Woman Compares South African and Nigerian Grocery Prices, Leaves Viewers Stunned in Video

• A Nigerian woman's viral video comparing grocery prices between South Africa and Nigeria sparked an online discussion
• She documented prices of common items like eggs, spaghetti, milk, etc, while revealing significant differences between the two countries
• The comparison has raised debate about the cost of living, exchange rates, and food prices in both countries

A young Nigerian woman who visited Mzansi sparked an online discussion after sharing a detailed price comparison between South African and Nigerian grocery items.

In her viral video, she documented her shopping trip in Johannesburg to one of Mzansi’s popular retail chains, Checkers, revealing the differences in food prices between the two countries.

The woman who goes by the TikTok handle @heynikeh expressed how challenging it was to shop in South Africa, explaining that some Nigerian household staples were difficult to find. Despite the struggle, she went on to compare common items and their costs in both rand and naira, leaving many viewers stunned by the differences.

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According to her findings, six eggs cost R26.99, which converts to approximately N2,400, while a 500g pack of spaghetti was priced at R19.99 (approximately N1,800). A single pack of noodles (85g) costs equal to N720, and a tin of sardines goes for R19, while in Nigeria N1,700. @heynikeh also found baked beans selling for R12.99 (N1,150) and one litre of full cream milk priced at R16.99 (N1,500).

@heynikeh continued her comparison, revealing that a box of Kellogg’s Coco Pops was R59.99, equivalent to N5,300, while a small 50g tomato paste was R7.99 (N900). Even bottled water made it onto her list, 50cl cost R7.99 (N900), and a 30cl bottle of Coca-Cola sold for R9 (N800).

The TikTok user @heynikeh's video quickly gained traction online since it was released on 2 June 2025, with many Nigerians expressing surprise at how expensive basic goods were in South Africa, while some South Africans commented that prices were reasonable by local standards.

The comparison has since sparked a wider discussion about the cost of living in both countries, exchange rate challenges, and how food prices impact everyday households across Africa.

What is the cost of living in South Africa compared to Nigeria?

According to Numbeo, South Africa has a 30.0% higher cost of living than Nigeria (not including rent). South Africa's cost of living, including rent, is 1.2% less than Nigeria's. South Africa's rent prices are 46.6% less than Nigeria's. South Africa's restaurant prices are 62.9% more than Nigeria's. South Africa's grocery prices are 0.2% more than Nigeria's. South Africa's local purchasing power is 1,147.1% greater than Nigeria's.

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Netizens react to the price comparison between SA and Nigeria

The online community took to the comments section to express their thoughts on the comparison between South Africa and Nigeria, saying:

Avela said:

"Nigerian prices will forever not sound correct. What do you mean, 10,000 for tomato sauce?"

DK added:

"My problem is.. I'm not spending 1000 on one item... it sounds so wrong😭."

Sbosh wrote:

"If we can stop fighting each other and share cultural exchange, so that we can learn from each other. Someone in Nigeria, let's hear if we are reasonable in prices or not."

Dumisa Dee commented:

"Nikeh, you’re exploring our country the correct way. You’ve managed to create a positive interaction between SA and NG. 💕"

Mrs_Mom replied:

"Do you have anything for less than N50 in Nigeria😭Everything started sounding expensive."

JustAGirl simply said:

"Yeyi, the Naira currency is so crazy. What do you mean you're spending 1500 Naira for milk? Hai asoze!"

Watch the video below:

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People showcasing their cheap grocery hauls

• Briefly News previously reported that one young babe in Mzansi sparked widespread interest with her latest video, where she flaunted her back-to-the-res grocery haul.
• One South African lady showed off everything she got from Makro in a TikTok video making rounds online.
• A woman in South Africa showed off her broke student mini-grocery haul in a TikTok video, which has gone viral.

Source: Briefly News