Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tamale and Accra

For one person, living is cheaper in Tamale: $142 a month against $1,064 in Accra, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Tamale
🇬🇭 Ghana
$142
/mo nomad
Accra
🇬🇭 Ghana
$1,064
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tamale and in Accra

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tamale and in Accra actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $142 per month in Tamale vs $1,064 in Accra, rent included.

  • Tamale $142
  • Accra $1,064

A couple spends around $215 per month in Tamale vs $1,684 in Accra, rent included.

  • Tamale $215
  • Accra $1,684

A family of three spends $288 per month in Tamale vs $2,303 in Accra, rent included.

  • Tamale $288
  • Accra $2,303

Tamale is about 87% cheaper than Accra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tamale and Accra are more affordable than the global median – Tamale 89% lower, Accra 21% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tamale
Accra
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.45 GHS 40.12
$7.94 GHS 92.4
-56.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$51.4 GHS 597
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.24 GHS 119
$10.44 GHS 121
-1.92%
Cappuccino
-
$4.33 GHS 50.4
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 GHS 9.45
$1.57 GHS 18.29
-48.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 GHS 5.06
$0.48 GHS 5.55
-8.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.88 GHS 10.29
$1.81 GHS 21.01
-51.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 GHS 14.61
$2.18 GHS 25.37
-42.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tamale
Accra
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.00 GHS 34.94
$3.66 GHS 42.53
-18.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.70 GHS 19.80
$1.60 GHS 18.63
6.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.72 GHS 43.29
$3.08 GHS 35.85
20.78%
Eggs
-
$2.69 GHS 31.26
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$11.85 GHS 138
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$7.25 GHS 84.3
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$9.56 GHS 111
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$3.74 GHS 43.55
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.44 GHS 16.77
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.82 GHS 21.20
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$3.66 GHS 42.52
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$2.79 GHS 32.46
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$2.65 GHS 30.84
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$0.76 GHS 8.80
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.61 GHS 7.07
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$2.53 GHS 29.39
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.00 GHS 81.4
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 GHS 14.97
$1.22 GHS 14.14
5.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.38 GHS 27.69
-
🚌 Getting Around
Tamale
Accra
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 GHS 10.37
$1.46 GHS 17.00
-39.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$40.14 GHS 467
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.68 GHS 19.59
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.24 GHS 14.41
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$4.21 GHS 48.91
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.34 GHS 15.56
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$8,042 GHS 93.5K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$9,810 GHS 114.1K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tamale
Accra
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$73.3 GHS 852
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$19.20 GHS 223
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$43.37 GHS 504
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tamale
Accra
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$70.6 GHS 822
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.22 GHS 212
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$12.90 GHS 150
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tamale
Accra
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$457 GHS 5,318
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,618 GHS 100.2K
$18.4K GHS 213.7K
-53.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tamale
Accra
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$14.47 GHS 168
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$18.48 GHS 215
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$36.89 GHS 429
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$51.7 GHS 601
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tamale
Accra
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$672 GHS 7,811
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$277 GHS 3,224
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,069 GHS 12.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$458 GHS 5,329
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,839 GHS 33.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,464 GHS 17.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tamale
Accra
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$172 GHS 2,003
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
26.75
-

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

Last update for Tamale: October 12, 2026

Last update for Accra: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Tamale
–
Accra
$278
Accommodation & Living
Tamale
–
Accra
$277
Eating Out
Tamale
–
Accra
$168
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tamale
–
Accra
$136
Sport & Entertainment
Tamale
–
Accra
$96
Clothing & Footwear
Tamale
–
Accra
$55
Getting Around
Tamale
–
Accra
$54
Good to know
🇬🇭 Tamale
🇬🇭 Accra
🕒 Local time
04:15 4:15 AM
04:15 4:15 AM
Same time as Tamale
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
950,124
2,388,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GHS – Ghanaian Cedi Converter

Ghanaian Cedi exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 11.63 GHS (100 GHS = 8.6 USD). 1 EUR = 13.07 GHS (100 GHS = 7.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tamale Accra 430 km
From you
  • Tamale
  • Accra

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Tamale vs Accra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tamale and in Accra compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $142 in Tamale, $1,064 in Accra – roughly 649% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Tamale compared to Accra?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $213 per month in Tamale and $1,597 in Accra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city is more expensive overall: Tamale or Accra?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $142 in Tamale and $1,064 in Accra. That's a gap of about 649%.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 306% more in Accra, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tamale, where all-in costs run around $142, than in Accra at $1,064. In Tamale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Accra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Tamale or Accra?
Families tend to lean toward Tamale – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Tamale and Accra?
If budget matters most, go with Tamale. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Accra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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