Detty December: How Much Does It Cost to Cook a Christmas Meal for a Family of 5

Christmas in Nigeria is no longer just about new clothes and travel. For many families, the real pressure is food.

Even with inflation easing a bit, prices of rice, chicken, oil and drinks are still high enough that a simple Christmas meal now needs real planning.

Recent official data shows that 1kg of local rice still costs around ₦1,900 on average as of October 2025, only slightly lower than last year.

For a typical family of five in Lagos or any major city, Christmas lunch is often jollof or fried rice, chicken or turkey, salad, small chops or snacks, and soft drinks. Many households also cook extra portions for neighbours, visitors or church friends, so the “family of five” quickly feels like feeding eight or ten people in one day

What goes into a basic Christmas menu?

Let us assume a simple, middle–income Christmas menu for five people: one main rice dish, chicken, a small salad or coleslaw, and drinks.

Rice is the base of most Christmas tables. With average local rice prices around ₦1,900 per kg nationally, buying 3kg for Christmas cooking would cost roughly ₦5,500–₦6,000, depending on your market and whether you buy loose or branded.

Protein is the next big cost. A medium whole chicken of about 2kg now sells at around ₦4,000 per kg in many urban markets and online meat platforms, which puts one bird at roughly ₦7,500–₦8,500.

Fresh tomatoes and other vegetables have become a bit cheaper in recent months, but they are still not cheap. When you add tomatoes, onions, cabbage, carrots, green pepper, mayonnaise, and spices, you should expect to spend another ₦4,000–₦ 6,000 on the stew and salad.

A rough budget: feeding five on ₦35,000–₦50,000

Putting everything together for a household of five, a realistic Christmas food budget in December 2025 looks something like this.

The main meal (rice, chicken, stew and salad) will likely fall between ₦20,000 and ₦30,000 if you cook 3kg of rice, one medium chicken and a modest salad. Oil, seasoning cubes, spices, salt and gas or kerosene can easily add another ₦5,000–₦7,000, especially if you need to top up cooking gas close to Christmas, when demand is high.

Drinks are where many families lose control of the budget. Two crates of soft drinks, some bottled water and maybe a small pack of juice can quickly reach ₦7,000–₦10,000, depending on brand and where you shop. If you also add snacks, small chops or extra meat, the total bill goes up again.

When you add all these pieces, it means that cooking a decent Christmas meal for a family of five in 2025 will likely cost somewhere in the range of ₦35,000 to ₦50,000 in most urban areas. Families buying imported rice, a big turkey, or premium drinks can easily go above that.

How families can manage the cost

There are a few simple ways to reduce the pressure. Buying major items like rice and oil earlier in December, before last–minute price jumps, can save several thousand naira.

Families can also reduce the number of protein options and focus on one main choice, such as chicken only, instead of chicken plus goat meat and fish. Sharing costs with siblings or neighbours and doing a joint cook–up is another way households are stretching their food budgets this year.

Detty December will always come with pressure to “enjoy”, but the numbers show that food alone is now a serious spending line. Planning early, buying smart and keeping the menu simple can help families enjoy Christmas without starting the new year already in debt.