Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tema and Cape Coast

For one person, living is cheaper in Tema: $746 a month against $1,260 in Cape Coast, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tema, Ghana
Cape Coast, Ghana
Tema
🇬🇭 Ghana
$746
/mo nomad
Cape Coast
🇬🇭 Ghana
$1,260
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tema and in Cape Coast

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

A single person spends $746 per month in Tema vs $1,260 in Cape Coast, rent included.

  • Tema $746
  • Cape Coast $1,260

A couple spends around $1,186 per month in Tema vs $1,994 in Cape Coast, rent included.

  • Tema $1,186
  • Cape Coast $1,994

A family of three spends $1,627 per month in Tema vs $2,729 in Cape Coast, rent included.

  • Tema $1,627
  • Cape Coast $2,729

Tema is about 41% cheaper than Cape Coast, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tema and Cape Coast are more affordable than the global median – Tema 45% lower, Cape Coast 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tema
Cape Coast
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.04 GHS 82.1
$8.66 GHS 101
-18.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.68 GHS 322
$50.8 GHS 592
-45.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$10.21 GHS 119
-
Cappuccino
$5.09 GHS 59.3
$4.37 GHS 51.0
16.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 GHS 9.85
$1.55 GHS 18.02
-45.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 GHS 3.50
$0.48 GHS 5.58
-37.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.31 GHS 38.54
$1.81 GHS 21.12
82.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 GHS 29.77
$2.19 GHS 25.51
16.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tema
Cape Coast
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.25 GHS 37.90
$3.65 GHS 42.52
-10.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 GHS 17.94
$1.62 GHS 18.85
-4.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.98 GHS 23.07
$3.08 GHS 35.88
-35.71%
Eggs
$2.37 GHS 27.61
$2.69 GHS 31.29
-11.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.27 GHS 49.70
$11.85 GHS 138
-63.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.18 GHS 37.02
$7.27 GHS 84.7
-56.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.43 GHS 39.94
$9.89 GHS 115
-65.32%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 GHS 30.60
$3.79 GHS 44.14
-30.61%
Banana (1kg)
$2.11 GHS 24.57
$1.46 GHS 17.01
44.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 GHS 25.59
$1.84 GHS 21.39
19.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.48 GHS 40.58
$3.58 GHS 41.71
-2.79%
Potato (1kg)
$3.34 GHS 38.93
$2.67 GHS 31.09
25.09%
Onion (1kg)
$2.75 GHS 32.06
$2.75 GHS 32.03
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.44 GHS 5.18
$0.75 GHS 8.77
-41.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 GHS 7.64
$0.60 GHS 7.00
10.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.32 GHS 15.35
$2.60 GHS 30.33
-49.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.67 GHS 101
$7.35 GHS 85.7
17.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 GHS 25.22
$1.24 GHS 14.44
74.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 GHS 35.43
$2.40 GHS 27.95
26.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Tema
Cape Coast
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.69 GHS 19.70
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.27 GHS 481
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.11 GHS 24.59
$1.75 GHS 20.43
20.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.41 GHS 4.83
$1.27 GHS 14.78
-67.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$4.18 GHS 48.75
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 GHS 13.30
$1.36 GHS 15.90
-16.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$8,051 GHS 93.8K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$20.5K GHS 239.1K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tema
Cape Coast
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.6 GHS 892
$72.8 GHS 849
5.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.89 GHS 173
$19.48 GHS 227
-23.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$83.0 GHS 967
$42.56 GHS 496
95.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tema
Cape Coast
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.21 GHS 270
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.76 GHS 102
$12.69 GHS 148
-30.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tema
Cape Coast
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$174 GHS 2,024
$469 GHS 5,467
-62.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,582 GHS 30.1K
$18.5K GHS 215.7K
-86.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tema
Cape Coast
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$12.97 GHS 151
$14.28 GHS 166
-9.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$15.23 GHS 177
$18.87 GHS 220
-19.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$43.68 GHS 509
$36.90 GHS 430
18.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.85 GHS 383
$52.6 GHS 612
-37.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tema
Cape Coast
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$127 GHS 1,478
$618 GHS 7,195
-79.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$72.0 GHS 838
$582 GHS 6,784
-87.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$436 GHS 5,078
$1,249 GHS 14.5K
-65.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$217 GHS 2,527
$1,124 GHS 13.1K
-80.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,800 GHS 114.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,945 GHS 69.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tema
Cape Coast
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$419 GHS 4,883
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
35
26.75
30.84%

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

Last update for Tema: October 25, 2026

Last update for Cape Coast: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Tema
$216
Cape Coast
$280 29.7% $64
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tema
$174
Cape Coast
$135 22.7% $40
Eating Out
Tema
$144 *
Cape Coast
$174 21.1% $30
Accommodation & Living
Tema
$72
Cape Coast
$582 709% $510
Getting Around
Tema
$52
Cape Coast
$8.1 * 84.5% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Tema
$47
Cape Coast
$55 17.1% $8
Sport & Entertainment
Tema
$41
Cape Coast
$25 * 37.7% $15

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $127 in Tema versus $618 in Cape Coast. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28 in Tema versus $51 in Cape Coast. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $280 – making Tema the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇭 Tema
🇬🇭 Cape Coast
🕒 Local time
03:10 3:10 AM
03:10 3:10 AM
Same time as Tema
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
160,000
155,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GHS – Ghanaian Cedi Converter

Ghanaian Cedi exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 11.65 GHS (100 GHS = 8.58 USD). 1 EUR = 13.01 GHS (100 GHS = 7.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tema Cape Coast 150 km
From you
  • Tema
  • Cape Coast

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 Cape Coast: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tema cheaper than Cape Coast?
Yes – Cape Coast is pricier by about 69%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,119 per month in Tema and $1,889 in Cape Coast. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tema, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $127 there versus $618 in Cape Coast.
What are total monthly expenses in Tema and in Cape Coast?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $746 in Tema and $1,260 in Cape Coast. That makes Tema about 41% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $174 per month in Tema and $469 in Cape Coast. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is Tema or Cape Coast more family-friendly?
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.

Tema vs other spots: cost of living compared

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