Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Jos

For one person, living is cheaper in Jos: $534 a month against $991 in Abuja, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Abuja
Learn more

Abuja Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Jos
Learn more

Jos Living Index

Jump to prices

Abuja

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$991

/mo nomad

Jos

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$534

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abuja and in Jos

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Abuja and in Jos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $991 in Abuja versus $534 in Jos.

Abuja $991
Jos $534

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Abuja versus $1,097 in Jos.

Abuja $1,872
Jos $1,097

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,753 in Abuja versus $1,661 in Jos.

Abuja $2,753
Jos $1,661

Living in Abuja is roughly 86% more expensive than in Jos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abuja 27% lower, Jos 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ₦2,611

$2.04 ₦2,738

-4.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ₦40.8K

$30.16 ₦40.6K

0.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 ₦5,483

$3.97 ₦5,343

2.77%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ₦4,415

$3.25 ₦4,373

0.92%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₦575

$0.43 ₦573

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₦959

$0.67 ₦899

5.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₦1,306

$1.02 ₦1,371

-4.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₦2,656

$1.98 ₦2,667

-0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.59 ₦4,830

$3.70 ₦4,975

-2.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₦1,737

$0.87 ₦1,175

48.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₦3,058

$2.19 ₦2,941

3.65%

Eggs

$1.81 ₦2,428

$1.79 ₦2,405

1.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 ₦14.9K

$9.95 ₦13.4K

11.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₦7,189

$5.02 ₦6,751

6.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.82 ₦7,822

$4.02 ₦5,403

44.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₦2,785

$2.00 ₦2,684

3.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₦2,013

$1.45 ₦1,946

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ₦2,046

$1.51 ₦2,032

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₦3,078

$2.27 ₦3,057

0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 ₦2,401

$1.78 ₦2,398

0.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₦3,335

$2.41 ₦3,240

2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₦797

$0.59 ₦788

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₦528

$0.40 ₦536

-2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 ₦2,633

$1.95 ₦2,628

0.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ₦7,845

$5.93 ₦7,977

-1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₦1,610

$1.20 ₦1,611

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₦2,492

$1.77 ₦2,380

4.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₦622

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.58 ₦43.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₦826

$0.58 ₦783

5.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 ₦1,090

$0.87 ₦1,170

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₦2,482

$1.83 ₦2,462

1.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 ₦768

$0.54 ₦725

5.56%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.1K ₦35.1M

$25.7K ₦34.5M

1.78%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$37.3K ₦50.2M

$36.3K ₦48.8M

2.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$110 ₦148.3K

$100 ₦135.0K

9.88%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.48 ₦8,717

$6.50 ₦8,742

-0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.14 ₦39.2K

$28.97 ₦39.0K

0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.74 ₦34.6K

$39.52 ₦53.2K

-34.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.62 ₦12.9K

$12.03 ₦16.2K

-20.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 ₦8,485

$6.22 ₦8,360

1.45%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$44.68 ₦60.1K

$44.67 ₦60.1K

0.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,103 ₦4.2M

$1,001 ₦1.3M

209.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.03 ₦35.0K

$10.09 ₦13.6K

157.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 ₦81.7K

$14.98 ₦20.1K

305.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 ₦102.9K

$51.0 ₦68.6K

50.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₦141.8K

$50.1 ₦67.4K

110.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₦792.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 ₦467.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 ₦1.9M

$554 ₦745.7K

153.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₦1.8M

$483 ₦648.9K

178.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$699 ₦940.4K

$2,030 ₦2.7M

-65.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$378 ₦508.7K

$1,485 ₦2.0M

-74.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 ₦218.3K

$102 ₦136.9K

59.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Abuja: October 24, 2026

Last update for Jos: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Abuja

$348 35.1%

Jos

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Abuja

$218 22%

Jos

$203 38.1% 6.8% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Abuja

$146 14.7%

Jos

$136 25.5% 6.9% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Abuja

$121 12.2%

Jos

$57 10.6% 53.1% $64

Eating Out

Abuja

$81 8.1%

Jos

$81 15.1% 0.2% $0.1

Getting Around

Abuja

$39 4%

Jos

$4.9 * 0.9% 87.4% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Abuja

$38 3.9%

Jos

$52 9.7% 35.4% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Abuja pays 59% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30 in Abuja vs $30 in Jos. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $203, with Jos cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Abuja

🇳🇬 Jos

🕒 Local time

18:07 6:07 PM

Same time as Abuja

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

776,298 Capital

900,000

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.66 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Abuja Jos 180 km

From you

Abuja
Jos

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Abuja vs Jos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $991 in Abuja and $534 in Jos, so Jos is about 46% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 59% higher in Abuja, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $45 in Abuja versus $45 in Jos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $991 per month in Abuja versus $534 in Jos – Jos is about 46% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Jos gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Jos wins on affordability, Abuja on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.