Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tema and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Tema: $738 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Tema
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Tema Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Tema

🇬🇭 Ghana

$738

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tema and in Austin, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $738 in Tema versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Tema $738
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,173 in Tema versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Tema $1,173
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,608 in Tema versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Tema $1,608
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Tema costs roughly 73% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tema is 45% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 GHS 82.4

$20.22 $20.22

-65.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.88 GHS 327

$85.0 $85.0

-67.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

Cappuccino

$5.05 GHS 59.2

$5.47 $5.47

-7.68%

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

$0.90 GHS 10.56

$3.82 $3.82

-76.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 GHS 3.55

$2.50 $2.50

-88.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 GHS 38.60

$8.06 $8.06

-59.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 GHS 30.61

$8.99 $8.99

-70.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 GHS 37.11

$1.13 $1.13

179.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 GHS 18.81

$3.78 $3.78

-57.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 GHS 24.29

$3.25 $3.25

-36.31%

Eggs

$2.30 GHS 27.02

$4.14 $4.14

-44.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 GHS 51.4

$13.08 $13.08

-66.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 GHS 37.14

$14.31 $14.31

-77.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.38 GHS 39.66

$15.96 $15.96

-78.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 GHS 30.66

$4.38 $4.38

-40.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 GHS 25.02

$1.45 $1.45

46.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 GHS 25.97

$4.54 $4.54

-51.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 GHS 40.95

$4.19 $4.19

-16.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 GHS 39.91

$2.63 $2.63

29.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 GHS 33.06

$2.36 $2.36

19.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 GHS 5.25

$1.76 $1.76

-74.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 GHS 7.84

$2.16 $2.16

-68.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.26 GHS 14.83

$9.81 $9.81

-87.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 GHS 100

$14.72 $14.72

-41.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 GHS 24.59

$2.78 $2.78

-24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 GHS 34.74

$3.48 $3.48

-14.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 GHS 19.70

$1.49 $1.49

12.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.17 GHS 483

$40.51 $40.51

1.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 GHS 24.69

$2.67 $2.67

-21.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 GHS 4.82

$1.58 $1.58

-74.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 GHS 13.96

$0.99 $0.99

20.20%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

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

$27.2K $27.2K

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

$78.2 GHS 917

$219 $219

-64.35%

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

$15.22 GHS 179

$58.0 $58.0

-73.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.5 GHS 968

$68.4 $68.4

20.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 GHS 282

$57.9 $57.9

-58.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 GHS 103

$14.13 $14.13

-37.72%

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

$174 GHS 2,046

$1,509 $1,509

-88.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,544 GHS 29.8K

$21.5K $21.5K

-88.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.07 GHS 153

$51.7 $51.7

-74.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.40 GHS 181

$44.05 $44.05

-65.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.37 GHS 497

$85.1 $85.1

-50.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.20 GHS 378

$105 $105

-69.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 GHS 1,483

$1,932 $1,932

-93.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.3 GHS 836

$1,272 $1,272

-94.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 GHS 4,999

$3,670 $3,670

-88.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 GHS 2,451

$2,525 $2,525

-91.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,909 GHS 116.2K

$7,617 $7,617

30.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,903 GHS 69.2K

$3,199 $3,199

84.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$419 GHS 4,913

$5,105 $5,105

-91.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

415.46%

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

Last update for Tema: October 4, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Tema

$216 28.9%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 86.9% $187

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tema

$176 23.6%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 96.4% $170

Eating Out

Tema

$143 * 19.2%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 143% $205

Accommodation & Living

Tema

$71 9.6%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 1685% $1.2K

Getting Around

Tema

$52 7%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 9.6% $5

Clothing & Footwear

Tema

$46 6.2%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 178% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Tema

$42 5.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 107% $45

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Tema and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1119% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Tema vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $403 per month, with Tema cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇬🇭 Tema

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

01:53 1:53 AM

20:53 8:53 PM

5 h behind Tema

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

160,000

974,447

💱 Currency

Ghanaian Cedi GHS ₵

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 GHS = 8.53 USD

100 GHS = 7.6 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GHS – Ghanaian Cedi Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇭 Ghanaian Cedi (₵)

Ghanaian Cedi exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 11.73 GHS (100 GHS = 8.53 USD). 1 EUR = 13.16 GHS (100 GHS = 7.6 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to GHS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Tema Austin, TX 10,430 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Tema
Austin, TX

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

Tema vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tema wins on cost – living expenses run 266% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tema the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1119% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $126 in Tema versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $738 per month in Tema versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 266% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tema runs roughly 2% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $738 in Tema versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tema but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Tema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Tema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 266% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.