Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tamale and Elmina

For one person, living is cheaper in Tamale: $142 a month against $668 in Elmina, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

33

Cost of Living Index in Elmina
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Elmina Living Index

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Tamale

🇬🇭 Ghana

$142

/mo nomad

Elmina

🇬🇭 Ghana

$668

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tamale and in Elmina

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 Elmina actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $142 per month in Tamale vs $668 in Elmina, rent included.

Tamale $142
Elmina $668

A couple spends around $215 per month in Tamale vs $1,125 in Elmina, rent included.

Tamale $215
Elmina $1,125

A family of three spends $288 per month in Tamale vs $1,582 in Elmina, rent included.

Tamale $288
Elmina $1,582

Tamale is about 79% cheaper than Elmina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tamale and Elmina are more affordable than the global median – Tamale 89% lower, Elmina 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 GHS 40.12

$7.82 GHS 91.0

-55.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 GHS 591

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.24 GHS 119

$10.26 GHS 119

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$4.46 GHS 51.9

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

$0.81 GHS 9.45

$1.53 GHS 17.85

-47.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 GHS 5.06

$0.44 GHS 5.12

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 GHS 10.29

$1.81 GHS 21.03

-51.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 GHS 14.61

$2.17 GHS 25.19

-41.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.00 GHS 34.94

$3.67 GHS 42.68

-18.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 GHS 19.80

$1.67 GHS 19.37

1.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 GHS 43.29

$3.06 GHS 35.63

21.57%

Eggs

$2.68 GHS 31.21

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 GHS 140

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.08 GHS 82.3

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 GHS 112

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 GHS 41.93

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 GHS 16.32

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 GHS 20.58

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 GHS 41.44

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 GHS 31.29

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 GHS 30.82

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 GHS 8.34

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 GHS 7.02

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 GHS 29.19

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 GHS 82.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 GHS 14.97

$1.21 GHS 14.10

6.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 GHS 27.14

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 GHS 10.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 GHS 20.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 GHS 14.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.30 GHS 50.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 GHS 15.58

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

$7,913 GHS 92.0K

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

$9,662 GHS 112.4K

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

$73.7 GHS 857

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

$19.07 GHS 222

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.25 GHS 491

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 GHS 147

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

$470 GHS 5,464

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,618 GHS 100.2K

$18.6K GHS 216.6K

-53.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.18 GHS 165

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.59 GHS 216

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.74 GHS 427

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 GHS 605

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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 Elmina: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Tamale

–

Elmina

$276 41.4%

Eating Out

Tamale

–

Elmina

$168 25.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tamale

–

Elmina

$135 20.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Tamale

–

Elmina

$55 8.2%

Sport & Entertainment

Tamale

–

Elmina

$25 * 3.8%

Getting Around

Tamale

–

Elmina

$8 * 1.2%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇬🇭 Tamale

🇬🇭 Elmina

🕒 Local time

12:33 12:33 PM

Same time as Tamale

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

950,124

34,403

💱 Currency

Ghanaian Cedi GHS ₵

📈 Exchange rate

100 GHS = 8.6 USD

100 GHS = 7.65 EUR

100 GHS = 8.6 USD

100 GHS = 7.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

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Tamale Elmina 480 km

From you

Tamale
Elmina

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 Elmina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Elmina is pricier by about 369%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $213 per month in Tamale and $1,001 in Elmina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $142 in Tamale and $668 in Elmina. That's a gap of about 369%.

Groceries cost about 304% more in Elmina, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $142 in Tamale and $668 in Elmina, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Tamale. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Elmina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.