Moving to Ghana from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Costa Rica to Ghana — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Ghana, you would find that Ghana is 45.9% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC34,152,674 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly GHS394,127 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 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Costa Rica to Ghana.
What does your salary buy?
CRC34,152,674 → GHS394,127
To maintain the same standard of living in Ghana
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 50.4% less
Groceries
pay 17.5% less
Transportation
pay 46.5% less
Housing
pay 43.7% less
Childcare
pay 62.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 37.3% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Costa Rica to Ghana.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Ghana leads in homicide rate.
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
Ghana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica performs better than Ghana across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica performs better than Ghana across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | San Jose | Accra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 89°/75°F (32°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Accra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 90°/75°F (32.4°/24.1°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 92°/77°F (33.1°/25.0°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.1°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.1°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.4°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.1°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 83°/73°F (28.3°/22.7°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.1°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.2°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.3°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Ghana Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica 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.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Ghana
Visa Required
Ghana passport holder visiting Costa Rica
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 Costa Rica?
Yes — Ghana is on average about 54% cheaper than Costa Rica. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Ghana?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly GHS98,532 in Ghana on a CRC34,152,674 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Ghana?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Ghana has 0.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Ghana safe for expats?
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Ghana leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Ghana is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Ghana compared to Costa Rica?
Ghana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Ghana, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Ghana scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Ghana compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Accra is 88°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Accra receives around 29.2 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Ghana?
The official language in Ghana is English. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
