Cost of Living Comparison Between Elmina and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Elmina and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $680 per month in Elmina vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,160 per month in Elmina vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,640 per month in Elmina vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Elmina is about 46% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Elmina and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Elmina 50% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.14 GHS 92.0

$4.56 ฿150

78.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 GHS 604

$32.62 ฿1,073

63.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 GHS 122

$8.90 ฿293

21.46%

Cappuccino

$4.72 GHS 53.3

$2.80 ฿92.2

68.57%

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

$1.65 GHS 18.66

$0.88 ฿28.94

87.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 GHS 5.48

$0.49 ฿16.08

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 GHS 21.01

$2.39 ฿78.5

-22.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 GHS 25.65

$3.71 ฿122

-38.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.81 GHS 43.11

$1.79 ฿58.8

112.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 GHS 20.34

$1.44 ฿47.40

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 GHS 35.48

$1.58 ฿52.1

98.73%

Eggs

$2.71 GHS 30.61

$2.13 ฿69.9

27.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 GHS 142

$19.92 ฿655

-36.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 GHS 84.6

$3.43 ฿113

118.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.26 GHS 116

$11.33 ฿372

-9.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 GHS 42.55

$2.95 ฿97.0

27.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 GHS 16.63

$1.72 ฿56.6

-14.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 GHS 21.06

$2.32 ฿76.5

-19.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 GHS 42.42

$2.08 ฿68.4

80.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 GHS 31.80

$1.47 ฿48.34

91.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 GHS 30.84

$1.36 ฿44.65

100.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 GHS 8.78

$1.10 ฿36.13

-29.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 GHS 6.95

$0.57 ฿18.89

8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 GHS 29.23

$4.27 ฿140

-39.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.16 GHS 80.9

$18.42 ฿606

-61.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 GHS 14.93

$1.87 ฿61.5

-29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 GHS 27.75

$2.92 ฿96.1

-15.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 GHS 19.53

$3.03 ฿99.6

-42.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 GHS 14.59

$1.07 ฿35.32

20.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 GHS 49.50

$3.93 ฿129

11.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 GHS 15.73

$1.49 ฿49.06

-6.71%

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

$8,005 GHS 90.5K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

-70.49%

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

$10.3K GHS 116.0K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-62.60%

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

$74.0 GHS 836

$103 ฿3,380

-28.06%

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

$19.52 GHS 221

$10.99 ฿361

77.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.23 GHS 489

$17.51 ฿576

146.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 GHS 148

$7.48 ฿246

75.13%

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

$468 GHS 5,294

$557 ฿18.3K

-15.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K GHS 208.8K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

55.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.64 GHS 165

$64.1 ฿2,107

-77.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.45 GHS 220

$29.07 ฿956

-33.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.21 GHS 420

$96.0 ฿3,155

-61.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 GHS 621

$90.3 ฿2,970

-39.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.75

5.57

380.25%

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

Last update for Elmina: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Elmina versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $273 – making Phuket 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

Elmina vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 84%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,021 per month in Elmina and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Elmina and $33.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Elmina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Elmina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.