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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Lagos costs about 15% more than Jos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.55 ₦3,508

$1.27 ₦1,748

100.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.52 ₦68.2K

$14.10 ₦19.4K

251.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 ₦7,487

$4.60 ₦6,345

18.04%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ₦3,006

$2.28 ₦3,145

-4.39%

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

$0.34 ₦466

$0.35 ₦482

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ₦304

$0.25 ₦345

-12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.84 ₦1,163

$0.69 ₦948

21.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₦1,902

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ₦3,220

$3.55 ₦4,898

-34.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₦1,657

$0.92 ₦1,270

30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 ₦3,215

$3.25 ₦4,482

-28.31%

Eggs

$1.75 ₦2,408

$3.02 ₦4,168

-42.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.31 ₦8,692

$9.94 ₦13.7K

-36.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 ₦5,918

$4.87 ₦6,716

-11.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.38 ₦7,413

$4.59 ₦6,330

17.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₦4,870

$4.10 ₦5,646

-13.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 ₦2,782

$5.05 ₦6,959

-60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 ₦3,004

$2.71 ₦3,741

-19.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 ₦3,315

$3.87 ₦5,337

-37.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₦3,174

$2.26 ₦3,118

1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ₦2,684

$1.89 ₦2,601

3.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 ₦2,640

$0.65 ₦895

195.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₦494

$0.77 ₦1,057

-53.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.30 ₦1,788

Wine (Bottle)

$2.48 ₦3,411

$5.49 ₦7,566

-54.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₦870

$0.75 ₦1,039

-16.00%

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)

$1.25 ₦1,721

$0.99 ₦1,363

26.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 ₦3,100

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.81 ₦6,628

$9.96 ₦13.7K

-51.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₦1,085

$0.88 ₦1,214

-10.23%

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)

$41.41 ₦57.1K

$99.2 ₦136.7K

-58.24%

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

$10.12 ₦13.9K

$10.08 ₦13.9K

0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.36 ₦47.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.49 ₦43.4K

$39.66 ₦54.7K

-20.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.38 ₦17.1K

$11.97 ₦16.5K

3.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ₦8,794

$9.16 ₦12.6K

-30.35%

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

$83.1 ₦114.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,314 ₦3.2M

$998 ₦1.4M

131.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.39 ₦26.7K

$10.03 ₦13.8K

93.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.20 ₦33.3K

$15.29 ₦21.1K

58.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 ₦90.6K

$50.7 ₦69.9K

29.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.2 ₦77.4K

$51.0 ₦70.3K

10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 ₦1.5M

$696 ₦958.8K

55.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ₦872.3K

$476 ₦656.5K

32.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 ₦3.7M

$855 ₦1.2M

215.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 ₦1.9M

$595 ₦819.5K

132.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,219 ₦4.4M

$1,979 ₦2.7M

62.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,598 ₦2.2M

$1,496 ₦2.1M

6.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$118 ₦163.0K

$67.9 ₦93.6K

74.19%

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 Lagos: July 14, 2026

Last update for Jos: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,083 in Lagos versus $696 in Jos. 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 $50.0 in Lagos versus $14.00 in Jos. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Lagos vs $256 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: $1,146 in Lagos, $997 in Jos – roughly 15% apart. Lagos costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,719 per month in Lagos and $1,496 in Jos. 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 $50.0 in Lagos and $14.00 in Jos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,146 in Lagos and $997 in Jos. 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.