Cost of Living Comparison Between Accra and Tema Cost of Living Comparison Between Accra and Tema

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $746 per month in Accra vs $624 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,304 per month in Accra vs $995 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,862 per month in Accra vs $1,365 in Tema, rent included.

Accra costs about 20% more than Tema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Accra and Tema are more affordable than the global median – Accra 44% lower, Tema 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 GHS 50.1

$7.19 GHS 82.9

-39.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.15 GHS 556

$27.76 GHS 320

73.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 GHS 88.9

$7.82 GHS 90.2

-1.53%

Cappuccino

$3.50 GHS 40.40

$1.46 GHS 16.82

139.73%

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

$1.00 GHS 11.54

$1.04 GHS 12.04

-3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 GHS 3.98

$0.31 GHS 3.56

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 GHS 17.61

$1.74 GHS 20.02

-12.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 GHS 29.53

$2.67 GHS 30.78

-4.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.37 GHS 38.91

$3.05 GHS 35.22

10.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 GHS 16.83

$1.62 GHS 18.65

-9.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 GHS 28.46

$1.56 GHS 18.05

58.33%

Eggs

$2.27 GHS 26.17

$2.19 GHS 25.22

3.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.22 GHS 129

$3.66 GHS 42.26

206.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 GHS 52.4

$2.64 GHS 30.43

71.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.87 GHS 67.8

$2.41 GHS 27.80

143.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 GHS 33.44

$2.83 GHS 32.65

2.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 GHS 16.84

$2.02 GHS 23.36

-27.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 GHS 19.78

$2.09 GHS 24.11

-18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 GHS 36.59

$2.86 GHS 32.95

10.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 GHS 34.36

$1.82 GHS 20.97

63.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 GHS 28.38

$1.99 GHS 22.91

23.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 GHS 8.80

$0.64 GHS 7.38

18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 GHS 5.54

$0.88 GHS 10.12

-45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.58 GHS 18.26

Wine (Bottle)

$7.30 GHS 84.3

$7.04 GHS 81.3

3.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 GHS 13.37

$0.88 GHS 10.10

31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 GHS 22.66

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 GHS 12.09

$2.10 GHS 24.26

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.17 GHS 406

$40.03 GHS 462

-12.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 GHS 17.74

$1.36 GHS 15.75

13.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 GHS 13.45

$0.76 GHS 8.75

53.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 GHS 62.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 GHS 12.99

$1.20 GHS 13.80

-5.83%

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

$8,009 GHS 92.4K

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

$9,480 GHS 109.4K

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

$55.6 GHS 642

$31.32 GHS 361

77.59%

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

$13.03 GHS 150

$12.42 GHS 143

4.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.61 GHS 434

$64.6 GHS 745

-41.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.17 GHS 406

$19.29 GHS 223

82.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.03 GHS 185

Cinema Ticket

$9.74 GHS 112

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

$72.2 GHS 833

$83.0 GHS 957

-13.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,959 GHS 91.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.51 GHS 167

$24.46 GHS 282

-40.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.82 GHS 217

$24.21 GHS 279

-22.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.88 GHS 333

$45.56 GHS 526

-36.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.84 GHS 471

$61.8 GHS 713

-33.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 GHS 6,114

$118 GHS 1,363

348.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 GHS 1,698

$65.8 GHS 760

123.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 GHS 12.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 GHS 4,366

$136 GHS 1,573

177.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,797 GHS 32.3K

$9,960 GHS 114.9K

-71.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,469 GHS 17.0K

$6,047 GHS 69.8K

-75.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$180 GHS 2,081

$414 GHS 4,773

-56.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

32.5

-21.85%

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

Last update for Accra: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tema: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $530 in Accra versus $118 in Tema. 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 129% higher in Tema, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Accra versus $28.00 in Tema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $183 – making Tema 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 Tema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $746 in Accra, $624 in Tema – roughly 20% apart. Accra costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,119 per month in Accra and $937 in Tema. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tema, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Accra and $28.00 in Tema. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tema, where all-in costs run around $624, than in Accra at $746. In Tema it covers expenses comfortably, while in Accra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tema – 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 Tema. 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.