Cost of Living Comparison Between Elmina and Tema Cost of Living Comparison Between Elmina and Tema

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $680 per month in Elmina vs $773 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,160 per month in Elmina vs $1,223 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,640 per month in Elmina vs $1,673 in Tema, rent included.

Elmina is about 12% cheaper than Tema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Elmina and Tema are more affordable than the global median – Elmina 50% lower, Tema 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.14 GHS 92.0

$7.17 GHS 81.0

13.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 GHS 604

$28.28 GHS 320

88.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 GHS 122

Cappuccino

$4.72 GHS 53.3

$5.21 GHS 58.9

-9.40%

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

$1.65 GHS 18.66

$0.92 GHS 10.34

79.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 GHS 5.48

$0.31 GHS 3.52

58.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 GHS 21.01

$3.42 GHS 38.62

-45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 GHS 25.65

$2.72 GHS 30.68

-16.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.81 GHS 43.11

$3.40 GHS 38.44

12.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 GHS 20.34

$1.65 GHS 18.69

9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 GHS 35.48

$2.12 GHS 23.99

48.11%

Eggs

$2.71 GHS 30.61

$2.44 GHS 27.57

11.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 GHS 142

$4.52 GHS 51.1

177.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 GHS 84.6

$3.31 GHS 37.35

126.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.26 GHS 116

$3.49 GHS 39.39

193.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 GHS 42.55

$2.60 GHS 29.38

45.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 GHS 16.63

$2.25 GHS 25.42

-34.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 GHS 21.06

$2.24 GHS 25.26

-16.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 GHS 42.42

$3.59 GHS 40.57

4.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 GHS 31.80

$3.62 GHS 40.93

-22.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 GHS 30.84

$2.93 GHS 33.05

-6.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 GHS 8.78

$0.42 GHS 4.79

85.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 GHS 6.95

$0.74 GHS 8.37

-16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 GHS 29.23

$1.31 GHS 14.76

97.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.16 GHS 80.9

$8.77 GHS 99.1

-18.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 GHS 14.93

$2.28 GHS 25.78

-42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 GHS 27.75

$3.19 GHS 36.01

-22.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 GHS 19.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.36 GHS 490

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 GHS 19.53

$2.26 GHS 25.57

-23.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 GHS 14.59

$0.42 GHS 4.78

207.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 GHS 49.50

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 GHS 15.73

$1.17 GHS 13.16

18.80%

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

$8,005 GHS 90.5K

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

$10.3K GHS 116.0K

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

$74.0 GHS 836

$80.8 GHS 913

-8.43%

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

$19.52 GHS 221

$15.84 GHS 179

23.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.23 GHS 489

$85.2 GHS 963

-49.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.86 GHS 281

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 GHS 148

$8.86 GHS 100

47.86%

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

$468 GHS 5,294

$177 GHS 2,005

164.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K GHS 208.8K

$2,686 GHS 30.4K

587.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.64 GHS 165

$13.47 GHS 152

8.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.45 GHS 220

$16.06 GHS 181

21.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.21 GHS 420

$44.07 GHS 498

-15.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 GHS 621

$32.93 GHS 372

66.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$135 GHS 1,531

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.4 GHS 829

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 GHS 4,988

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 GHS 2,471

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,991 GHS 112.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,102 GHS 69.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 GHS 4,847

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 Elmina: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tema: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Elmina versus $28.00 in Tema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $225 – 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

Elmina vs Tema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tema is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,160 in Tema. 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 $28.00 in Tema. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Tema – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $680 in Elmina and $773 in Tema, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.

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