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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,094 per month in Accra vs $680 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,741 per month in Accra vs $1,160 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,388 per month in Accra vs $1,640 in Elmina, rent included.

Accra costs about 61% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Accra and Elmina are more affordable than the global median – Accra 20% lower, Elmina 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 GHS 90.9

$8.14 GHS 92.0

-1.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 GHS 612

$53.4 GHS 604

1.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 GHS 122

$10.81 GHS 122

-0.46%

Cappuccino

$4.47 GHS 50.5

$4.72 GHS 53.3

-5.30%

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

$1.63 GHS 18.45

$1.65 GHS 18.66

-1.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 GHS 5.50

$0.49 GHS 5.48

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 GHS 20.83

$1.86 GHS 21.01

-1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 GHS 26.81

$2.27 GHS 25.65

4.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.71 GHS 41.97

$3.81 GHS 43.11

-2.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 GHS 19.45

$1.80 GHS 20.34

-4.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 GHS 35.35

$3.14 GHS 35.48

-0.32%

Eggs

$2.69 GHS 30.36

$2.71 GHS 30.61

-0.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.30 GHS 139

$12.56 GHS 142

-2.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 GHS 84.0

$7.49 GHS 84.6

-0.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.93 GHS 112

$10.26 GHS 116

-3.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 GHS 42.83

$3.77 GHS 42.55

0.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 GHS 16.64

$1.47 GHS 16.63

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 GHS 20.58

$1.86 GHS 21.06

-2.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 GHS 41.60

$3.75 GHS 42.42

-1.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 GHS 31.66

$2.81 GHS 31.80

-0.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 GHS 30.96

$2.73 GHS 30.84

0.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 GHS 8.63

$0.78 GHS 8.78

-2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 GHS 6.93

$0.62 GHS 6.95

-1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 GHS 30.50

$2.59 GHS 29.23

4.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.38 GHS 83.4

$7.16 GHS 80.9

3.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 GHS 14.19

$1.32 GHS 14.93

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 GHS 27.47

$2.46 GHS 27.75

-1.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 GHS 17.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.38 GHS 468

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 GHS 20.28

$1.73 GHS 19.53

3.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 GHS 14.84

$1.29 GHS 14.59

1.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 GHS 50.5

$4.38 GHS 49.50

2.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 GHS 15.67

$1.39 GHS 15.73

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

$7,977 GHS 90.1K

$8,005 GHS 90.5K

-0.35%

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

$10.3K GHS 115.9K

$10.3K GHS 116.0K

-0.12%

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

$74.7 GHS 844

$74.0 GHS 836

1.01%

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

$19.81 GHS 224

$19.52 GHS 221

1.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.54 GHS 503

$43.23 GHS 489

3.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.1 GHS 814

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.03 GHS 215

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 GHS 152

$13.10 GHS 148

2.82%

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

$463 GHS 5,233

$468 GHS 5,294

-1.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K GHS 213.6K

$18.5K GHS 208.8K

2.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.82 GHS 167

$14.64 GHS 165

1.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.92 GHS 214

$19.45 GHS 220

-2.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.59 GHS 413

$37.21 GHS 420

-1.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 GHS 620

$55.0 GHS 621

-0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 GHS 7,740

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 GHS 3,231

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 GHS 12.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 GHS 5,355

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,867 GHS 32.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,429 GHS 16.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 GHS 2,048

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.75

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

Last update for Accra: August 31, 2026

Last update for Elmina: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Accra versus $53.0 in Elmina. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Accra vs $290 in Elmina – so Accra 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

Accra vs Elmina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,094 in Accra, $680 in Elmina – roughly 61% apart. Accra costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,640 per month in Accra and $1,021 in Elmina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,094 in Accra and $680 in Elmina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Accra and $468 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 $680, than in Accra at $1,094. 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.