Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Ilesha Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Ilesha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $528 per month in Jos vs $486 in Ilesha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,094 per month in Jos vs $798 in Ilesha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,660 per month in Jos vs $1,110 in Ilesha, rent included.

Jos costs about 9% more than Ilesha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jos and Ilesha are more affordable than the global median – Jos 62% lower, Ilesha 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₦2,835

$3.70 ₦4,910

-42.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.30 ₦38.8K

$50.3 ₦66.6K

-41.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 ₦6,094

$7.33 ₦9,714

-37.24%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ₦4,508

$2.78 ₦3,678

22.30%

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

$0.55 ₦730

$0.42 ₦552

30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₦928

$0.23 ₦305

204.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₦1,421

$0.98 ₦1,293

9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₦2,779

$1.95 ₦2,582

7.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.63 ₦4,811

$3.19 ₦4,234

13.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ₦1,128

$1.48 ₦1,967

-42.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₦2,979

$1.20 ₦1,595

87.50%

Eggs

$1.86 ₦2,461

$2.24 ₦2,967

-16.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 ₦13.2K

$3.48 ₦4,609

187.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 ₦6,780

$3.78 ₦5,006

35.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.02 ₦5,324

$4.48 ₦5,934

-10.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ₦2,622

$1.68 ₦2,227

17.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₦1,975

$1.25 ₦1,656

19.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 ₦2,026

$1.09 ₦1,450

40.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₦3,028

$1.32 ₦1,755

73.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ₦2,381

$1.38 ₦1,823

30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 ₦3,222

$1.30 ₦1,727

86.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ₦769

$0.88 ₦1,172

-34.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₦488

$0.39 ₦518

-5.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 ₦2,697

$0.54 ₦718

277.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ₦7,642

$2.68 ₦3,545

115.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₦1,632

$0.49 ₦655

151.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₦2,378

$0.46 ₦614

289.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 ₦774

$0.65 ₦864

-10.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₦1,054

$0.91 ₦1,208

-12.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ₦2,427

$2.14 ₦2,831

-14.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 ₦768

$0.88 ₦1,163

-34.09%

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

$26.5K ₦35.1M

$11.4K ₦15.1M

132.59%

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

$18.3K ₦24.3M

$13.7K ₦18.2M

33.77%

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

$101 ₦134.5K

$112 ₦147.9K

-9.09%

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

$6.36 ₦8,428

$15.94 ₦21.1K

-60.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.56 ₦37.9K

$32.91 ₦43.6K

-13.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.25 ₦52.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 ₦16.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 ₦6,523

$4.78 ₦6,341

2.93%

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

$44.31 ₦58.7K

$674 ₦893.6K

-93.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,017 ₦1.3M

$20.1K ₦26.6M

-94.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.88 ₦13.1K

$14.78 ₦19.6K

-33.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.03 ₦19.9K

$17.84 ₦23.6K

-15.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.9 ₦67.4K

$36.01 ₦47.7K

41.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.03 ₦65.0K

$48.54 ₦64.3K

1.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 ₦727.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$488 ₦646.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,040 ₦2.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,481 ₦2.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$100 ₦132.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

18.05

24.65%

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

Last update for Jos: September 5, 2026

Last update for Ilesha: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Jos versus $50.0 in Ilesha. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Jos vs $154 in Ilesha – so Ilesha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ilesha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Jos is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $792 per month in Jos and $729 in Ilesha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Jos and $50.0 in Ilesha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $528 in Jos and $486 in Ilesha, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ilesha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ilesha. 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.