For one person, living is cheaper in Tema: $738 a month against $2,545 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $21,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Berlin and in Tema actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $2,545 per month in Berlin vs $738 in Tema, rent included.
Berlin $2,545
Tema $738
A couple spends around $3,901 per month in Berlin vs $1,173 in Tema, rent included.
Berlin $3,901
Tema $1,173
A family of three spends $5,257 per month in Berlin vs $1,608 in Tema, rent included.
Berlin $5,257
Tema $1,608
😐
Berlin costs about 245% more than Tema, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Berlin sits 90% above the global median, while Tema is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Tema
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.81€14.99
$7.03GHS 82.4
139.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.6€71.0
$27.88GHS 327
185.44%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.38€11.93
-
-
Cappuccino
$4.27€3.81
$5.05GHS 59.2
-15.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40€3.03
$0.90GHS 10.56
277.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12€2.78
$0.30GHS 3.55
940.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.48€4.88
$3.29GHS 38.60
66.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56€4.06
$2.61GHS 30.61
74.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Tema
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.27€1.13
$3.16GHS 37.11
-59.81%
White Bread(500g)
$2.45€2.18
$1.60GHS 18.81
53.13%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.30€2.94
$2.07GHS 24.29
59.42%
Eggs
$4.45€3.97
$2.30GHS 27.02
93.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.10€15.25
$4.38GHS 51.4
290.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.19€10.87
$3.17GHS 37.14
284.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.30€16.32
$3.38GHS 39.66
441.42%
Apples(1kg)
$3.58€3.19
$2.61GHS 30.66
37.16%
Banana(1kg)
$1.98€1.76
$2.13GHS 25.02
-7.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.27€2.91
$2.21GHS 25.97
47.96%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.81€3.40
$3.49GHS 40.95
9.17%
Potato(1kg)
$2.13€1.90
$3.40GHS 39.91
-37.35%
Onion(1kg)
$2.21€1.97
$2.82GHS 33.06
-21.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.49€1.33
$0.45GHS 5.25
231.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01€0.90
$0.67GHS 7.84
50.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.49€9.36
$1.26GHS 14.83
732.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.76€6.03
$8.54GHS 100
-20.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.34€1.20
$2.10GHS 24.59
-36.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10€1.87
$2.96GHS 34.74
-29.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Tema
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.37€3.90
$1.68GHS 19.70
160.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$71.0€63.3
$41.17GHS 483
72.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.29€4.72
$2.10GHS 24.69
151.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.05€2.72
$0.41GHS 4.82
643.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$36.30€32.36
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.28€2.03
$1.19GHS 13.96
91.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K€29.6K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.1K€34.8K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Tema
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$379€338
$78.2GHS 917
385.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.31€17.22
$15.22GHS 179
26.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.41€43.17
$82.5GHS 968
-41.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Tema
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.31€35.94
$24.06GHS 282
67.54%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.51€31.66
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.53€13.85
$8.80GHS 103
76.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Tema
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$144€128
$174GHS 2,046
-17.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K€14.0K
$2,544GHS 29.8K
519.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Tema
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.6€84.4
$13.07GHS 153
624.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.33€41.31
$15.40GHS 181
200.84%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€92.1
$42.37GHS 497
143.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$141€126
$32.20GHS 378
338.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Tema
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,488€1,327
$126GHS 1,483
1077.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,098€979
$71.3GHS 836
1440.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,665€2,376
$426GHS 4,999
525.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,080€1,855
$209GHS 2,451
895.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,578€7,648
$9,909GHS 116.2K
-13.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,438€4,849
$5,903GHS 69.2K
-7.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Tema
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,487€3,109
$419GHS 4,913
732.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.8
35
-89.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Berlin: October 3, 2026
Last update for Tema: October 4, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$1.1K 43.3%
Tema
$71 9.6% ↓ 93.5%$1K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$447 17.6%
Tema
$176 23.6% ↓ 60.6%$271
🛒Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$351 13.8%
Tema
$216 28.9% ↓ 38.5%$135
🍽Eating Out
Berlin
$289 11.4%
Tema
$143 * 19.2% ↓ 50.3%$145
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$174 6.8%
Tema
$46 6.2% ↓ 73.3%$127
🚌Getting Around
Berlin
$109 4.3%
Tema
$52 7% ↓ 52.3%$57
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$71 2.8%
Tema
$42 5.6% ↓ 41.7%$30
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$2.1K 40.5%
Tema
$209 12.9% ↓ 90%$1.9K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$466 9.1%
Tema
$191 11.8% ↓ 59%$275
🛒Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$831 16.2%
Tema
$496 30.6% ↓ 40.3%$335
🍽Eating Out
Berlin
$971 18.9%
Tema
$431 * 26.6% ↓ 55.6%$540
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$386 7.5%
Tema
$103 6.4% ↓ 73.3%$283
🚌Getting Around
Berlin
$227 4.4%
Tema
$107 6.6% ↓ 52.6%$119
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$178 3.5%
Tema
$83 * 5.1% ↓ 53.3%$95
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,488 in Berlin versus $126 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 733% higher in Berlin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Berlin versus $28.00 in Tema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $216 – making Tema the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Berlin vs Tema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tema cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 245%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,818 per month in Berlin and $1,107 in Tema. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Berlin and in Tema?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,545 in Berlin and $738 in Tema. That's a gap of about 245%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 72% less in Tema. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Berlin or in Tema?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tema, where all-in costs run around $738, than in Berlin at $2,545. In Tema it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Berlin or Tema more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Berlin or Tema?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tema. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Berlin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.