Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Maiduguri

For one person, living is cheaper in Maiduguri: $170 a month against $537 in Jos, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Jos
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Jos Living Index

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Jos

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$537

/mo nomad

Maiduguri

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$170

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jos and in Maiduguri

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

A single person spends $537 per month in Jos vs $170 in Maiduguri, rent included.

Jos $537
Maiduguri $170

A couple spends around $1,104 per month in Jos vs $284 in Maiduguri, rent included.

Jos $1,104
Maiduguri $284

A family of three spends $1,671 per month in Jos vs $398 in Maiduguri, rent included.

Jos $1,671
Maiduguri $398

Jos costs about 216% more than Maiduguri, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Jos and Maiduguri are more affordable than the global median – Jos 60% lower, Maiduguri 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ₦2,640

$0.51 ₦673

288.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.74 ₦39.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 ₦5,477

$1.83 ₦2,433

125.14%

Cappuccino

$3.27 ₦4,355

$0.89 ₦1,178

267.42%

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

$0.51 ₦677

$0.27 ₦361

88.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₦966

$0.19 ₦249

284.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₦1,363

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₦2,850

Milk (1 liter)

$3.69 ₦4,905

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₦1,150

$1.03 ₦1,368

-16.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₦2,918

$1.95 ₦2,598

12.31%

Eggs

$1.85 ₦2,466

$1.75 ₦2,326

5.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 ₦13.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 ₦6,581

$4.90 ₦6,515

1.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.18 ₦5,559

$4.04 ₦5,375

3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₦2,624

$4.08 ₦5,430

-51.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₦1,959

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ₦1,938

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 ₦3,113

$0.97 ₦1,291

141.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 ₦2,474

$1.48 ₦1,973

25.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 ₦3,136

$1.01 ₦1,349

133.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₦733

$0.39 ₦514

41.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₦489

$0.31 ₦417

19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.01 ₦2,679

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ₦7,754

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₦1,591

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₦2,473

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₦485

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 ₦833

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 ₦1,089

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ₦2,436

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 ₦772

$0.25 ₦331

132.00%

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

$25.7K ₦34.1M

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

$18.3K ₦24.4M

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

$102 ₦135.4K

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

$6.54 ₦8,694

$7.92 ₦10.5K

-17.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 ₦39.3K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.21 ₦53.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.81 ₦15.7K

$7.89 ₦10.5K

49.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 ₦8,429

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

$45.19 ₦60.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,017 ₦1.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.09 ₦13.4K

$20.38 ₦27.1K

-50.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.84 ₦19.7K

$17.88 ₦23.8K

-17.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.2 ₦66.7K

$25.37 ₦33.7K

97.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.67 ₦66.1K

$24.82 ₦33.0K

100.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 ₦746.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ₦652.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,962 ₦2.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,530 ₦2.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$100 ₦133.6K

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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Jos

$203 37.8%

Maiduguri

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jos

$138 25.7%

Maiduguri

–

Eating Out

Jos

$82 15.3%

Maiduguri

–

Clothing & Footwear

Jos

$56 10.5%

Maiduguri

–

Sport & Entertainment

Jos

$53 9.9%

Maiduguri

–

Getting Around

Jos

$4.7 * 0.9%

Maiduguri

–

Accommodation & Living

Jos

- * 0%

Maiduguri

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Jos

🇳🇬 Maiduguri

🕒 Local time

11:49 11:49 AM

Same time as Jos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

900,000

1,197,497

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Jos Maiduguri 510 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Jos
Maiduguri

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 Maiduguri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $537 in Jos, $170 in Maiduguri – roughly 216% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $805 per month in Jos and $255 in Maiduguri. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $537 in Jos and $170 in Maiduguri. That's a gap of about 216%.

Groceries cost about 106% 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 $537 in Jos and $170 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.