Moving to Ghana from Illinois
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Illinois to Ghana — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Illinois to Ghana, you would find that Ghana is 55.2% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly GHS346,205 in Ghana to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Accra averages 88°F vs 63°F in Springfield, 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 Illinois to Ghana.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → GHS346,205
To maintain the same standard of living in Ghana
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 60.9% less
Groceries
pay 14.8% less
Transportation
pay 38.1% less
Housing
pay 67.5% less
Childcare
pay 86.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 55.5% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Illinois to Ghana, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
14.716
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Illinois to Ghana.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Ghana performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Illinois 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
share of people below the poverty line
Illinois generally does better on employment & economy, though Ghana leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Illinois performs better than Ghana across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Springfield | Accra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) | 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) | 89°/75°F (32°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | Springfield | Accra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) | 90°/75°F (32.4°/24.1°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) | 92°/77°F (33.1°/25.0°C) |
| Mar | 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) | 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.1°C) |
| Apr | 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.1°C) |
| May | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.4°C) |
| Jun | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) | 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) | 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.1°C) |
| Aug | 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) | 83°/73°F (28.3°/22.7°C) |
| Sep | 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.1°C) |
| Oct | 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) |
| Nov | 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.2°C) |
| Dec | 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) | 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.3°C) |
National Weather Service
Ghana Meteorological AgencyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Ghana
Visa Required
Ghana passport holder visiting United States
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 Illinois?
Yes — Ghana is on average about 59% cheaper than Illinois. 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 GHS86,551 in Ghana on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Ghana?
Usually fine from major cities in Ghana. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Ghana compared to Illinois?
Ghana performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Ghana compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Accra is 88°F, compared to 63°F in Springfield. Accra receives around 29.2 in of rainfall per year, while Springfield gets 37.4 in.
What language do they speak in Ghana?
Both Illinois and Ghana share the same official language: English.
