when you compare that to other countries like Sudan with 65.6, Bangladesh with 73 and Tunisia with 76.98, you get a picture of how bad things are.
Yes, it is true that numerous factors play in life expectancy, but as a rule of thumb, it also points at the underlying quality of life that one is expected to live in a country. Average Nigerians don't experience many basic things you'd expect from the quality of life and all these factors contribute to affect the standard of living.
Lack of basic amenities
Every country has its problems, but while others struggle with philosophical debates and how to go to Mars, Nigeria still wallows in the dark ages of epileptic electricity, amongst others.
The lack of the basic necessities to survive; electricity, water, and surprisingly, food, has put Nigeria amongst the worst places to live. In the international scene, Nigeria feels like hell on Earth and there's so much data spread all over the internet to support this fact.
Locally
Locally, Nigeria is a dichotomy of rich and poor. There's a middle class but they're so tiny that it is hard to count them. The rich people create a bubble that provides the very basics and also live in the best houses in choice locations, while poor people, well, don't.
Also, the cost of living in Nigeria is also distinctly different between cities, which I'm sure is pretty much the same in every other country. In the very industrial City of Lagos, the cost of living is infinitely higher than in places like Kaduna where life is a little bit slower.
During my visit to Lagos, I asked around and found that getting a cheap one-bedroom flat in a low/mid-range area with all the facilities working will cost as much as 450,000Naira(roughly $1k per year) and in Kaduna, the same house could cost as low as 120,000Naira(roughly $230 per year).
To better appreciate the comparison, it is important to understand the position of both States in the country. Lagos is in the Southern part of the country and is the industrial hub of the country, while Kaduna is up North and well, not industrial.
Life in Lagos generally tends to be expensive than in Kaduna because the average wage in Lagos also tends to be higher than in Kaduna. People in Kaduna are into agriculture because of the large area of land at their disposal, while Lagos doesn't have that luxury and has to import food from places like Kaduna. This means that feeding will invariably be more expensive in Lagos than at Kaduna.
On the flip side
On the other side of the fence, Lagos also offers better amenities for their busy populace compared to places like Kaduna. The quality of life in terms of infrastructure, health care, education, and even the type of houses you find there, is infinitely better than what you'll get in Kaduna.
Kaduna, for all its merits, can't hold a candle close to the huge business potential that resides in Lagos, the most populous city in Africa. Lagos also has a buzzing entertainment sector, an international airport, and a port. So while Kaduna may have cheaper food, Lagos has cheaper electronics, cars, and generally, anything Nigeria imports.
Remember earlier I said Nigeria is import-dependent? Well, all the goods come in through Lagos and then get distributed to other parts of the country. This means that in Lagos, you get variety and also a very busy market that is drawn to the allure of getting rich.
It is all about perspective
Both cities have their pros and cons that are dependent on a number of factors. if you're a high earner with a love for city life, then Lagos is the place for you. However, if you prefer the quiet life, you can still live in Kaduna and just pay a little extra to import some of the Lagos stuff to your quiet existence.
Lagos is more fast-paced and busy, nothing that the average person in Kaduna will be able to cope with. In Kaduna, you get to live quietly in your bubble, pay cheap rent and eat cheap but top-quality food. It is a nice place for a low-income earner to live quietly but Lagos is also a place for a low-income earner who would like to chase the Nigeria dream of living in an expensive serviced apartment in lekki, Lagos State.
At the end of the day
Various factors come into play and each of them decides the cost of living in different parts of the country. A huge chunk of it is the level of industrial growth in that part of the country and it influences different aspects that include the cost of living, crime, and quality of life in that part of the country.
Lagos and Kaduna aren't exactly the extremes. Lagos is the pinnacle of industrial development but it actually isn't the most expensive City. That's reserved for Abuja, the country's capital and the cheapest parts of the country are further up North in places like Jigawa and Sokoto where life is really cheap.
However, comparing these two states gives a fair idea of how life varies between places in the country. Also, these two states are places that I've lived in for a differing amount of time and can give my personal impression about.
This is my entry for the OCD Community Boost Contest featuring the Home Edders community.