Cost of Living Comparison Between Kumasi and Shimla Cost of Living Comparison Between Kumasi and Shimla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $429 per month in Kumasi vs $336 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $717 per month in Kumasi vs $540 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,006 per month in Kumasi vs $744 in Shimla, rent included.

Kumasi costs about 28% more than Shimla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kumasi and Shimla are more affordable than the global median – Kumasi 68% lower, Shimla 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 GHS 30.63

$1.69 ₹161

64.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.23 GHS 355

$5.85 ₹556

450.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 GHS 85.2

$3.44 ₹327

125.29%

Cappuccino

$0.82 GHS 9.07

$0.95 ₹90.8

-13.68%

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

$0.55 GHS 6.09

$0.31 ₹29.95

77.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 GHS 2.30

$0.17 ₹15.75

23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 GHS 9.09

$1.59 ₹151

-47.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 GHS 17.52

$2.35 ₹224

-32.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 GHS 19.56

$0.70 ₹66.1

154.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 GHS 16.38

$0.41 ₹39.39

263.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 GHS 18.28

$0.68 ₹64.4

144.12%

Eggs

$2.18 GHS 24.02

$0.93 ₹88.5

134.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.74 GHS 63.2

$4.38 ₹417

31.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 GHS 49.04

$3.70 ₹352

20.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.97 GHS 54.7

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 GHS 18.39

$1.98 ₹188

-15.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 GHS 8.58

$0.75 ₹71.7

4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 GHS 8.60

$0.76 ₹72.8

2.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 GHS 21.82

$0.56 ₹52.9

253.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 GHS 18.55

$0.37 ₹35.35

356.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 GHS 12.51

$0.44 ₹41.53

159.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 GHS 8.35

$0.22 ₹20.81

245.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 GHS 5.68

$0.34 ₹32.12

52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.78 GHS 8.58

$4.45 ₹423

-82.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$1.24 GHS 13.60

$6.73 ₹640

-81.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 GHS 12.29

$1.75 ₹166

-36.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 GHS 20.50

$2.32 ₹221

-19.83%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.86 ₹558

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 GHS 4.28

$0.24 ₹22.89

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.86 GHS 218

$8.93 ₹849

122.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 GHS 9.27

$0.79 ₹75.2

6.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 GHS 12.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 GHS 17.61

$1.19 ₹113

34.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 GHS 12.12

$1.19 ₹113

-7.56%

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

$7,965 GHS 87.6K

$15.0K ₹1.4M

-47.00%

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

$9,648 GHS 106.1K

$19.7K ₹1.9M

-50.99%

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

$40.78 GHS 449

$19.70 ₹1,874

107.01%

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

$13.14 GHS 145

$3.54 ₹337

271.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.13 GHS 408

$7.79 ₹740

376.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.70 GHS 316

$14.61 ₹1,389

96.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ₹669

Cinema Ticket

$9.47 GHS 104

$3.45 ₹328

174.49%

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

$72.0 GHS 792

$46.45 ₹4,418

54.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,500 GHS 60.5K

$2,348 ₹223.3K

134.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.78 GHS 163

$34.14 ₹3,247

-56.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.51 GHS 204

$28.64 ₹2,723

-35.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.41 GHS 324

$47.27 ₹4,496

-37.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.83 GHS 460

$29.50 ₹2,805

41.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$93.2 ₹8,865

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.5 ₹5,464

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 ₹21.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 ₹13.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$958 ₹91.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 ₹49.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 GHS 3,445

$546 ₹51.9K

-42.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

8.25

207.88%

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

Last update for Kumasi: June 7, 2026

Last update for Shimla: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 74% higher in Shimla, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Kumasi versus $6.00 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $157 vs $103 – making Shimla 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

Kumasi vs Shimla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $429 in Kumasi, $336 in Shimla – roughly 28% apart. Kumasi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $643 per month in Kumasi and $504 in Shimla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Kumasi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Kumasi and $6.00 in Shimla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $429 in Kumasi and $336 in Shimla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Shimla – 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 Shimla. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kumasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.