Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Benin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Benin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $528 per month in Jos vs $441 in Benin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,094 per month in Jos vs $745 in Benin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,660 per month in Jos vs $1,049 in Benin, rent included.

Jos costs about 20% more than Benin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jos and Benin are more affordable than the global median – Jos 62% lower, Benin 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₦2,835

$1.38 ₦1,825

55.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.30 ₦38.8K

$50.9 ₦67.5K

-42.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 ₦6,094

$5.78 ₦7,655

-20.42%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ₦4,508

$2.89 ₦3,831

17.65%

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

$0.55 ₦730

$0.29 ₦388

89.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₦928

$0.16 ₦218

337.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₦1,421

$0.97 ₦1,291

10.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₦2,779

$1.01 ₦1,342

107.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.63 ₦4,811

$3.05 ₦4,039

19.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ₦1,128

$0.78 ₦1,031

8.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₦2,979

$1.21 ₦1,603

85.95%

Eggs

$1.86 ₦2,461

$2.28 ₦3,019

-18.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 ₦13.2K

$3.50 ₦4,644

185.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 ₦6,780

$3.82 ₦5,064

34.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.02 ₦5,324

$4.38 ₦5,799

-8.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ₦2,622

$1.69 ₦2,243

17.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₦1,975

$1.26 ₦1,673

18.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 ₦2,026

$1.15 ₦1,526

33.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₦3,028

$1.28 ₦1,693

78.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ₦2,381

$1.33 ₦1,760

35.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 ₦3,222

$1.32 ₦1,756

84.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ₦769

$0.86 ₦1,134

-32.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₦488

$0.37 ₦489

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 ₦2,697

$0.54 ₦719

277.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ₦7,642

$2.70 ₦3,583

113.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₦1,632

$0.55 ₦723

123.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₦2,378

$0.47 ₦619

280.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 ₦774

$0.65 ₦856

-10.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₦1,054

$0.99 ₦1,307

-19.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ₦2,427

$2.22 ₦2,937

-17.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 ₦768

$0.74 ₦978

-21.62%

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

$26.5K ₦35.1M

$11.5K ₦15.3M

129.29%

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

$18.3K ₦24.3M

$13.6K ₦18.1M

34.52%

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

$101 ₦134.5K

$112 ₦147.9K

-9.06%

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

$6.36 ₦8,428

$16.10 ₦21.3K

-60.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.56 ₦37.9K

$32.40 ₦42.9K

-11.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.25 ₦52.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 ₦16.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 ₦6,523

$4.80 ₦6,363

2.50%

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

$44.31 ₦58.7K

$661 ₦875.9K

-93.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,017 ₦1.3M

$20.0K ₦26.5M

-94.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.88 ₦13.1K

$14.73 ₦19.5K

-32.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.03 ₦19.9K

$18.08 ₦24.0K

-16.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.9 ₦67.4K

$36.46 ₦48.3K

39.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.03 ₦65.0K

$49.61 ₦65.7K

-1.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 ₦727.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$488 ₦646.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,040 ₦2.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,481 ₦2.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$100 ₦132.6K

$114 ₦150.9K

-12.09%

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: September 5, 2026

Last update for Benin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 14% higher in Benin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Jos versus $51.0 in Benin. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Jos vs $146 in Benin – so Benin 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 Benin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $528 in Jos, $441 in Benin – roughly 20% apart. Jos costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $792 per month in Jos and $661 in Benin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Jos and $51.0 in Benin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Jos, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $528 in Jos and $441 in Benin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Benin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Benin. 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.