Cost of Living Comparison Between Tema and Accra Cost of Living Comparison Between Tema and Accra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $611 per month in Tema vs $766 in Accra, rent included.

A couple spends around $989 per month in Tema vs $1,317 in Accra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,367 per month in Tema vs $1,867 in Accra, rent included.

Tema is about 20% cheaper than Accra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tema and Accra are more affordable than the global median – Tema 54% lower, Accra 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.50 GHS 88.0

$4.29 GHS 50.4

74.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 GHS 326

$46.88 GHS 550

-40.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.18 GHS 96.0

$7.82 GHS 91.9

4.60%

Cappuccino

$1.46 GHS 17.14

$3.45 GHS 40.53

-57.68%

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

$1.00 GHS 11.78

$0.94 GHS 11.07

6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 GHS 3.93

$0.34 GHS 4.03

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 GHS 20.38

$1.58 GHS 18.53

10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 GHS 31.63

$2.52 GHS 29.59

6.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 GHS 34.94

$3.37 GHS 39.62

-11.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 GHS 19.69

$1.43 GHS 16.81

17.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 GHS 18.22

$2.43 GHS 28.52

-36.21%

Eggs

$2.18 GHS 25.64

$2.29 GHS 26.90

-4.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.72 GHS 43.73

$11.36 GHS 133

-67.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.73 GHS 32.08

$4.62 GHS 54.2

-40.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.44 GHS 28.63

$6.03 GHS 70.8

-59.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 GHS 31.76

$2.90 GHS 34.10

-6.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 GHS 24.38

$1.44 GHS 16.89

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 GHS 24.27

$1.64 GHS 19.29

26.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 GHS 33.97

$3.08 GHS 36.13

-6.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 GHS 21.60

$3.13 GHS 36.71

-41.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 GHS 23.15

$2.42 GHS 28.44

-18.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 GHS 7.16

$0.82 GHS 9.58

-25.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 GHS 9.63

$0.52 GHS 6.06

57.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.58 GHS 18.50

Wine (Bottle)

$7.21 GHS 84.7

$7.07 GHS 83.0

1.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 GHS 9.66

$1.12 GHS 13.15

-26.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 GHS 22.66

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 GHS 23.87

$1.04 GHS 12.21

95.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.80 GHS 467

$34.78 GHS 408

14.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 GHS 16.64

$1.56 GHS 18.30

-8.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 GHS 9.00

$1.18 GHS 13.83

-34.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 GHS 63.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 GHS 13.98

$1.07 GHS 12.55

11.21%

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

$8,145 GHS 95.6K

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

$9,815 GHS 115.2K

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

$30.84 GHS 362

$56.4 GHS 662

-45.34%

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

$12.26 GHS 144

$13.00 GHS 153

-5.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 GHS 759

$37.61 GHS 441

71.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.37 GHS 227

$35.58 GHS 418

-45.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.03 GHS 188

Cinema Ticket

$9.60 GHS 113

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

$82.4 GHS 967

$72.0 GHS 845

14.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,954 GHS 93.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.07 GHS 294

$14.88 GHS 175

68.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.67 GHS 290

$18.54 GHS 218

33.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.82 GHS 538

$28.78 GHS 338

59.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.6 GHS 712

$40.81 GHS 479

48.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 GHS 1,371

$529 GHS 6,212

-77.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.6 GHS 782

$150 GHS 1,764

-55.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 GHS 12.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 GHS 1,629

$365 GHS 4,287

-61.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.0K GHS 117.6K

$2,841 GHS 33.3K

252.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,030 GHS 70.8K

$1,501 GHS 17.6K

301.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$390 GHS 4,576

$172 GHS 2,025

126.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

32.5

25.4

27.95%

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

Last update for Tema: May 31, 2026

Last update for Accra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $117 in Tema versus $529 in Accra. 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 126% higher in Tema, 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 $28.00 in Tema versus $47.00 in Accra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $235 – making Tema 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

Tema vs Accra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $611 in Tema, $766 in Accra – roughly 25% apart. Accra costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $916 per month in Tema and $1,150 in Accra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tema, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Accra, 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 $28.00 in Tema and $47.00 in Accra. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tema, where all-in costs run around $611, than in Accra at $766. In Tema it covers expenses comfortably, while in Accra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tema – 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 Tema. 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.