The Salary Struggle: Stretching ₦200k in an ₦800k economy

Let’s be honest, making ₦200,000 a month in today’s Nigeria feels like trying to quench a house fire with a sachet of water. It’s not that ₦200k used to be a bad salary.

A few years ago, it was decent. Respectable, even. But in 2025’s economy, where the prices of everything are rising at an insane level, it's now challenging to manage any level of pay.

So we're not surprised to hear how much you've struggled to at least push your 200k salary to get to the middle of the month.

Well, we're here to help you provide tips that can help you tighten your already tight budget more, so that your salary can pull you through the month.

ALSO READ: Salary Don Enter: How to make it last beyond 2 weeks

But before we go on, let's see what life looks like for the average Nigerian trying to stretch ₦200k in an ₦800k economy?

Rent 

If you live in Lagos or Abuja, you already know rent is no joke. A “decent” one-bedroom apartment in a safe, fairly central location? Anywhere from ₦500k to ₦1 million per year. That’s at least ₦41,000/month - if you’re lucky enough to be on a payment plan. Unfortunately, most Nigerian landlords don't make monthly plans, which makes it even more difficult.

Feeding 

Let’s say you try to eat modestly, cook at home, buy in bulk, and avoid the temptation of chicken and chips from the "new lounge down the road." You’ll still spend around ₦30,000 - ₦50,000 a month - if you’re highly disciplined and know where to get the cheapest onions. But well, even this depends on how modest you can be.

Transport 

Whether you’re hopping on a danfo, keke, or bolt-ing to work, you’re burning money daily. Fuel price hikes have made even “short” trips expensive. A modest daily commute can now set you back ₦500–₦1000/day, which adds up to ₦20,000–₦30,000/month.

So you see, there's no easy way out of it. Add other expenses like subscriptions, bills, and weekend flex, and you can see how unrealistic living on a 200k monthly wage is. But there's something you can still do. Below are some of the additional things people are doing to survive:

• Side hustles: Freelancing, online gigs, buying and selling, influencing, Uber driving - anything to add to the pot.

• Shared apartments: Two or three people splitting rent in a flat meant for one.

• Sacrifice: Delayed gratification, secondhand everything, and the art of pretending you're not hungry.

• Credit culture: “Pay small small” is now a lifestyle, not just a slogan.

Conclusion 

ALSO READ: How to stretch your salary until the next alert - without crying

₦200,000 is not poverty, but in today’s Nigeria, it’s barely surviving. The system is squeezing the middle class into exhaustion, and the worst part is, many don’t even complain anymore. We laugh about it online, send memes, and keep it moving. Because complaining doesn't pay the bills.

If you're doing it already without tangling yourself with so many debts, keep going. You're the authentic MVP and deserve to be celebrated.