Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Aba

For one person, living is cheaper in Aba: $402 a month against $534 in Jos, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. The total is higher in Jos despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Jos
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Jos Living Index

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Jos

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$534

/mo nomad

Aba

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$402

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jos and in Aba

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

A single person spends $534 per month in Jos vs $402 in Aba, rent included.

Jos $534
Aba $402

A couple spends around $1,097 per month in Jos vs $653 in Aba, rent included.

Jos $1,097
Aba $653

A family of three spends $1,661 per month in Jos vs $904 in Aba, rent included.

Jos $1,661
Aba $904

Jos costs about 33% more than Aba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Jos and Aba are more affordable than the global median – Jos 61% lower, Aba 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ₦2,729

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.16 ₦40.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.97 ₦5,325

$7.21 ₦9,667

-44.94%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ₦4,357

$0.87 ₦1,172

273.56%

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

$0.43 ₦571

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₦896

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₦1,366

$2.07 ₦2,770

-50.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₦2,658

$2.42 ₦3,243

-18.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.70 ₦4,958

$3.71 ₦4,968

-0.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ₦1,171

$2.21 ₦2,960

-60.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₦2,931

Eggs

$1.79 ₦2,397

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 ₦13.3K

$11.26 ₦15.1K

-11.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 ₦6,728

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.02 ₦5,384

$1.27 ₦1,700

216.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₦2,674

$5.14 ₦6,889

-61.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₦1,940

$0.55 ₦735

163.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ₦2,025

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₦3,046

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 ₦2,390

$3.44 ₦4,614

-48.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 ₦3,229

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₦785

$1.15 ₦1,541

-48.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₦534

$0.16 ₦209

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 ₦2,619

$1.45 ₦1,947

34.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 ₦7,949

$7.18 ₦9,628

-17.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₦1,605

$1.24 ₦1,657

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₦2,371

$1.43 ₦1,922

23.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.28 ₦12.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 ₦780

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 ₦1,166

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ₦2,453

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 ₦723

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

$25.7K ₦34.4M

$6,017 ₦8.1M

326.36%

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

$36.3K ₦48.6M

$7,453 ₦10.0M

386.58%

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

$100 ₦134.5K

$113 ₦151.4K

-11.16%

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

$6.50 ₦8,712

$2.19 ₦2,941

196.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.97 ₦38.8K

$44.64 ₦59.8K

-35.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.52 ₦53.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₦16.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 ₦8,331

$2.13 ₦2,861

192.02%

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

$44.67 ₦59.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,001 ₦1.3M

$1,047 ₦1.4M

-4.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.09 ₦13.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.98 ₦20.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.0 ₦68.3K

$15.04 ₦20.2K

239.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.1 ₦67.1K

$18.61 ₦24.9K

169.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 ₦181.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 ₦743.1K

$443 ₦594.3K

25.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ₦646.7K

$221 ₦296.8K

117.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,030 ₦2.7M

$1,057 ₦1.4M

92.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,485 ₦2.0M

$461 ₦618.2K

221.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$102 ₦136.4K

$95.0 ₦127.3K

7.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

87.50%

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

Last update for Jos: October 26, 2026

Last update for Aba: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jos

$203 38.1%

Aba

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jos

$136 25.5%

Aba

–

Eating Out

Jos

$81 15.1%

Aba

–

Clothing & Footwear

Jos

$57 10.6%

Aba

–

Sport & Entertainment

Jos

$52 9.7%

Aba

–

Getting Around

Jos

$4.9 * 0.9%

Aba

–

Accommodation & Living

Jos

- * 0%

Aba

–

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 7% higher in Jos, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Jos

🇳🇬 Aba

🕒 Local time

18:39 6:39 PM

Same time as Jos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

900,000

1,020,900

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jos Aba 560 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Jos vs Aba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Jos is pricier by about 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $800 per month in Jos and $603 in Aba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $534 in Jos and $402 in Aba. That’s a gap of about 33%.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Jos, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $534 in Jos and $402 in Aba, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

If budget matters most, go with Aba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.