Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Maiduguri Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Maiduguri

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $536 per month in Jos vs $172 in Maiduguri, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,088 per month in Jos vs $292 in Maiduguri, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,640 per month in Jos vs $412 in Maiduguri, rent included.

Jos costs about 212% more than Maiduguri, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jos and Maiduguri are more affordable than the global median – Jos 61% lower, Maiduguri 88% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 ₦2,891

$0.53 ₦706

313.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.90 ₦39.5K

$3.79 ₦4,999

688.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.49 ₦5,925

$1.90 ₦2,508

136.32%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ₦4,534

$0.93 ₦1,223

268.82%

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

$0.54 ₦718

$0.22 ₦291

145.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₦944

$0.19 ₦255

273.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₦1,359

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₦2,849

Milk (1 liter)

$3.74 ₦4,939

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ₦1,220

$1.03 ₦1,355

-10.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₦2,992

$1.96 ₦2,590

15.82%

Eggs

$1.86 ₦2,462

$1.85 ₦2,437

0.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 ₦13.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 ₦6,588

$4.88 ₦6,449

2.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.05 ₦5,349

$4.04 ₦5,334

0.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₦2,605

$3.93 ₦5,188

-49.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₦1,972

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ₦1,926

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₦3,077

$0.99 ₦1,302

135.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 ₦2,340

$1.52 ₦2,002

16.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 ₦3,106

$1.02 ₦1,343

130.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ₦735

$0.42 ₦551

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₦480

$0.29 ₦378

24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 ₦2,566

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 ₦7,729

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ₦1,558

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₦2,433

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ₦467

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 ₦831

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 ₦1,080

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 ₦2,534

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 ₦771

$0.27 ₦360

114.81%

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

$25.8K ₦34.1M

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

$18.4K ₦24.3M

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

$98.8 ₦130.4K

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

$6.49 ₦8,566

$7.83 ₦10.3K

-17.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.45 ₦38.9K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.77 ₦53.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.91 ₦15.7K

$8.11 ₦10.7K

46.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 ₦6,476

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

$45.50 ₦60.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$987 ₦1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.08 ₦13.3K

$19.91 ₦26.3K

-49.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.25 ₦20.1K

$18.28 ₦24.1K

-16.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.3 ₦66.4K

$25.39 ₦33.5K

97.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.12 ₦64.9K

$25.12 ₦33.2K

95.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 ₦743.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 ₦651.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,966 ₦2.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,470 ₦1.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$99.1 ₦130.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

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

Last update for Jos: August 29, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Jos versus $4.00 in Maiduguri. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $98.0 – making Maiduguri the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Maiduguri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $536 in Jos, $172 in Maiduguri – roughly 212% apart. Jos 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 $257 in Maiduguri. 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 $4.00 in Maiduguri. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $536 in Jos and $172 in Maiduguri. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $536 in Jos and $172 in Maiduguri, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Maiduguri – 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 Maiduguri. 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.