Cost of Living Comparison Between Accra and Elmina Cost of Living Comparison Between Accra and Elmina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $746 per month in Accra vs $526 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,304 per month in Accra vs $905 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,862 per month in Accra vs $1,284 in Elmina, rent included.

Accra costs about 42% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Accra and Elmina are more affordable than the global median – Accra 44% lower, Elmina 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 GHS 50.2

$4.45 GHS 51.4

-2.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.15 GHS 556

$48.28 GHS 558

-0.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 GHS 89.0

$7.79 GHS 90.0

-1.16%

Cappuccino

$3.50 GHS 40.43

$3.54 GHS 40.94

-1.13%

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

$1.00 GHS 11.55

$0.92 GHS 10.68

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 GHS 3.98

$0.34 GHS 3.96

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 GHS 17.62

$1.58 GHS 18.20

-3.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 GHS 29.56

$2.48 GHS 28.60

3.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.37 GHS 38.94

$3.47 GHS 40.09

-2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 GHS 16.84

$1.45 GHS 16.80

0.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 GHS 28.49

$2.37 GHS 27.33

4.22%

Eggs

$2.27 GHS 26.20

$2.40 GHS 27.70

-5.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.22 GHS 130

$11.04 GHS 128

1.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 GHS 52.5

$4.54 GHS 52.4

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.87 GHS 67.8

$5.82 GHS 67.2

0.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 GHS 33.47

$2.91 GHS 33.62

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 GHS 16.86

$1.40 GHS 16.13

4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 GHS 19.80

$1.71 GHS 19.69

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 GHS 36.62

$3.21 GHS 37.02

-1.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 GHS 34.39

$3.00 GHS 34.64

-0.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 GHS 28.40

$2.44 GHS 28.15

0.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 GHS 8.80

$0.75 GHS 8.69

1.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 GHS 5.54

$0.49 GHS 5.61

-2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.58 GHS 18.28

$1.65 GHS 19.05

-4.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.30 GHS 84.4

$7.42 GHS 85.8

-1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 GHS 13.38

$1.11 GHS 12.85

4.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 GHS 22.68

$1.96 GHS 22.64

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 GHS 12.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.17 GHS 406

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 GHS 17.76

$1.62 GHS 18.65

-4.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 GHS 13.47

$1.17 GHS 13.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 GHS 62.1

$5.48 GHS 63.2

-1.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 GHS 13.00

$1.09 GHS 12.59

3.67%

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

$8,009 GHS 92.5K

$8,156 GHS 94.2K

-1.81%

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

$9,480 GHS 109.5K

$9,546 GHS 110.3K

-0.70%

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

$55.6 GHS 642

$56.5 GHS 652

-1.47%

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

$13.03 GHS 150

$13.33 GHS 154

-2.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.61 GHS 434

$38.32 GHS 443

-1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.17 GHS 406

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.03 GHS 185

Cinema Ticket

$9.74 GHS 112

$9.92 GHS 115

-1.81%

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

$72.2 GHS 834

$71.4 GHS 825

1.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,959 GHS 91.9K

$7,919 GHS 91.5K

0.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.51 GHS 168

$14.66 GHS 169

-1.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.82 GHS 217

$19.23 GHS 222

-2.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.88 GHS 334

$28.80 GHS 333

0.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.84 GHS 472

$41.81 GHS 483

-2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 GHS 6,119

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 GHS 1,700

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 GHS 12.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 GHS 4,369

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,797 GHS 32.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,469 GHS 17.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$180 GHS 2,083

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

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

Last update for Accra: July 11, 2026

Last update for Elmina: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Accra versus $48.00 in Elmina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $234 – making Accra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Accra vs Elmina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $746 in Accra, $526 in Elmina – roughly 42% apart. Accra costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,119 per month in Accra and $789 in Elmina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $746 in Accra and $526 in Elmina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $72.2 per month in Accra and $71.4 in Elmina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Accra at $746. In Elmina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Accra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elmina – 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 Elmina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Accra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.