Moving to United States from Ghana
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Ghana to United States — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Ghana to United States, you would find that United States is 4.0 times more expensive than Ghana overall. A GHS859,312 salary in Ghana would need to be roughly $230,939 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°F vs 88°F in Accra, making it significantly cooler.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from Ghana to United States.
What does your salary buy?
GHS859,312 → $230,939
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 3.7 times more
Groceries
pay 78.6% more
Transportation
pay 2.2 times more
Housing
pay 5.6 times more
Childcare
pay 8.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.2 times 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Ghana to United States, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Ghana to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
41.201,086
Ghana
Key Indicator Comparison
How Ghana and United States 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
Ghana generally does better on safety, though United States leads in road traffic deaths.
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 United States 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
Ghana generally does better on environment, though United States leads in air pollution deaths.
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
United States 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
Ghana generally does better on employment & economy, though United States leads in gdp per capita.
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
United States performs significantly better than Ghana across all family life metrics.
Data: Ghana Revenue Authority, 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 | Accra | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/76°F (33°/25°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/75°F (32°/24°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Accra | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/75°F (32.4°/24.1°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 92°/77°F (33.1°/25.0°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.1°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.1°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.4°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.6°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.1°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 83°/73°F (28.3°/22.7°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.1°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.2°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.3°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) |
Ghana Meteorological Agency
National Weather ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ghana and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Ghana passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Ghana
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 United States than Ghana?
Day-to-day costs in United States run about 208% higher than Ghana on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a GHS859,312 comparable salary, that's around $57,735 in United States for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United States?
With 37.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United States can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Ghana and United States.
Is United States safe for expats?
Ghana generally does better on safety, though United States leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Ghana. About 63% of people in United States feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in United States compared to Ghana?
Ghana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 1.4 in Ghana. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ghana: 48).
What's the weather like in United States compared to Ghana?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 88°F in Accra. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Accra gets 29.2 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
Both Ghana and United States share the same official language: English.
