I Tracked My Spending in Lagos for 7 Days—Here’s Where My Salary Disappeared To

Let’s be honest—sometimes, you check your account balance and wonder, “Who spent my money?” If you live in Lagos, you already know the answer: the city did.

Between Bolt rides, surprise birthdays, market runs, and that small “let me just reward myself” moment, your entire salary can vanish before the second week of the month.

So, I decided to do what most people are afraid of—I tracked my daily expenses in Lagos for one full week.

Let’s break down where the money really went:

1. Transportation Will Humble You

Daily Average: ₦2,000 – ₦3,500

Lagos transport is a gamble. One day you’re budgeting for a ₦500 danfo ride, the next you’re booking a ₦3,000 Bolt because it rained or there’s “no change.”

I used everything—danfo, keke, BRT, train, Bolt—and the cost still piled up. On rainy days, it was “God abeg” because Bolt surge pricing nearly finished me.

Total spent on transport in 7 days: ₦10,250

2. Food Is Life (and a Silent Wallet Drainer)

Daily Average: ₦2,000 – ₦4,000

Food was the biggest silent spender. Even on days I cooked, I still bought snacks, suya, or drinks. Eating out in Lagos isn’t cheap—an average lunch can cost you ₦1,500, and ordering online? ₦3,000–₦5,000, easy.

My most expensive food day: Friday night out with friends = ₦7,000

Total spent on food in 7 days: ₦27,300

3. House Rent Is the Real Villain (Even If You Already Paid It)

While I didn’t pay rent this week, let’s not forget:

• One-bedroom apartment on the mainland: ₦500k – ₦800k/year
• Same on the Island: ₦1.2M – ₦2.5M/year (excluding service charges)

If we prorate monthly rent:

Estimated weekly rent (mainland avg): ₦15,000 – ₦20,000

Even if you don’t “see” it every week, rent is silently breathing down your neck.

4. Data & Bills Will Eat You Slowly

Daily Data Top-Ups: ₦500 – ₦1,500

In Nigeria, your real landlord is your internet provider. I spent almost ₦1,500 on data in just two days because I had Zoom calls and had to download a video.

Electricity recharge (NEPA prepaid): ₦5,000 for one-bedroom flat
Data bundle: ₦3,000 (MTN)

Total spent on data + utilities: ₦8,000

5. Impulse Buys & Soft Life Spending

This is where many of us fall short. It’s not that ₦2k shirt or ₦3k hair product that breaks your account—it’s how often you do it.

• Bought new shirt for Friday hangout: ₦4,000
• Suya I didn’t need but craved: ₦1,200
• Birthday dinner contribution: ₦5,000

Total spent on soft life indulgence: ₦10,200

6. “Hidden” Costs You Don’t Notice But Feel

These are those sneaky little charges:

• POS withdrawal fees: ₦100 here, ₦200 there.
• Last-minute Bolt cancellation fee: ₦700
• App subscriptions (Spotify, Netflix, Canva): ₦2,000+

Total: ₦3,500

7. Market Runs and Groceries

Did a basic market stock-up on Saturday:

• Tomatoes, pepper, onions: ₦2,500
• Chicken (small tray): ₦4,000
• Oil, seasoning, rice refill: ₦3,500

Total market spend: ₦10,000

So… How Much Did I Spend in One Week?

Category	Amount Spent (₦)
Transportation	10,250
Food & Eating Out	27,300
Data & Bills	8,000
Soft Life/Impulse Buys	10,200
Groceries/Market	10,000
Hidden/Other Expenses	3,500
Grand Total	₦69,250

Lagos Will Test You

Tracking every kobo taught me this: Lagos is not for the faint-hearted.

The city moves fast. And if you’re not intentional, your money will disappear before you even touch it. But the good news? Awareness is power.

Here’s what I’m doing moving forward:

• Planning meals and cutting food delivery
• Setting a weekly transport and data limit
• Allocating a soft life budget (yes, you can budget joy!)

Because let’s be real—this life, no get duplicate.