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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,105 per month in Accra vs $776 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,727 per month in Accra vs $1,229 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,348 per month in Accra vs $1,682 in Tema, rent included.

Accra costs about 42% more than Tema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Accra and Tema are more affordable than the global median – Accra 20% lower, Tema 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.99 GHS 91.3

$7.06 GHS 80.6

13.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 GHS 593

$28.37 GHS 324

82.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 GHS 123

Cappuccino

$4.59 GHS 52.5

$5.36 GHS 61.2

-14.37%

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

$1.62 GHS 18.53

$0.91 GHS 10.43

78.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 GHS 5.17

$0.29 GHS 3.28

55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 GHS 21.70

$3.29 GHS 37.60

-42.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 GHS 26.66

$2.68 GHS 30.61

-13.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.68 GHS 42.03

$3.29 GHS 37.53

11.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 GHS 19.62

$1.62 GHS 18.49

6.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 GHS 36.18

$2.08 GHS 23.70

52.40%

Eggs

$2.70 GHS 30.80

$2.46 GHS 28.09

9.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 GHS 140

$4.32 GHS 49.38

183.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 GHS 86.1

$3.39 GHS 38.74

122.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 GHS 115

$3.64 GHS 41.54

175.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 GHS 42.87

$2.61 GHS 29.77

43.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 GHS 16.29

$2.25 GHS 25.64

-36.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 GHS 20.59

$2.24 GHS 25.54

-19.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 GHS 41.01

$3.53 GHS 40.36

1.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 GHS 31.01

$3.60 GHS 41.07

-24.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 GHS 31.48

$2.96 GHS 33.84

-6.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 GHS 8.34

$0.46 GHS 5.23

58.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 GHS 7.15

$0.73 GHS 8.37

-13.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 GHS 29.77

$1.34 GHS 15.31

94.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.32 GHS 83.5

$9.05 GHS 103

-19.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 GHS 14.81

$2.15 GHS 24.60

-39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 GHS 27.77

$3.02 GHS 34.51

-19.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 GHS 18.01

$1.82 GHS 20.79

-13.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.03 GHS 480

$43.17 GHS 493

-2.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 GHS 20.38

$2.16 GHS 24.67

-17.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 GHS 15.31

$0.43 GHS 4.91

211.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 GHS 51.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 GHS 15.76

$1.17 GHS 13.35

17.95%

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

$7,902 GHS 90.2K

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

$10.2K GHS 116.1K

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

$75.8 GHS 865

$78.6 GHS 897

-3.59%

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

$19.38 GHS 221

$15.52 GHS 177

24.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.26 GHS 506

$84.3 GHS 963

-47.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 GHS 833

$24.78 GHS 283

194.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 GHS 211

Cinema Ticket

$13.00 GHS 148

$8.72 GHS 99.5

49.08%

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

$468 GHS 5,344

$177 GHS 2,022

164.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K GHS 210.6K

$2,633 GHS 30.1K

600.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.45 GHS 165

$13.25 GHS 151

9.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.99 GHS 217

$16.17 GHS 185

17.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.24 GHS 425

$44.66 GHS 510

-16.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.6 GHS 623

$33.62 GHS 384

62.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 GHS 7,909

$131 GHS 1,493

429.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 GHS 3,180

$74.7 GHS 853

272.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 GHS 12.6K

$449 GHS 5,132

145.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 GHS 5,419

$219 GHS 2,496

117.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,888 GHS 33.0K

$10.1K GHS 114.8K

-71.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,474 GHS 16.8K

$5,994 GHS 68.4K

-75.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 GHS 2,068

$433 GHS 4,947

-58.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.75

-23.57%

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

Last update for Accra: September 5, 2026

Last update for Tema: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Accra versus $131 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 139% 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 $52.0 in Accra versus $28.00 in Tema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $223 – 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: $1,105 in Accra, $776 in Tema – roughly 42% apart. Accra costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,658 per month in Accra and $1,165 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 27% 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 $52.0 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 $776, than in Accra at $1,105. 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.