Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Lagos Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Lagos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $536 per month in Jos vs $960 in Lagos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,088 per month in Jos vs $1,873 in Lagos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,640 per month in Jos vs $2,785 in Lagos, rent included.

Jos is about 44% cheaper than Lagos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jos and Lagos are more affordable than the global median – Jos 61% lower, Lagos 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 ₦2,891

$3.74 ₦4,943

-41.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.90 ₦39.5K

$49.00 ₦64.7K

-38.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.49 ₦5,925

$7.51 ₦9,914

-40.21%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ₦4,534

$2.88 ₦3,802

19.10%

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

$0.54 ₦718

$0.42 ₦551

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₦944

$0.25 ₦333

184.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₦1,359

$0.98 ₦1,291

5.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₦2,849

$1.97 ₦2,603

9.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.74 ₦4,939

$3.17 ₦4,188

17.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ₦1,220

$1.41 ₦1,859

-34.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₦2,992

$1.21 ₦1,597

87.60%

Eggs

$1.86 ₦2,462

$2.28 ₦3,005

-18.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 ₦13.1K

$3.43 ₦4,532

190.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 ₦6,588

$3.80 ₦5,015

31.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.05 ₦5,349

$4.50 ₦5,943

-10.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₦2,605

$1.63 ₦2,154

20.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₦1,972

$1.25 ₦1,648

19.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ₦1,926

$1.09 ₦1,435

33.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₦3,077

$1.33 ₦1,751

75.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 ₦2,340

$1.37 ₦1,809

29.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 ₦3,106

$1.36 ₦1,790

72.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ₦735

$0.90 ₦1,192

-37.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₦480

$0.37 ₦488

-2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 ₦2,566

$0.57 ₦757

240.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 ₦7,729

$2.58 ₦3,410

126.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ₦1,558

$0.50 ₦666

136.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₦2,433

$0.46 ₦603

300.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ₦563

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ₦25.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 ₦831

$0.70 ₦927

-10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 ₦1,080

$0.96 ₦1,267

-14.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 ₦2,534

$2.22 ₦2,934

-13.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 ₦771

$0.84 ₦1,105

-30.95%

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

$25.8K ₦34.1M

$11.2K ₦14.8M

129.97%

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

$18.4K ₦24.3M

$13.6K ₦17.9M

35.56%

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

$98.8 ₦130.4K

$110 ₦145.7K

-10.49%

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

$6.49 ₦8,566

$16.11 ₦21.3K

-59.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.45 ₦38.9K

$32.07 ₦42.3K

-8.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.77 ₦53.8K

$26.82 ₦35.4K

52.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.91 ₦15.7K

$6.67 ₦8,813

78.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 ₦6,476

$4.63 ₦6,109

5.83%

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

$45.50 ₦60.1K

$672 ₦887.3K

-93.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$987 ₦1.3M

$20.2K ₦26.7M

-95.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.08 ₦13.3K

$14.78 ₦19.5K

-31.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.25 ₦20.1K

$18.02 ₦23.8K

-15.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.3 ₦66.4K

$35.66 ₦47.1K

40.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.12 ₦64.9K

$47.67 ₦63.0K

3.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 ₦943.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 ₦559.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 ₦743.2K

$2,808 ₦3.7M

-79.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 ₦651.7K

$1,483 ₦2.0M

-66.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,966 ₦2.6M

$3,185 ₦4.2M

-38.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,470 ₦1.9M

$1,622 ₦2.1M

-9.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$99.1 ₦130.9K

$119 ₦157.5K

-16.88%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lagos: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 20% higher in Lagos, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Jos versus $49.00 in Lagos. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Jos vs $153 in Lagos – so Lagos 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 Lagos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $536 in Jos, $960 in Lagos – roughly 79% apart. Lagos costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $804 per month in Jos and $1,441 in Lagos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Jos and $49.00 in Lagos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Lagos – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jos, where all-in costs run around $536, than in Lagos at $960. In Jos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lagos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jos – 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 Jos. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lagos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.