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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Lagos costs about 79% more than Jos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 ₦4,980

$2.19 ₦2,912

70.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.00 ₦65.2K

$29.90 ₦39.8K

63.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 ₦9,988

$4.49 ₦5,969

67.26%

Cappuccino

$2.88 ₦3,830

$3.43 ₦4,568

-16.03%

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

$0.42 ₦555

$0.54 ₦723

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₦335

$0.71 ₦951

-64.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₦1,301

$1.03 ₦1,369

-4.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₦2,623

$2.16 ₦2,871

-8.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 ₦4,219

$3.74 ₦4,976

-15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ₦1,873

$0.92 ₦1,229

53.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 ₦1,609

$2.27 ₦3,014

-46.70%

Eggs

$2.28 ₦3,028

$1.86 ₦2,480

22.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.43 ₦4,566

$9.95 ₦13.2K

-65.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ₦5,052

$4.99 ₦6,637

-23.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.50 ₦5,988

$4.05 ₦5,389

11.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 ₦2,170

$1.97 ₦2,624

-17.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ₦1,660

$1.49 ₦1,987

-16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 ₦1,446

$1.46 ₦1,940

-25.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ₦1,764

$2.33 ₦3,100

-42.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ₦1,823

$1.77 ₦2,357

-22.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ₦1,803

$2.35 ₦3,129

-42.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ₦1,200

$0.56 ₦740

60.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₦492

$0.36 ₦484

2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.57 ₦763

$1.94 ₦2,585

-70.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.58 ₦3,435

$5.85 ₦7,787

-55.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₦671

$1.18 ₦1,569

-57.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₦607

$1.84 ₦2,451

-75.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ₦567

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ₦25.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₦934

$0.63 ₦837

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 ₦1,277

$0.82 ₦1,088

17.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 ₦2,956

$1.92 ₦2,553

15.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₦1,113

$0.58 ₦777

44.83%

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

$11.2K ₦14.9M

$25.8K ₦34.3M

-56.52%

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

$13.6K ₦18.0M

$18.4K ₦24.4M

-26.23%

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

$110 ₦146.8K

$98.8 ₦131.4K

11.72%

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

$16.11 ₦21.4K

$6.49 ₦8,630

148.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.07 ₦42.7K

$29.45 ₦39.2K

8.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.82 ₦35.7K

$40.77 ₦54.2K

-34.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.67 ₦8,879

$11.91 ₦15.8K

-44.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 ₦6,155

$4.90 ₦6,525

-5.51%

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

$672 ₦894.0K

$45.50 ₦60.5K

1376.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K ₦26.9M

$987 ₦1.3M

1946.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.78 ₦19.7K

$10.08 ₦13.4K

46.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.02 ₦24.0K

$15.25 ₦20.3K

18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.66 ₦47.4K

$50.3 ₦66.9K

-29.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.67 ₦63.4K

$49.12 ₦65.3K

-2.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 ₦950.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 ₦563.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,808 ₦3.7M

$563 ₦748.8K

398.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 ₦2.0M

$494 ₦656.6K

200.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,185 ₦4.2M

$1,966 ₦2.6M

61.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,622 ₦2.2M

$1,470 ₦2.0M

10.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$119 ₦158.6K

$99.1 ₦131.9K

20.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.05

22.5

-19.78%

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

Last update for Lagos: August 30, 2026

Last update for Jos: August 29, 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 $49.00 in Lagos versus $30.00 in Jos. Groceries tell a different story – $153 in Lagos vs $204 in Jos – 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

Lagos vs Jos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Lagos and $30.00 in Jos. 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.