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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $997 per month in Jos vs $1,146 in Lagos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,375 per month in Jos vs $1,925 in Lagos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,753 per month in Jos vs $2,704 in Lagos, rent included.

Jos is about 13% cheaper than Lagos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jos and Lagos are more affordable than the global median – Jos 25% lower, Lagos 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.27 ₦1,748

$2.55 ₦3,508

-50.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.10 ₦19.4K

$49.52 ₦68.2K

-71.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 ₦6,345

$5.43 ₦7,487

-15.29%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ₦3,145

$2.18 ₦3,006

4.59%

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

$0.35 ₦482

$0.34 ₦466

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₦345

$0.22 ₦304

13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 ₦948

$0.84 ₦1,163

-17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₦1,902

Milk (1 liter)

$3.55 ₦4,898

$2.34 ₦3,220

51.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ₦1,270

$1.20 ₦1,657

-23.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 ₦4,482

$2.33 ₦3,215

39.48%

Eggs

$3.02 ₦4,168

$1.75 ₦2,408

72.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 ₦13.7K

$6.31 ₦8,692

57.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 ₦6,716

$4.29 ₦5,918

13.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.59 ₦6,330

$5.38 ₦7,413

-14.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.10 ₦5,646

$3.53 ₦4,870

16.15%

Banana (1kg)

$5.05 ₦6,959

$2.02 ₦2,782

150.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₦3,741

$2.18 ₦3,004

24.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 ₦5,337

$2.41 ₦3,315

60.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 ₦3,118

$2.30 ₦3,174

-1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ₦2,601

$1.95 ₦2,684

-3.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₦895

$1.92 ₦2,640

-66.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₦1,057

$0.36 ₦494

113.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.30 ₦1,788

Wine (Bottle)

$5.49 ₦7,566

$2.48 ₦3,411

121.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₦1,039

$0.63 ₦870

19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₦1,275

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 ₦1,025

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.56 ₦50.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 ₦1,363

$1.25 ₦1,721

-20.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 ₦3,100

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.96 ₦13.7K

$4.81 ₦6,628

107.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₦1,214

$0.79 ₦1,085

11.39%

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

$20.5K ₦28.3M

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

$20.3K ₦28.0M

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

$99.2 ₦136.7K

$41.41 ₦57.1K

139.46%

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

$10.08 ₦13.9K

$10.12 ₦13.9K

-0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.36 ₦47.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.66 ₦54.7K

$31.49 ₦43.4K

25.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.97 ₦16.5K

$12.38 ₦17.1K

-3.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.16 ₦12.6K

$6.38 ₦8,794

43.57%

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

$83.1 ₦114.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$998 ₦1.4M

$2,314 ₦3.2M

-56.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.03 ₦13.8K

$19.39 ₦26.7K

-48.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.29 ₦21.1K

$24.20 ₦33.3K

-36.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.7 ₦69.9K

$65.7 ₦90.6K

-22.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.0 ₦70.3K

$56.2 ₦77.4K

-9.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 ₦958.8K

$1,083 ₦1.5M

-35.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ₦656.5K

$633 ₦872.3K

-24.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 ₦1.2M

$2,698 ₦3.7M

-68.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 ₦819.5K

$1,381 ₦1.9M

-56.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,979 ₦2.7M

$3,219 ₦4.4M

-38.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,496 ₦2.1M

$1,598 ₦2.2M

-6.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$67.9 ₦93.6K

$118 ₦163.0K

-42.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

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

Last update for Jos: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lagos: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $696 in Jos versus $1,083 in Lagos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 74% 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 $14.00 in Jos versus $50.0 in Lagos. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Jos vs $192 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: $997 in Jos, $1,146 in Lagos – roughly 15% apart. Lagos costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,496 per month in Jos and $1,719 in Lagos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Jos and $50.0 in Lagos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $997 in Jos and $1,146 in Lagos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jos, where all-in costs run around $997, than in Lagos at $1,146. 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.