LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- It's very rarely African cities get compared with their flashy European counterparts, yet, when it comes to cost of living Lagos isn't just competing with its neighbors in Europe -- it's beating them. Hotel rooms in Lagos, now the 30th most expensive city in the world, now cost hundreds of dollars a night. Nigeria's coastal economic and financial capital is the shock entry in the top 50 cities of this year's Mercer Cost of Living survey. The vibrant home to almost eight million Nigerians beat off the likes of Barcelona, Berlin and Brussels, and even U.S. locations such as Washington and Los Angeles -- to be rated the 30th most expensive city in the world.
@highlight
Lagos, Nigeria is the 30th most expensive city in the world
@highlight
It beat cities like Barcelona, Brussels, Washington and Los Angeles
@highlight
Private investment and tourism have help local development
@highlight
Governor Babatunde Fashola also credits Nigeria's democracy
Fashola believes the democratic climate in Nigeria has helped the @placeholder region develop by offering new-found freedom to local governments, private investors, and other independent groups.