Living in Lagos Is More Expensive Than Living in Los Angeles – Singer BNXN

Living in Lagos Is More Expensive Than Living in Los Angeles – Singer BNXN

BNXN, formerly known as Buju, is currently in the United States, and he has made an observation that has Nigerians either nodding in agreement or rolling their eyes in disbelief. The singer took to social media to share his thoughts on the cost of living in both cities, and his conclusion is that Lagos is actually more expensive than Los Angeles. He based his argument on the constant financial demands that residents of Lagos face every single day, demands that he says are largely absent in the US. "I was telling someone, since I got to the United States, I haven't seen one egbon adugbo asking me to press money," he said, referring to the neighborhood touts and unofficial collectors who constantly demand money from residents and business owners in Lagos.

His statement has struck a nerve because it highlights a reality that many Lagos residents know all too well but rarely hear articulated by celebrities. The cost of living in Lagos is not just about rent, food, and transportation – it is about the endless unofficial fees, the bribes, the "settlements," and the sheer number of hands that are always out looking for money. From the area boys who "watch" your car to the police officers who stop you at checkpoints, from the landlord who demands a "development levy" to the colleagues who expect you to contribute to every event, Lagos drains your wallet in ways that do not exist in cities like Los Angeles. BNXN is saying that while housing might be cheaper in Lagos, everything else adds up to make the city less affordable than America's entertainment capital.

The online space has been sharply divided over BNXN's claim, with people arguing passionately from both sides. Some Nigerians agree with him completely, sharing their own experiences of how much money they spend on unofficial fees and how living in Lagos feels like a constant battle to keep your money in your pocket. They argue that in the US, you pay your rent, your bills, and your taxes, and then what is left is yours to keep. In Lagos, the expenses never end, and there is always someone demanding a cut. Others have dismissed BNXN's claim as exaggerated, pointing out that Los Angeles is one of the most expensive cities in the world and that no amount of egbon adugbo fees can close that gap. BNXN clarified that housing is the only major expense he has noticed in Los Angeles, saying, "The only thing expensive in LA is housing. Here you just pay your rent and you're good." That is a striking contrast to Lagos, where even after paying rent, the expenses keep coming. His statement is not just about money, it is about the stress of living in a system where unofficial demands are normalized and where saying no can lead to harassment or worse. Whether his claim is factually accurate or not, he has started a conversation that many Lagos residents are grateful to see happ

ening.