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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $434 per month in Kumasi vs $337 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $725 per month in Kumasi vs $539 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,016 per month in Kumasi vs $742 in Shimla, rent included.

Kumasi costs about 29% 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

$2.82 GHS 31.39

$1.78 ₹167

58.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.66 GHS 364

$5.90 ₹554

453.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 GHS 84.9

$3.56 ₹334

114.33%

Cappuccino

$0.89 GHS 9.89

$0.93 ₹87.2

-4.30%

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

$0.56 GHS 6.19

$0.31 ₹29.53

80.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 GHS 2.34

$0.15 ₹14.11

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 GHS 9.72

$1.62 ₹152

-46.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 GHS 17.86

$2.30 ₹216

-30.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 GHS 18.98

$0.75 ₹70.7

128.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 GHS 16.50

$0.44 ₹41.38

236.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 GHS 17.91

$0.64 ₹59.8

151.56%

Eggs

$2.17 GHS 24.13

$0.86 ₹80.3

152.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.67 GHS 63.1

$4.36 ₹409

30.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 GHS 48.79

$3.70 ₹347

18.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 GHS 55.1

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 GHS 18.15

$1.97 ₹185

-17.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 GHS 8.81

$0.70 ₹65.5

12.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 GHS 9.33

$0.82 ₹76.7

2.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 GHS 21.08

$0.56 ₹52.3

237.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 GHS 18.70

$0.35 ₹32.54

380.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 GHS 12.11

$0.44 ₹41.34

147.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 GHS 8.99

$0.22 ₹20.63

268.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 GHS 5.36

$0.34 ₹31.54

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.78 GHS 8.67

$4.46 ₹418

-82.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$1.28 GHS 14.21

$5.26 ₹494

-75.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 GHS 13.02

$1.69 ₹159

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 GHS 21.64

$2.25 ₹211

-13.78%

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

$5.91 ₹555

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 GHS 4.64

$0.22 ₹20.53

90.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.88 GHS 221

$8.78 ₹824

126.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 GHS 8.97

$0.83 ₹77.8

-2.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 GHS 13.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 GHS 18.15

$1.18 ₹110

38.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 GHS 11.87

$1.19 ₹111

-10.08%

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

$8,120 GHS 90.4K

$15.0K ₹1.4M

-45.69%

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

$9,567 GHS 106.5K

$19.7K ₹1.8M

-51.40%

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

$40.39 GHS 450

$19.05 ₹1,788

112.02%

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

$13.27 GHS 148

$3.45 ₹324

284.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.57 GHS 418

$7.69 ₹721

388.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.49 GHS 317

$14.60 ₹1,370

95.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 ₹676

Cinema Ticket

$9.55 GHS 106

$3.44 ₹323

177.62%

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

$73.0 GHS 813

$46.07 ₹4,324

58.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,434 GHS 60.5K

$2,352 ₹220.8K

131.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.83 GHS 165

$33.31 ₹3,127

-55.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.50 GHS 206

$28.80 ₹2,704

-35.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.17 GHS 325

$46.18 ₹4,334

-36.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.16 GHS 458

$29.10 ₹2,731

41.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$94.6 ₹8,878

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.3 ₹5,467

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 ₹20.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ₹13.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$955 ₹89.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$515 ₹48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 GHS 3,479

$577 ₹54.1K

-45.81%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Shimla: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Kumasi versus $95 in Shimla. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 85% 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 $33 in Kumasi versus $6 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $100 – 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: $434 in Kumasi, $337 in Shimla – roughly 29% apart. Kumasi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $651 per month in Kumasi and $506 in Shimla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 55% 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 $33.00 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 $434 in Kumasi and $337 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.