Ibadan means different things to different people. For some, it is the . For some, it is Nigeria鈥檚by geographical area. For others, it is the . For many people, however, it is one of the most affordable places to live in Nigeria. So, I asked 6 people about their expenses while navigating the city. These are the answers I got.
Yinka, 26 years
“I think accommodation is becoming more expensive in Ibadan. A little while ago, I could have gotten my apartment for 鈧400,000. That said, I think I鈥檓 more intentional about comfort now and that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 spending more than I used to spend.”
Occupation: Software Engineer
Monthly income: 鈧750,000
Feeding: 鈧48,000 in months when my sister is away at school. I work for long hours and don鈥檛 always have time to cook, so I spend an average of 鈧1,600 per meal. 鈧30,000 in months when I don鈥檛 eat out and cook.
Transportation: 鈧10,000. I spend 鈧2,500 on fuel every week. However, I haven鈥檛 been going to the office much since the pandemic. Before I got my car, I spent 鈧300 on cabs on my daily commute. That ran into 鈧6,000 every week.
Accommodation: 鈧500,000 for a two-bedroom apartment at Are, Bodija. It can go as high as 鈧700,000 to 鈧800,000.
Utilities: My power bill every month is 鈧10,000. Waste and other service fees have been charged to the rent. I do my laundry myself.
Flex: My budget is 鈧25,000 per month. I go out about two times a month and the damage ranges from 鈧5,000 to 鈧13,000, depending on who I go out with.
Fola, 37 years
Occupation: Export Consultant
Monthly income: Between 鈧125,000 and 鈧150,000. I work for myself and the kind of deals I do determines what I make. Sometimes, I make 鈧250,000. At other times, I struggle to make聽 鈧30,000.
Feeding: 鈧48,000. I barely eat out. I shop at Bodija Market and and spend about 鈧18,000 on beverages and toiletries every month. I don鈥檛 buy foodstuffs. My girlfriend cooks for me and I give her about 鈧30,000 every month.
Transportation: Between 鈧8,000 and 鈧14,000. I spend 鈧500 on Okadas everyday. On days when I order for a ride, I spend 鈧1,200 on each trip.
Accommodation: My rent is 鈧250,000 per year. This gets me a 2-bedroom apartment in Elebu, Oluyole Extension.
Utilities: I pay between 鈧3,000 and 鈧6,000 on power every month. However, an additional 鈧2,000 goes because the power poles crash to the ground every time. I pay 鈧2,000 to dispose of waste every month. I have a washing machine at home but I don鈥檛 like ironing, so I give it out. That costs 鈧2,000.
Flex: I estimate that to be 鈧30,000, I typically go out with a few friends and down one or two bottles, throw in a random girl and have fun for the night.
Ade, 27 years
“Compared to Lagos, living in Ibadan gives you peace of mind and won’t rob you of your money. The transportation system is better — there is hardly a struggle to get vehicles or traffic.”
Occupation: Training and Research Officer at a consultancy firm.
Side hustle: Fashion Design
Monthly income: 鈧120,000 from both sources.
Feeding: 鈧20,000. I stock my house with food at the beginning of each month. On months when I buy 1/4 bag of rice, it increases to #30,000. I shop for food at Sango, Bodija or Oja Oba markets. My budget gets me the basics (5 litres of oil, 5 litres of palm oil, Semo, Beans, sweet potatoes, yam (sometimes), half pack of spaghetti, and condiments.)
Transportation: 鈧10,000. I move around with Okadas and spend 鈧200 naira on my daily commute, which is 鈧5,000 every month. Other transport expenses take an additional 鈧5,000.
Accommodation: 鈧60,000 per year. A room and parlour apartment at Leventis, Sango-Mokola road.
Utilities: Power bill is 鈧3,000 per month. I do my laundry myself.
Flex: I don鈥檛 have a budget for this because there are so many responsibilities.
Michi, 25 years
“I liked living in Ibadan. I thought it was a mix of the craziness of Lagos and the calm of Abeokuta. Ibadan is an affordable place to live 鈥 cab fares could go as low as 鈧30 and other things are relatively cheap as well.”
Occupation: I was in Ibadan for my Master鈥檚 Degree program at University of Ibadan.
