Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tema and Tamale

For one person, living is cheaper in Tamale: $142 a month against $734 in Tema, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Tema
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Tema Living Index

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Tema

🇬🇭 Ghana

$734

/mo nomad

Tamale

🇬🇭 Ghana

$142

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tema and in Tamale

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

A single person spends $734 per month in Tema vs $142 in Tamale, rent included.

Tema $734
Tamale $142

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Tema vs $215 in Tamale, rent included.

Tema $1,166
Tamale $215

A family of three spends $1,598 per month in Tema vs $288 in Tamale, rent included.

Tema $1,598
Tamale $288

Tema costs about 416% more than Tamale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tema and Tamale are more affordable than the global median – Tema 46% lower, Tamale 89% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.64 GHS 77.2

$3.45 GHS 40.12

92.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.26 GHS 329

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.24 GHS 119

Cappuccino

$4.97 GHS 57.9

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

$0.88 GHS 10.23

$0.81 GHS 9.45

8.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 GHS 3.25

$0.44 GHS 5.06

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 GHS 37.45

$0.88 GHS 10.29

265.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 GHS 29.85

$1.26 GHS 14.61

103.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 GHS 36.13

$3.00 GHS 34.94

3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 GHS 17.72

$1.70 GHS 19.80

-10.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 GHS 23.45

$3.72 GHS 43.29

-45.70%

Eggs

$2.33 GHS 27.08

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.27 GHS 49.67

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 GHS 36.31

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.48 GHS 40.50

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 GHS 29.29

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 GHS 25.37

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 GHS 24.19

Tomato (1kg)

$3.32 GHS 38.65

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 GHS 39.94

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 GHS 32.37

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 GHS 4.64

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 GHS 8.30

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 GHS 14.37

Wine (Bottle)

$8.72 GHS 101

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 GHS 24.97

$1.29 GHS 14.97

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 GHS 34.30

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 GHS 20.06

$0.89 GHS 10.37

93.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.78 GHS 474

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 GHS 25.35

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 GHS 5.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 GHS 13.84

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

$77.4 GHS 900

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

$14.74 GHS 171

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.4 GHS 935

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.40 GHS 272

Cinema Ticket

$8.70 GHS 101

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

$167 GHS 1,946

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,522 GHS 29.3K

$8,618 GHS 100.2K

-70.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.00 GHS 151

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.35 GHS 179

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.57 GHS 495

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.35 GHS 365

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$129 GHS 1,503

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.7 GHS 823

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 GHS 5,037

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 GHS 2,401

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K GHS 118.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,098 GHS 70.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 GHS 4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Tema: October 10, 2026

Last update for Tamale: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Tema

$213 29.1%

Tamale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tema

$173 23.5%

Tamale

–

Eating Out

Tema

$139 * 18.9%

Tamale

–

Accommodation & Living

Tema

$71 9.6%

Tamale

–

Getting Around

Tema

$52 7.1%

Tamale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Tema

$46 6.3%

Tamale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Tema

$41 5.6%

Tamale

–

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

Good to know

🇬🇭 Tema

🇬🇭 Tamale

🕒 Local time

12:33 12:33 PM

Same time as Tema

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

160,000

950,124

💱 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

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Tema Tamale 430 km

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Tema
Tamale

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 Tamale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tema costs about 416% more than Tamale, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,101 per month in Tema and $213 in Tamale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $734 in Tema and $142 in Tamale. That's a gap of about 416%.

Groceries cost about 212% more in Tema, 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 $734 in Tema and $142 in Tamale, 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, Tema makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.