Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elmina and Accra

For one person, living is cheaper in Elmina: $668 a month against $1,064 in Accra, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Elmina
🇬🇭 Ghana
$668
/mo nomad
Accra
🇬🇭 Ghana
$1,064
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Elmina and in Accra

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

A single person spends $668 per month in Elmina vs $1,064 in Accra, rent included.

  • Elmina $668
  • Accra $1,064

A couple spends around $1,125 per month in Elmina vs $1,684 in Accra, rent included.

  • Elmina $1,125
  • Accra $1,684

A family of three spends $1,582 per month in Elmina vs $2,303 in Accra, rent included.

  • Elmina $1,582
  • Accra $2,303

Elmina is about 37% cheaper than Accra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Elmina and Accra are more affordable than the global median – Elmina 51% lower, Accra 21% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Elmina
Accra
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.82 GHS 91.0
$7.94 GHS 92.4
-1.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.8 GHS 591
$51.4 GHS 597
-0.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.26 GHS 119
$10.44 GHS 121
-1.72%
Cappuccino
$4.46 GHS 51.9
$4.33 GHS 50.4
3.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 GHS 17.85
$1.57 GHS 18.29
-2.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 GHS 5.12
$0.48 GHS 5.55
-8.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.81 GHS 21.03
$1.81 GHS 21.01
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 GHS 25.19
$2.18 GHS 25.37
-0.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Elmina
Accra
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.67 GHS 42.68
$3.66 GHS 42.53
0.27%
White Bread (500g)
$1.67 GHS 19.37
$1.60 GHS 18.63
4.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.06 GHS 35.63
$3.08 GHS 35.85
-0.65%
Eggs
$2.68 GHS 31.21
$2.69 GHS 31.26
-0.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.03 GHS 140
$11.85 GHS 138
1.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.08 GHS 82.3
$7.25 GHS 84.3
-2.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.62 GHS 112
$9.56 GHS 111
0.63%
Apples (1kg)
$3.61 GHS 41.93
$3.74 GHS 43.55
-3.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 GHS 16.32
$1.44 GHS 16.77
-2.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 GHS 20.58
$1.82 GHS 21.20
-2.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.56 GHS 41.44
$3.66 GHS 42.52
-2.73%
Potato (1kg)
$2.69 GHS 31.29
$2.79 GHS 32.46
-3.58%
Onion (1kg)
$2.65 GHS 30.82
$2.65 GHS 30.84
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 GHS 8.34
$0.76 GHS 8.80
-5.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60 GHS 7.02
$0.61 GHS 7.07
-1.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.51 GHS 29.19
$2.53 GHS 29.39
-0.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.06 GHS 82.1
$7.00 GHS 81.4
0.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 GHS 14.10
$1.22 GHS 14.14
-0.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 GHS 27.14
$2.38 GHS 27.69
-2.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Elmina
Accra
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.46 GHS 17.00
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$40.14 GHS 467
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.74 GHS 20.29
$1.68 GHS 19.59
3.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.26 GHS 14.65
$1.24 GHS 14.41
1.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.30 GHS 50.0
$4.21 GHS 48.91
2.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 GHS 15.58
$1.34 GHS 15.56
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,913 GHS 92.0K
$8,042 GHS 93.5K
-1.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$9,662 GHS 112.4K
$9,810 GHS 114.1K
-1.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elmina
Accra
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.7 GHS 857
$73.3 GHS 852
0.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.07 GHS 222
$19.20 GHS 223
-0.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.25 GHS 491
$43.37 GHS 504
-2.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Elmina
Accra
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$70.6 GHS 822
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.22 GHS 212
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.66 GHS 147
$12.90 GHS 150
-1.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Elmina
Accra
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$470 GHS 5,464
$457 GHS 5,318
2.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.6K GHS 216.6K
$18.4K GHS 213.7K
1.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Elmina
Accra
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.18 GHS 165
$14.47 GHS 168
-2.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$18.59 GHS 216
$18.48 GHS 215
0.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$36.74 GHS 427
$36.89 GHS 429
-0.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.0 GHS 605
$51.7 GHS 601
0.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Elmina
Accra
Difference
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
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Elmina
Accra
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$172 GHS 2,003
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
26.75
26.75
-

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

Last update for Elmina: October 11, 2026

Last update for Accra: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Elmina
$276
Accra
$278 0.6% $1.6
Eating Out
Elmina
$168
Accra
$168 0.2% $0.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elmina
$135
Accra
$136 0.6% $0.8
Clothing & Footwear
Elmina
$55
Accra
$55 0% $0
Sport & Entertainment
Elmina
$25 *
Accra
$96 281% $71
Getting Around
Elmina
$8 *
Accra
$54 570% $46
Accommodation & Living
Elmina
- *
Accra
$277

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Elmina versus $51.0 in Accra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $278 – making Elmina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇭 Elmina
🇬🇭 Accra
🕒 Local time
06:41 6:41 AM
06:41 6:41 AM
Same time as Elmina
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
34,403
2,388,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GHS – Ghanaian Cedi Converter

Ghanaian Cedi exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 11.63 GHS (100 GHS = 8.6 USD). 1 EUR = 13.07 GHS (100 GHS = 7.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Elmina Accra 140 km
From you
  • Elmina
  • Accra

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
Elmina vs Accra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Elmina and in Accra compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $668 in Elmina, $1,064 in Accra – roughly 59% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.
What salary covers living expenses in Elmina compared to Accra?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,001 per month in Elmina and $1,597 in Accra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city is more expensive overall: Elmina or Accra?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $668 in Elmina and $1,064 in Accra. That's a gap of about 59%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Elmina and Accra?
Kindergarten costs $470 per month in Elmina and $457 in Accra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $668, than in Accra at $1,064. In Elmina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Accra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Elmina or Accra?
Families tend to lean toward Elmina – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Elmina and Accra?
If budget matters most, go with Elmina. 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.

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