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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $766 per month in Accra vs $611 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,317 per month in Accra vs $989 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Accra vs $1,367 in Tema, rent included.

Accra costs about 25% more than Tema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Accra and Tema are more affordable than the global median – Accra 43% lower, Tema 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 GHS 50.4

$7.50 GHS 88.0

-42.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.88 GHS 550

$27.73 GHS 326

69.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 GHS 91.9

$8.18 GHS 96.0

-4.40%

Cappuccino

$3.45 GHS 40.53

$1.46 GHS 17.14

136.30%

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

$0.94 GHS 11.07

$1.00 GHS 11.78

-6.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 GHS 4.03

$0.33 GHS 3.93

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 GHS 18.53

$1.74 GHS 20.38

-9.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 GHS 29.59

$2.69 GHS 31.63

-6.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.37 GHS 39.62

$2.98 GHS 34.94

13.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 GHS 16.81

$1.68 GHS 19.69

-14.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 GHS 28.52

$1.55 GHS 18.22

56.77%

Eggs

$2.29 GHS 26.90

$2.18 GHS 25.64

5.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 GHS 133

$3.72 GHS 43.73

205.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 GHS 54.2

$2.73 GHS 32.08

69.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.03 GHS 70.8

$2.44 GHS 28.63

147.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 GHS 34.10

$2.71 GHS 31.76

7.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 GHS 16.89

$2.08 GHS 24.38

-30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 GHS 19.29

$2.07 GHS 24.27

-20.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 GHS 36.13

$2.89 GHS 33.97

6.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 GHS 36.71

$1.84 GHS 21.60

70.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 GHS 28.44

$1.97 GHS 23.15

22.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 GHS 9.58

$0.61 GHS 7.16

34.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 GHS 6.06

$0.82 GHS 9.63

-36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.58 GHS 18.50

Wine (Bottle)

$7.07 GHS 83.0

$7.21 GHS 84.7

-1.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 GHS 13.15

$0.82 GHS 9.66

36.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 GHS 22.66

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 GHS 12.21

$2.03 GHS 23.87

-48.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.78 GHS 408

$39.80 GHS 467

-12.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 GHS 18.30

$1.42 GHS 16.64

9.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 GHS 13.83

$0.77 GHS 9.00

53.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 GHS 63.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 GHS 12.55

$1.19 GHS 13.98

-10.08%

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

$8,145 GHS 95.6K

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

$9,815 GHS 115.2K

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

$56.4 GHS 662

$30.84 GHS 362

82.94%

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

$13.00 GHS 153

$12.26 GHS 144

6.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.61 GHS 441

$64.6 GHS 759

-41.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.58 GHS 418

$19.37 GHS 227

83.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.03 GHS 188

Cinema Ticket

$9.60 GHS 113

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

$72.0 GHS 845

$82.4 GHS 967

-12.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,954 GHS 93.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.88 GHS 175

$25.07 GHS 294

-40.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.54 GHS 218

$24.67 GHS 290

-24.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.78 GHS 338

$45.82 GHS 538

-37.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.81 GHS 479

$60.6 GHS 712

-32.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 GHS 6,212

$117 GHS 1,371

353.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 GHS 1,764

$66.6 GHS 782

125.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 GHS 12.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 GHS 4,287

$139 GHS 1,629

163.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 GHS 33.3K

$10.0K GHS 117.6K

-71.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,501 GHS 17.6K

$6,030 GHS 70.8K

-75.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 GHS 2,025

$390 GHS 4,576

-55.76%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tema: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $529 in Accra versus $117 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 126% 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 $47.00 in Accra versus $28.00 in Tema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 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: $766 in Accra, $611 in Tema – roughly 25% apart. Accra costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,150 per month in Accra and $916 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 $47.00 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 $611, than in Accra at $766. 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.