Monthly allowance: 鈧50,000. I got my allowance in two or three batches. The first two batches were usually 鈧20,000 each.
Feeding: I took 鈧10,000 to the market every semester to buy food in bulk. I brought rice from Lagos because I didn鈥檛 trust the ones they sold in Ibadan. On weekends, I made stew. A pot of fish stew costs about 鈧1,400. It鈥檚 鈧1,700 if it鈥檚 chicken stew. If I wanted to make a pot of soup, I’d spend close to 鈧3,200. If I wanted to eat out at the school restaurants, a plate of food cost 鈧400.
Transport: About 鈧4,000 per month. My department was close to my hostel, so I usually walked. My market runs at Bodija cost me 鈧150 per trip. Getting myself to midweek programs at my church in Akobo cost 鈧400. I paid more when I ordered rides to Palms Mall at Ring ROad 鈥 That was about 鈧1,400 per trip.
Accommodation: 鈧50,000 per session for a room of 3 people.
Utilities: The school paid for power, so that wasn鈥檛 on me. There were hostel dues 鈥 鈧3,200 for fresh students and 鈧2, 700 for returning students.
My laundry was 鈧2,000 per month. The woman in the hostel who took care of that charged according to the cloth鈥檚 size and texture.
Flex : 鈧10,000. I could go to a restaurant at Ring Road and spend 鈧4,000 on food, 鈧2,500 on drinks. Sometimes, I went with dates, so we could split the bill. I went to the movies on Mondays and Wednesdays when tickets were sold for 鈧500
Damola, 24 years
“You can always expect to get your money鈥檚 worth in Ibadan. The 鈥淐ity of Brown Roofs鈥 narrative is a lie, it doesn鈥檛 represent the city in any way. “
Occupation: I鈥檓 still in school, but I do some freelance work.
Monthly income: 鈧60,000
Feeding: 鈧35,000. I shop at Gbagi Market and Brent Supermarket. Sometimes, I make orders from Jumia.
Transportation: 鈧10,000. This used to be higher, but I鈥檝e been working from home for a few months now.
Accommodation: I don鈥檛 pay rent. I live with my brother at Adegbayi, close to the local Airport. To get a two-bedroom apartment in the area, you should expect to spend 鈧120,000. Maybe even less.
Utilities: Power bill takes 鈧10,000. Security fee is 鈧3,000. There is a washing machine, so I don鈥檛 spend money on laundry.
Flex: 鈧4,000. My brother and I go out twice a month. Flexing for me is ordering food when I鈥檓 not in the mood to cook.
Savings: I save 20% of my total earnings per month. I save an additional 鈧300 every day on a savings app 鈥 that usually pays for my data.
Kolapo, 34 years
“People don鈥檛 live to show-off in Ibadan, which makes it easy to live within your means. The city helps you to stay low-key.”
Occupation: Social worker at a state hospital
Monthly income: 鈧143,000
Feeding: I eat out and cook at home. When I eat out, 鈧700 gets me 2 wraps of Amala and 1 piece of assorted meat at Ola mummy or Rice and mini chicken at Foodco. I make sure to bring my bottle of water with me. Ain鈥檛 paying 鈧200 for that, abeg.
I go to Bodija market with 鈧20,000 and it gets me 5 congos of rice, 5 congos of garri, 1 congo of beans + condiments and beverages.
10 tubers of yam cost about 鈧3,000 the last time I bought some. Additionally, I spend 鈧2000 on a pot of stew every weekend.
Transportation: 鈧16,000. I have a car and it costs 鈧4,000 to fuel it every week. I don鈥檛 go out a lot so I get to conserve fuel. Although, I鈥檝e stopped tracking fuel prices since it shot up.
Accommodation: 鈧220,000 per year for a room and parlour self-contained apartment at Old Bodija. Apartments like mine could go as high as 鈧350,000.
Utilities: 鈧3,000 for power bill. 鈧1,500 for the waste bill. I also pay a landlord鈥檚 association fee, but it鈥檚 charged per year 鈥 鈧24,000. My laundry is picked every two weeks but the bills don’t go higher than 鈧3,000.
Flex: I don鈥檛 do that as often as I used to. I was at the mall recently with a friend. We watched a movie, bought some food and ice cream and the damage was 鈧6,300.
