Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Onitsha and Jos

For one person, living is cheaper in Onitsha: $0.71 a month against $534 in Jos, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Onitsha, Nigeria
Jos, Nigeria
Onitsha
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$0.71
/mo nomad
Jos
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$534
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Onitsha and in Jos

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Onitsha and in Jos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $0.71 per month in Onitsha vs $534 in Jos, rent included.

  • Onitsha $0.71
  • Jos $534

A couple spends around $1.25 per month in Onitsha vs $1,097 in Jos, rent included.

  • Onitsha $1.25
  • Jos $1,097

A family of three spends $1.78 per month in Onitsha vs $1,661 in Jos, rent included.

  • Onitsha $1.78
  • Jos $1,661

Onitsha is about 100% cheaper than Jos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Onitsha and Jos are more affordable than the global median – Onitsha 100% lower, Jos 61% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Onitsha
Jos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$2.04 ₦2,721
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$30.16 ₦40.3K
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$3.97 ₦5,310
-
Cappuccino
-
$3.25 ₦4,346
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.43 ₦570
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.67 ₦893
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.02 ₦1,363
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.98 ₦2,650
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Onitsha
Jos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$3.70 ₦4,944
-
White Bread (500g)
-
$0.87 ₦1,168
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$2.19 ₦2,923
-
Eggs
-
$1.79 ₦2,390
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$9.95 ₦13.3K
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$5.02 ₦6,709
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$4.02 ₦5,369
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.00 ₦2,667
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.45 ₦1,934
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.51 ₦2,020
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$2.27 ₦3,038
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$1.78 ₦2,383
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$2.41 ₦3,220
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$0.59 ₦783
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.40 ₦533
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$1.95 ₦2,611
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$5.93 ₦7,928
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.20 ₦1,601
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.77 ₦2,365
-
🚌 Getting Around
Onitsha
Jos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 ₦239
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$0.58 ₦778
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.87 ₦1,163
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.83 ₦2,446
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$0.54 ₦721
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$25.7K ₦34.3M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$36.3K ₦48.5M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Onitsha
Jos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$100 ₦134.1K
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$6.50 ₦8,688
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$28.97 ₦38.7K
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Onitsha
Jos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$39.52 ₦52.8K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$12.03 ₦16.1K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.22 ₦8,308
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Onitsha
Jos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$44.67 ₦59.7K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$1,001 ₦1.3M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Onitsha
Jos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$10.09 ₦13.5K
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$14.98 ₦20.0K
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$51.0 ₦68.2K
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$50.1 ₦67.0K
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Onitsha
Jos
Difference
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$554 ₦741.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$483 ₦644.9K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,030 ₦2.7M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,485 ₦2.0M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Onitsha
Jos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$102 ₦136.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
22.5
-

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

Last update for Onitsha: October 26, 2026

Last update for Jos: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Onitsha
–
Jos
$203
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Onitsha
–
Jos
$136
Eating Out
Onitsha
–
Jos
$81
Clothing & Footwear
Onitsha
–
Jos
$57
Sport & Entertainment
Onitsha
–
Jos
$52
Getting Around
Onitsha
–
Jos
$4.9 *
Accommodation & Living
Onitsha
–
Jos
- *

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

Good to know
🇳🇬 Onitsha
🇳🇬 Jos
🕒 Local time
02:06 2:06 AM
02:06 2:06 AM
Same time as Onitsha
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,080,000
900,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1,337 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.48 USD). 1 EUR = 1,498 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.68 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Onitsha Jos 480 km
From you
  • Onitsha
  • Jos

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
Onitsha vs Jos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Onitsha and in Jos compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $0.71 in Onitsha, $534 in Jos – Onitsha comes out roughly 100% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Onitsha compared to Jos?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1.07 per month in Onitsha and $800 in Jos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How far does $1,000 go in Onitsha compared to Jos?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $0.71 in Onitsha and $534 in Jos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Onitsha vs other spots: cost of living compared

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?