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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $505 per month in Kumasi vs $306 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $845 per month in Kumasi vs $507 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,185 per month in Kumasi vs $709 in Shimla, rent included.

Kumasi costs about 65% more than Shimla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kumasi and Shimla are more affordable than the global median – Kumasi 63% lower, Shimla 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 GHS 42.75

$1.54 ₹147

142.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.20 GHS 413

$5.41 ₹517

569.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 GHS 124

$3.23 ₹309

234.98%

Cappuccino

$1.08 GHS 12.30

$0.90 ₹86.2

20.00%

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

$0.70 GHS 8.00

$0.38 ₹36.62

84.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 GHS 2.96

$0.11 ₹10.96

136.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 GHS 11.40

$1.63 ₹156

-38.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 GHS 20.84

$2.14 ₹205

-14.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 GHS 21.47

$0.69 ₹66.1

172.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 GHS 19.94

$0.39 ₹37.37

348.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 GHS 20.64

$0.63 ₹60.6

187.30%

Eggs

$2.49 GHS 28.44

$0.84 ₹80.0

196.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.00 GHS 68.5

$4.33 ₹413

38.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 GHS 54.0

$3.26 ₹312

44.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 GHS 58.2

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 GHS 20.11

$1.82 ₹174

-3.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 GHS 10.48

$0.76 ₹72.9

21.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 GHS 10.51

$0.69 ₹66.1

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 GHS 24.81

$0.47 ₹45.29

361.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 GHS 20.46

$0.30 ₹29.08

496.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 GHS 15.54

$0.34 ₹32.05

300.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 GHS 8.78

$0.20 ₹19.07

285.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 GHS 6.98

$0.29 ₹28.00

110.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.93 GHS 10.59

$3.55 ₹339

-73.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$1.31 GHS 15.02

$8.49 ₹811

-84.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 GHS 14.44

$1.49 ₹142

-15.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 GHS 26.91

$2.03 ₹194

16.26%

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

$3.79 ₹362

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 GHS 5.79

$0.22 ₹21.03

131.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.50 GHS 245

$8.02 ₹767

168.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 GHS 9.93

$1.02 ₹97.4

-14.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 GHS 15.57

$0.33 ₹31.91

312.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 GHS 20.53

$1.02 ₹97.6

76.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 GHS 12.98

$1.04 ₹99.6

9.62%

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

$8,011 GHS 91.5K

$8,394 ₹802.0K

-4.56%

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

$10.0K GHS 114.5K

$17.7K ₹1.7M

-43.33%

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

$44.07 GHS 503

$18.70 ₹1,786

135.67%

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

$20.15 GHS 230

$3.10 ₹296

550.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.61 GHS 509

$6.78 ₹648

557.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.35 GHS 358

$13.99 ₹1,337

124.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.38 ₹992

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 GHS 153

$3.17 ₹303

323.97%

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

$472 GHS 5,386

$41.83 ₹3,997

1027.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,430 GHS 62.0K

$2,179 ₹208.2K

149.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.95 GHS 171

$25.20 ₹2,408

-40.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.16 GHS 219

$21.70 ₹2,073

-11.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.09 GHS 424

$39.02 ₹3,728

-4.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.2 GHS 608

$26.03 ₹2,487

104.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$87.2 ₹8,331

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.5 ₹5,012

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 ₹18.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 ₹16.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$974 ₹93.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$517 ₹49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 GHS 4,902

$609 ₹58.2K

-29.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.75

8.25

224.24%

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

Last update for Kumasi: September 7, 2026

Last update for Shimla: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 42% 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 $36.00 in Kumasi versus $5.00 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $99.0 – 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: $505 in Kumasi, $306 in Shimla – roughly 65% apart. Kumasi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $757 per month in Kumasi and $458 in Shimla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 73% 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 $36.00 in Kumasi and $5.00 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 $505 in Kumasi and $306 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.