Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Kano

For one person, living is cheaper in Kano: $96.9 a month against $536 in Jos, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Jos, Nigeria
Kano, Nigeria
Jos
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$536
/mo nomad
Kano
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$96.9
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jos and in Kano

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 Kano actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $536 per month in Jos vs $97 in Kano, rent included.

  • Jos $536
  • Kano $97

A couple spends around $1,105 per month in Jos vs $179 in Kano, rent included.

  • Jos $1,105
  • Kano $179

A family of three spends $1,674 per month in Jos vs $262 in Kano, rent included.

  • Jos $1,674
  • Kano $262

Jos costs about 453% more than Kano, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Jos and Kano are more affordable than the global median – Jos 60% lower, Kano 93% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jos
Kano
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.95 ₦2,620
$1.72 ₦2,319
13.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.26 ₦39.3K
$15.21 ₦20.5K
92.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.10 ₦5,520
$6.31 ₦8,484
-35.02%
Cappuccino
$3.36 ₦4,524
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ₦528
$0.19 ₦249
105.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 ₦948
$0.15 ₦198
373.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.98 ₦1,320
$0.31 ₦420
216.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 ₦2,612
$0.29 ₦384
568.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jos
Kano
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.71 ₦4,989
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$0.85 ₦1,146
$0.65 ₦870
30.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.26 ₦3,042
$0.55 ₦738
310.91%
Eggs
$1.81 ₦2,433
$0.89 ₦1,193
103.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.07 ₦13.5K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.88 ₦6,566
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.14 ₦5,568
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.99 ₦2,671
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 ₦2,009
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.54 ₦2,071
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.28 ₦3,061
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 ₦2,390
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$2.39 ₦3,210
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.59 ₦797
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40 ₦535
$0.59 ₦789
-32.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.98 ₦2,665
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$5.81 ₦7,807
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 ₦1,674
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 ₦2,475
$0.31 ₦419
493.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Jos
Kano
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.27 ₦361
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$12.22 ₦16.4K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.58 ₦779
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.86 ₦1,160
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.91 ₦2,562
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.54 ₦731
$0.48 ₦644
12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K ₦35.2M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.2K ₦50.1M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jos
Kano
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$101 ₦135.4K
$7.34 ₦9,873
1271.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.48 ₦8,710
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.58 ₦39.8K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jos
Kano
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.79 ₦53.5K
$20.20 ₦27.2K
96.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.11 ₦16.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.37 ₦8,569
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jos
Kano
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$45.00 ₦60.5K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,019 ₦1.4M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jos
Kano
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$10.11 ₦13.6K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$14.78 ₦19.9K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$49.26 ₦66.2K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.6 ₦68.0K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jos
Kano
Difference
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$562 ₦755.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$496 ₦667.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,987 ₦2.7M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,526 ₦2.1M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jos
Kano
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$101 ₦136.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.5
0
-

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

Last update for Jos: October 31, 2026

Last update for Kano: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Jos
$204
Kano
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jos
$137
Kano
–
Eating Out
Jos
$81
Kano
–
Clothing & Footwear
Jos
$56
Kano
–
Sport & Entertainment
Jos
$53
Kano
–
Getting Around
Jos
$4.9 *
Kano
–
Accommodation & Living
Jos
- *
Kano
–

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 $29 in Jos versus $15 in Kano. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $20 – making Kano the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇬 Jos
🇳🇬 Kano
🕒 Local time
23:25 11:25 PM
23:25 11:25 PM
Same time as Jos
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
900,000
2,395,375
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1,345 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,510 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.62 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Jos Kano 230 km
From you
  • Jos
  • Kano

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 Kano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Jos and in Kano compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $536 in Jos, $97 in Kano – Kano comes out roughly 82% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Jos compared to Kano?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $804 per month in Jos and $145 in Kano. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $29 in Jos and $15 in Kano. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Jos or Kano?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $536 in Jos and $97 in Kano. That makes Kano about 82% cheaper.
How far does $1,200 go in Jos compared to Kano?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $536 in Jos and $97 in Kano, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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