ebogentle: Different strokes for different folks.
Cost of living is low in Nigeria and high in UK. True
Standard of living is low in Nigeria and high in UK.
I hope the distinction can be made between "cost of living" and "standard of living"
Ok So u earn 1 million naira monthly in Nigeria.
1. SECURITY:You have to provide your own security. You probably live in a heavily secured estate or have a very high fence with barbed wire around your house.
2. POWER: You provide your own electricity. In addition to regularly paying heavily for fuel to guarantee your 24-7 power, you also have to live with the noise of the generator.
3. WATER: You have to provide your own water. Probably dig a borehole and mount a pump. Even then, you most likely will only use that for household stuff. You would buy bottled water for you and your family to drink.
4. BASIC EDUCATION: If you want an even average education for your kids, then you have to consider private schools only. And they dont come cheap at all.
5. TRANSPORTATION: Yeah you drive a car. The driving experience is not necessarily something you look forward to. And that includes even when you have got your own chauffeur. Pot holes, bumps, rugged terrain, totally pointless and needless hold-ups. And if you prefer to go for commercial transport, prepare for even more drama.

Now lets see the guy who is earning far far less than you in the UK. In fact lets go minimum wage outside london. So he earns roughly 1000 pounds a month. OK maybe he does not own his own flat and so he shares with someone else. Big deal.

1. SECURITY: As a matter of fact he could live anywhere he (most neighborhoods) without worry. he could be on the street at any time of the night. He could even leave his door open (by mistake) and there's little chance of him being mugged or robbed. No need for fencing and barbed wires. No need for a gate minder.

2. POWER: So his bill 100 pounds monthly. or 50 pounds if he shares it. But he does not have to worry about any ambient noise simply because he needs electric power. Also he does not need to anticipate the absence of that power. Except he hasnt been paying his bills.

3: WATER: All he has to do is turn on the tap. Hot or cold all he has to do is wait a few seconds.And it's drinkable too. ofcourse its not free. he has to pay for it. But he does not need a borehole and a pump or the need to purify his own water for drinking.

4. BASIC EDUCATION: Does not cost him a penny. His children go to a government school. Education is definitely not below average even by Nigerian private school standard.

5: TRANSPORTATION: If he does not own a car, he does not miss out on anything. Not even self esteem. There is a functional public transport system including subways/undergrounds, trams/metros, buses/coaches, etc. If he drives, he could do so even in midnight without worry of pot holes. Ok maybe some speed bumps but they are there for his and others' safety. If he encounters a hold-up, its a necessity and it will get cleared up as soon as practicable. ofcourse he has to worry about road tax, car insurance, annual MOT test and stuff.

This is not an exhaustive comparison, and this not an attempt at bashing Nigeria or playing up UK (though it would appear so). This is just an attempt to insert intangibles and make the point that sometimes they are not quantifiable. Some people may only care about cost of living and thats fine. However, others may be more concerned with standard of living. The irony is that you could earn (Nigeria)5 times what you earn in UK and yet your standard of living (based on some of the intangibles i mentioned) will still not be comparable to that in UK.

I know a certain fellow who as an undergrad in Nigeria, worked as a labourer in the local construction industry during the regular ASUU strikes. Although he went to a remote area where no one knew him in order to do that.I can understand why he went far away for that. Our society prioritizes the wrong things. We tend to denigrate and disrespect people in menial jobs. We dont appreciate the dignity in labour. How can being in a part-time job while studying be a bad thing. Or a thing not to be proud of. I dont get it. We need re-orientation.Our value system is weird.

Fhemmmy:

I do agree with you that some of the people abroad give false info to people in Nigeria and that makes some people with great jobs to quit and come and slave in western world, however, a cup of water with peace of mind is better than pounded yam with Ogbono while a gun is point at your head . . the important thing is what can we do to make Nigeria a better place to be, cos no matter where you and i are, Nigeria will forever be home.

afam4eva:
I think you're right though but why the abuse. Don't you have home training?

