Moving to Ghana from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Ghana — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to Ghana, you would find that Ghana is 10.3% more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly GHS964,000 in Ghana to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Accra averages 88°F vs 68°F in Shanghai, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Ghana cheaper than China?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 89.9% more
Groceries
pay 47.6% more
Transportation
pay 7.3% less
Housing
pay 9.4% more
Childcare
pay 41.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 23.7% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Ghana?
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → GHS964,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Ghana
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Ghana
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from China to Ghana, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Ghana?
Top countries of origin for Ghana's foreign-born residents.
- 103,799
- 80,652
- 74,228
- 67,431
- 34,940
- 19,736
- · · ·
-
18.266
China
Key Indicator Comparison
How China and Ghana stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
China performs better than Ghana across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ghana leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
China generally does better on environment, though Ghana leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
China generally does better on infrastructure, though Ghana leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Ghana leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
China performs better than Ghana across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State Administration of Taxation (2016), Ghana Revenue Authority (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Ghana vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Accra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 89°/75°F (32°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Accra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 90°/75°F (32.4°/24.1°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 92°/77°F (33.1°/25.0°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.1°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.1°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.4°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.1°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 83°/73°F (28.3°/22.7°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.1°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.2°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.3°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Ghana Meteorological Agency
Can you move from China to Ghana?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China and Ghana. To live, work, or study long-term in Ghana, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Ghana's immigration authority.
China passport holder visiting Ghana
Visa Required
Ghana passport holder visiting China
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Ghana than China?
Day-to-day costs in Ghana run about 10% higher than China on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Ghana?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CN¥500,000 comparable salary, that's around GHS241,000 in Ghana for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Ghana?
With 0.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ghana can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in China and Ghana.
Is Ghana safe for expats?
China performs better than Ghana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ghana is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China. About 83% of people in Ghana feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Ghana compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ghana leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Ghana, compared to 31.1 in China. Ghana scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Ghana compared to China?
The average high temperature in Accra is 88°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Accra receives around 29.2 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Ghana?
The official language in Ghana is English. In China, the official language is Chinese.
