Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilesha and Jos

For one person, living is cheaper in Ilesha: $477 a month against $534 in Jos, rent and utilities included – about $680 less a year. The total is higher in Jos despite lower rent and utilities.

Ilesha, Nigeria
Jos, Nigeria
Ilesha
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$477
/mo nomad
Jos
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$534
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ilesha 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 Ilesha and in Jos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $477 per month in Ilesha vs $534 in Jos, rent included.

  • Ilesha $477
  • Jos $534

A couple spends around $804 per month in Ilesha vs $1,097 in Jos, rent included.

  • Ilesha $804
  • Jos $1,097

A family of three spends $1,131 per month in Ilesha vs $1,661 in Jos, rent included.

  • Ilesha $1,131
  • Jos $1,661

Ilesha is about 11% cheaper than Jos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ilesha and Jos are more affordable than the global median – Ilesha 65% lower, Jos 61% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ilesha
Jos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.63 ₦4,859
$2.04 ₦2,729
77.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.95 ₦66.9K
$30.16 ₦40.4K
65.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.33 ₦9,819
$3.97 ₦5,325
84.63%
Cappuccino
$2.74 ₦3,679
$3.25 ₦4,357
-15.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41 ₦548
$0.43 ₦571
-4.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 ₦294
$0.67 ₦896
-67.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.02 ₦1,364
$1.02 ₦1,366
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 ₦2,744
$1.98 ₦2,658
3.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ilesha
Jos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.09 ₦4,148
$3.70 ₦4,958
-16.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.48 ₦1,990
$0.87 ₦1,171
70.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.27 ₦1,697
$2.19 ₦2,931
-42.01%
Eggs
$2.23 ₦2,982
$1.79 ₦2,397
24.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.55 ₦4,760
$9.95 ₦13.3K
-64.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.78 ₦5,071
$5.02 ₦6,728
-24.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.33 ₦5,807
$4.02 ₦5,384
7.71%
Apples (1kg)
$1.69 ₦2,261
$2.00 ₦2,674
-15.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 ₦1,746
$1.45 ₦1,940
-10.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.08 ₦1,447
$1.51 ₦2,025
-28.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.48 ₦1,988
$2.27 ₦3,046
-34.80%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 ₦2,154
$1.78 ₦2,390
-9.55%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 ₦2,016
$2.41 ₦3,229
-37.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 ₦1,190
$0.59 ₦785
50.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.36 ₦487
$0.40 ₦534
-10.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.59 ₦787
$1.95 ₦2,619
-69.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$2.49 ₦3,331
$5.93 ₦7,949
-58.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ₦679
$1.20 ₦1,605
-57.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ₦674
$1.77 ₦2,371
-71.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Ilesha
Jos
Difference
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.68 ₦912
$0.58 ₦780
17.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.90 ₦1,200
$0.87 ₦1,166
3.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.21 ₦2,958
$1.83 ₦2,453
20.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.91 ₦1,217
$0.54 ₦723
68.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.1K ₦14.9M
$25.7K ₦34.4M
-56.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.3K ₦39.3M
$36.3K ₦48.6M
-19.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ilesha
Jos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 ₦147.1K
$100 ₦134.5K
9.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.50 ₦19.4K
$6.50 ₦8,712
123.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.73 ₦43.9K
$28.97 ₦38.8K
12.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ilesha
Jos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$39.52 ₦53.0K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$12.03 ₦16.1K
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.15 ₦8,241
$6.22 ₦8,331
-1.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ilesha
Jos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$664 ₦889.8K
$44.67 ₦59.9K
1386.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.0K ₦26.8M
$1,001 ₦1.3M
1896.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ilesha
Jos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.39 ₦19.3K
$10.09 ₦13.5K
42.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.99 ₦24.1K
$14.98 ₦20.1K
20.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$35.77 ₦47.9K
$51.0 ₦68.3K
-29.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$48.26 ₦64.7K
$50.1 ₦67.1K
-3.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ilesha
Jos
Difference
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$554 ₦743.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$483 ₦646.7K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,030 ₦2.7M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,485 ₦2.0M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ilesha
Jos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$102 ₦136.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
18.39
22.5
-18.27%

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

Last update for Ilesha: October 27, 2026

Last update for Jos: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ilesha
$157
Jos
$136 13.5% $21
Groceries & Markets
Ilesha
$155
Jos
$203 31.6% $49
Eating Out
Ilesha
$96
Jos
$81 15.6% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Ilesha
$52
Jos
$57 8.4% $4.4
Sport & Entertainment
Ilesha
$12 *
Jos
$52 322% $40
Getting Around
Ilesha
$5.2 *
Jos
$4.9 * 4.5% $0.2
Accommodation & Living
Ilesha
- *
Jos
- *

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Ilesha versus $30 in Jos. Groceries tell a different story – $155 in Ilesha vs $203 in Jos – so Ilesha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇳🇬 Ilesha
🇳🇬 Jos
🕒 Local time
08:53 8:53 AM
08:53 8:53 AM
Same time as Ilesha
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
277,904
900,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,492 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ilesha Jos 520 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ilesha
  • 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
Ilesha vs Jos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ilesha cheaper than Jos?
Yes – Jos is pricier by about 12%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $715 per month in Ilesha and $800 in Jos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Ilesha or in Jos?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Ilesha and $30 in Jos. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Ilesha and in Jos?
Groceries cost about 32% more in Jos, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 enough for either Ilesha or Jos?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $477 in Ilesha and $534 in Jos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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