Godogwu:

Ok. To some extent I would agree with your post but a person earning N1m monthly wouldn't and shouldn't leave Nigeria for anything in the UK. Even for the same salary.
A million a month, thats 12 million in a year.
If he splits his salary into half, that 500k.he saves 500k and uses 500k for every thing concerning the house for the month.
In a year he is able to save 6 million, he sends his child to brookstone ( 1 million annually), he has 5m left.
He buys a nice sedan with 2.5 million, he has 2.5m left ....he rents a 3 bedroom house in lekki for 1.5m, he has a million left for all miscelliomous expenses.
Mind you it's really hard to use up the 500k from his salary that easily except he's pretty extravagant and not frugal with money,

So there you have it, I rather earn that N1m a month than earn 8,000 pounds monthly in the UK. Nevertheless, i am entitled to my own opinion .

Chinom:


In my opinion, a rich Nigeria lives a much more quality life than a rich European. Even the cleaner in London will notice the immediate change in lifestyle as soon as he steps out of MM airport, Lagos. He does not have to carry his luggage anymore by himself.

Olalekan 0: cleanres earn £40,000 a year?are you high? Even doctors don't earn that much!

Chinom:


Even the cleaner in London will notice the immediate change in lifestyle as soon as he steps out of MM airport, Lagos. He does not have to carry his luggage anymore by himself.

MacLovington: .

Cleaners don't earn that much but doctors at Registrar level and clinical fellows certainly do. Hardly any consultant gets less than £70-75k now. I know an ENT surgeon on 120k and that's not including his work in a nearby private hospital.

Another Obs/gynae lady gets around 90k for 3 days work/week in a leading teaching hospital. Another top cancer expert works 2 weeks in UK and 2 weeks in US. Total annual income: around 250k.

Ola one:

Just when you thought you've heard it all

Ola one:

Nigerians and the so-called bigmanism. Why do people have to carry your luggage for you? Are you a leper? How is this indicative of a good lifestyle? Who will exorcise us of this warped mentality?

Na wa oo

Fhemmmy:

Dont be too sure, how much do you think a part time employee takes home in a month . . . all depends on what kinda job, how many hours and what kinda deduction . . . .

swiftycool:
Oh u just made my day, very true. Seun where is the "love" button

afam4eva:
That's Nigerias for you. people do what they can't do in their country in other countries because they see the white man as a superior being.

Billyonaire: Dont say that bro. 100k is not worth it for a BSc holder to sweep floor whether home or abroad. There is more to education than money.

Godogwu:

Ok. To some extent I would agree with your post but a person earning N1m monthly wouldn't and shouldn't leave Nigeria for anything in the UK. Even for the same salary.
A million a month, thats 12 million in a year.
If he splits his salary into half, that 500k.he saves 500k and uses 500k for every thing concerning the house for the month.
In a year he is able to save 6 million, he sends his child to brookstone ( 1 million annually), he has 5m left.
He buys a nice sedan with 2.5 million, he has 2.5m left ....he rents a 3 bedroom house in lekki for 1.5m, he has a million left for all miscelliomous expenses.
Mind you it's really hard to use up the 500k from his salary that easily except he's pretty extravagant and not frugal with money,

So there you have it, I rather earn that N1m a month than earn 8,000 pounds monthly in the UK. Nevertheless, i am entitled to my own opinion .

knockturnal: dont tink its a matter of viewing the white man as superior. tell me where i can be paid a 100k to sweep the floor in nigeria and i ll gladly aplly with my Bsc.

SimonAndal: The money paid to a cleaner in the UK is ten times more than that paid to same job description in Nigeria. Nigeria sucks!

lekkie073: Instead of scheming to travel to uk with a total of say 750k and get there to start menial jobs, i would humbly stay here in naija, register as a principal agent for baba ijebu lotto with 500k, get allocated a minimum of 10 terminals, distribute it to agents, get my 10percent daily takings which is at least 1000naira on a terminal daily. In a month, i'll make 300k. On a biz with initial outlay of 500k? Now, dats amazing!