Boankra Budget Breakdown: My Freelance Lens in This Hot Mess
so let’s talk about boankra. like, actually talk. none of that ‘vibrant city’ bullshit. right now, the weather’s doing that thing where it feels like god forgot to turn off the oven after baking bread - humid, sticky, and making your phone screen sweat. the kind of weather where you could fry eggs on the pavement if you had the energy. which i don’t, because my budget’s too tight to afford air conditioning. speaking of which, my neighbor just got back from a weekend in the mountains and said it’s ‘like breathing into a freezer up there.’ a 45-minute flight away, if you’re counting.
*the real grind
freelance photography here is a mixed bag. some months i’m booking corporate headshots that pay my rent; other months i’m trading a photo session for a plate of jollof rice. here’s the raw breakdown of my last month (and yes, i kept receipts like a damn accountant):
| category | monthly cost |
|---|---|
| rent (tiny studio near the market) | $450 |
| data (unlimited-ish, but slow af) | $35 |
| transport (taxis + shared bikes) | $120 |
| food (mostly street eats, some groceries) | $280 |
| camera gear maintenance | $0 (touch wood) |
| co-working space (3 days/week) | $80 |
| gym membership (survival) | $50 |
| misc (phone, sim, etc.) | $40 |
| total | $1,055 |
the ugly truths*
safety’s… fine? mostly. but a local warned me when i first moved: ‘don’t flash your camera gear in the old market. or your phone. or anything shiny. just blink and walk.’ which is solid advice if you’re into that whole ‘not getting robbed’ vibe. job market’s got a weird split: expats pay well for ‘authentic local shots,’ but locals want 50% discounts. weird flex, but okay. rent’s cheaper than nyc, but you’re trading for ‘walls so thin you hear your neighbor coughing up a lung.’
‘stick to the local beer at the expat bar, the fancy stuff will cost you an arm and a leg.’
‘heard they’re building a new co-working space downtown, but rent might jump 20% once it’s done. sell your kidneys now.’
i’d say my average food cost is $9/day, but that’s because i’m addicted to this one auntie’s pepper soup. her spot is near the bus station, and she glares if you take too long eating. worth it. for gear, i use a secondhand canon 5d - bought it off some dude who ‘needed rent money.’ sketchy, but it’s held up better than my mental health.
honestly? boankra’s a love-hate thing. the light’s insane for golden hour shoots, but your budget will cry. if you wanna scope jobs, check out this expat job board or yelp’s photogs. for the real dirt, this subreddit has locals complaining about everything. and if you’re desperate for a beer, tripadvisor’s pub list won’t steer you wrong. mostly.
‘mate, the ‘affordable’ apartments? they’re next to the train tracks. bring earplugs or a death wish.’
so yeah. $1k/month gets you by, but you’ll be living on instant noodles and dreams. and maybe some good photos. if you’re lucky.
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