Cost of Living Comparison Between Ghana and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Ghana and China

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $376 in Ghana versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $633 in Ghana versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $889 in Ghana versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Ghana costs about 47% less than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Ghana 72% lower, China 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ghana
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.78 GHS 44.39
$2.81 ¥18.98
34.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.89 GHS 515
$23.30 ¥158
88.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.80 GHS 91.5
$5.01 ¥33.87
55.69%
Cappuccino
$3.15 GHS 36.93
$3.01 ¥20.38
4.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 GHS 10.55
$0.45 ¥3.03
100.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 GHS 4.25
$0.29 ¥1.97
24.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.27 GHS 14.90
$0.95 ¥6.41
33.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 GHS 27.01
$2.05 ¥13.87
12.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ghana
China
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.92 GHS 34.26
$1.76 ¥11.87
65.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 GHS 16.78
$1.62 ¥10.98
-11.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 GHS 25.77
$0.95 ¥6.45
131.58%
Eggs
$2.37 GHS 27.83
$1.56 ¥10.55
51.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.45 GHS 99.2
$13.06 ¥88.3
-35.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.54 GHS 53.3
$3.28 ¥22.17
38.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.45 GHS 64.0
$10.65 ¥72.0
-48.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.77 GHS 32.50
$1.78 ¥12.03
55.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 GHS 16.38
$1.24 ¥8.42
12.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.55 GHS 18.18
$1.50 ¥10.12
3.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.79 GHS 32.78
$1.15 ¥7.79
142.61%
Potato (1kg)
$2.75 GHS 32.27
$0.75 ¥5.07
266.67%
Onion (1kg)
$2.06 GHS 24.15
$0.86 ¥5.81
139.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 GHS 10.22
$0.62 ¥4.17
40.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 GHS 6.32
$0.56 ¥3.81
-3.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.57 GHS 18.48
$3.51 ¥23.76
-55.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.12 GHS 83.6
$11.66 ¥78.9
-38.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.12 GHS 13.18
$0.80 ¥5.40
40.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 GHS 21.79
$1.66 ¥11.25
12.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Ghana
China
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.04 GHS 12.21
$0.43 ¥2.93
141.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.61 GHS 418
$20.86 ¥141
70.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.53 GHS 17.93
$1.37 ¥9.26
11.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.28 GHS 14.98
$0.35 ¥2.38
265.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.44 GHS 52.2
$6.63 ¥44.82
-33.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 GHS 13.13
$1.14 ¥7.69
-1.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,860 GHS 92.3K
$19.2K ¥129.7K
-59.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$10.3K GHS 120.5K
$16.8K ¥113.4K
-38.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ghana
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$48.69 GHS 572
$51.2 ¥346
-4.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.26 GHS 156
$10.16 ¥68.7
30.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.41 GHS 498
$11.51 ¥77.9
268.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ghana
China
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.26 GHS 379
$40.53 ¥274
-20.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.62 GHS 183
$15.05 ¥102
3.79%
Cinema Ticket
$9.85 GHS 116
$6.10 ¥41.26
61.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ghana
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$77.1 GHS 905
$402 ¥2,719
-80.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,341 GHS 86.2K
$17.7K ¥119.5K
-58.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ghana
China
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.18 GHS 190
$45.57 ¥308
-64.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$20.55 GHS 241
$33.26 ¥225
-38.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$31.48 GHS 370
$72.6 ¥491
-56.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$44.93 GHS 527
$74.5 ¥503
-39.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ghana
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$509 GHS 5,980
$429 ¥2,903
18.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$159 GHS 1,863
$257 ¥1,739
-38.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,044 GHS 12.3K
$895 ¥6,055
16.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$406 GHS 4,764
$541 ¥3,660
-25.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,146 GHS 36.9K
$5,015 ¥33.9K
-37.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,719 GHS 20.2K
$2,469 ¥16.7K
-30.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ghana
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$238 GHS 2,798
$1,055 ¥7,132
-77.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
26.83
4.06
560.84%

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

Last update for Ghana: June 2, 2026

Last update for China: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $89.0 in Ghana, $286 in China. Capital cities: $529 in Accra vs $916 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $292 in Ghana, $861 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 221% higher in China.

Dining out costs 29% more in Ghana.

Public transport is 200% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 195% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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
Ghana vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Ghana?
At $865 per month in China and $401 in Ghana, there's a 116% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: China or Ghana?
Ghana is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between China and Ghana?
Rent in China beats Ghana across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $1,000 go in China vs Ghana?
In Ghana, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In China, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in China and Ghana?
It depends on what you're after. Ghana wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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