Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Accra and Tamale

For one person, living is cheaper in Tamale: $142 a month against $1,064 in Accra, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Accra
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Accra Living Index

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Accra

🇬🇭 Ghana

$1,064

/mo nomad

Tamale

🇬🇭 Ghana

$142

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Accra and in Tamale

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

A single person spends $1,064 per month in Accra vs $142 in Tamale, rent included.

Accra $1,064
Tamale $142

A couple spends around $1,684 per month in Accra vs $215 in Tamale, rent included.

Accra $1,684
Tamale $215

A family of three spends $2,303 per month in Accra vs $288 in Tamale, rent included.

Accra $2,303
Tamale $288

Accra costs about 649% more than Tamale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Accra and Tamale are more affordable than the global median – Accra 21% lower, Tamale 89% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.94 GHS 92.4

$3.45 GHS 40.12

130.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 GHS 597

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.44 GHS 121

$10.24 GHS 119

1.95%

Cappuccino

$4.33 GHS 50.4

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

$1.57 GHS 18.29

$0.81 GHS 9.45

93.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 GHS 5.55

$0.44 GHS 5.06

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 GHS 21.01

$0.88 GHS 10.29

105.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 GHS 25.37

$1.26 GHS 14.61

73.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.66 GHS 42.53

$3.00 GHS 34.94

22.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 GHS 18.63

$1.70 GHS 19.80

-5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 GHS 35.85

$3.72 GHS 43.29

-17.20%

Eggs

$2.69 GHS 31.26

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.85 GHS 138

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 GHS 84.3

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 GHS 111

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 GHS 43.55

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 GHS 16.77

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 GHS 21.20

Tomato (1kg)

$3.66 GHS 42.52

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 GHS 32.46

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 GHS 30.84

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 GHS 8.80

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 GHS 7.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 GHS 29.39

Wine (Bottle)

$7.00 GHS 81.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 GHS 14.14

$1.29 GHS 14.97

-5.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 GHS 27.69

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 GHS 17.00

$0.89 GHS 10.37

64.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.14 GHS 467

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 GHS 19.59

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 GHS 14.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 GHS 48.91

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 GHS 15.56

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

$8,042 GHS 93.5K

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

$9,810 GHS 114.1K

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

$73.3 GHS 852

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

$19.20 GHS 223

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.37 GHS 504

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.6 GHS 822

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.22 GHS 212

Cinema Ticket

$12.90 GHS 150

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

$457 GHS 5,318

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K GHS 213.7K

$8,618 GHS 100.2K

113.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.47 GHS 168

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.48 GHS 215

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.89 GHS 429

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.7 GHS 601

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 GHS 7,811

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 GHS 3,224

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 GHS 12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 GHS 5,329

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,839 GHS 33.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 GHS 17.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 GHS 2,003

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: October 12, 2026

Last update for Tamale: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Accra

$278 26.1%

Tamale

–

Accommodation & Living

Accra

$277 26%

Tamale

–

Eating Out

Accra

$168 15.8%

Tamale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Accra

$136 12.8%

Tamale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Accra

$96 9.1%

Tamale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Accra

$55 5.1%

Tamale

–

Getting Around

Accra

$54 5.1%

Tamale

–

Good to know

🇬🇭 Accra

🇬🇭 Tamale

🕒 Local time

12:00 12:00 PM

Same time as Accra

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,388,000 Capital

950,124

💱 Currency

Ghanaian Cedi GHS ₵

📈 Exchange rate

100 GHS = 8.6 USD

100 GHS = 7.65 EUR

100 GHS = 8.6 USD

100 GHS = 7.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Accra Tamale 430 km

From you

Accra
Tamale

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

Accra vs Tamale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,064 in Accra, $142 in Tamale – roughly 649% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,597 per month in Accra and $213 in Tamale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,064 in Accra and $142 in Tamale. That's a gap of about 649%.

Groceries cost about 306% more in Accra, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tamale, where all-in costs run around $142, than in Accra at $1,064. In Tamale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Accra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tamale – 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 Tamale. 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.