Cost of living in Accra 2026: a realistic monthly budget
Transparent numbers for rent, utilities, groceries, transport, and schooling across the main income brackets.
Cost of living in Accra 2026
Fair numbers, no sugar-coating. All figures in Ghana Cedis (GHS); USD conversions use a 15 GHS ≈ 1 USD rule of thumb.
A single professional
| Item | Monthly |
|---|---|
| 1BR apartment (Spintex / Labone) | GHS 2,200 |
| Utilities (electricity, water) | GHS 350 |
| Internet (50 Mbps fibre) | GHS 250 |
| Mobile data (30 GB) | GHS 150 |
| Groceries (cooking at home) | GHS 1,800 |
| Eating out (4–6 times) | GHS 800 |
| Ride-hailing (Uber/Bolt daily) | GHS 1,500 |
| Gym membership | GHS 350 |
| Miscellaneous | GHS 500 |
| Total | GHS 7,900 / mo (~$530) |
A couple with two young kids
| Item | Monthly |
|---|---|
| 3BR apartment (East Legon) | GHS 6,000 |
| Utilities | GHS 600 |
| Internet + TV | GHS 400 |
| Mobile data (2 lines) | GHS 300 |
| Groceries | GHS 4,000 |
| Eating out | GHS 1,500 |
| School fees (mid-tier international, 2 kids) | GHS 8,000 |
| Domestic help (part-time) | GHS 1,800 |
| Transport (1 car + fuel + maintenance) | GHS 3,500 |
| Healthcare (private insurance, 4 people) | GHS 1,200 |
| Miscellaneous | GHS 1,500 |
| Total | GHS 28,800 / mo (~$1,920) |
A student / young graduate
| Item | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Shared room (Spintex / Madina) | GHS 700 |
| Utilities (split) | GHS 150 |
| Internet (shared) | GHS 100 |
| Mobile data | GHS 80 |
| Groceries (basic) | GHS 800 |
| Transport (trotro mostly) | GHS 400 |
| Miscellaneous | GHS 300 |
| Total | GHS 2,530 / mo (~$170) |
Hidden costs to budget for
- Rent advance: 6 months lump sum at move-in. For GHS 2,200/mo, that's GHS 13,200 upfront.
- Agent commission: 10% of annual rent, paid by the tenant in most cases.
- Deposit: 1–2 months rent.
- Furniture: Most apartments are unfurnished. Budget GHS 15,000–30,000 to kit out a 1BR.
- Power outages: Budget GHS 100–400 per month in diesel/inverter top-ups if your block has irregular power.
- Diaspora exchange-rate drag: If your income is in USD, the cedi's trajectory matters. Budget a 10% buffer.
Saving money without sacrificing quality
- Stay off Spintex Road during rush hour — an apartment 2 km off-corridor is meaningfully cheaper.
- Pay for 12 months of rent up-front in exchange for a 5–10% discount (it's worth it if you're planning to stay).
- Use the mortgage calculator if you're comparing rent to buy — ownership becomes cheaper than renting after ~7 years in most areas.
How we update this
These numbers are refreshed quarterly from our research team and from the reported tenancies submitted to the platform. If something looks wildly off for your area, let us know.