Moving to Ghana from Jamaica

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Jamaica to Ghana? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Jamaica to Ghana, you would find that Ghana is 42.3% cheaper than Jamaica overall. A JMD12,000,000 salary in Jamaica would need to be roughly GHS506,000 in Ghana to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Is Ghana cheaper than Jamaica?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 28.2% less

Groceries

pay 37.7% less

Transportation

pay 49.9% less

Housing

pay 51.1% less

Childcare

pay 10.1% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 30.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 JMD = 0.0731 GHS (October 2026)

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?

JMD12,000,000 → GHS506,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Ghana

Calculate with your salary →

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Ghana compared to Jamaica.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

JM
49.4
GH
1.8
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

JM
70%
GH
83%

Ghana generally does better on safety, though Jamaica leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

JM
$869
GH
$234
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

JM
4.6
GH
2.7

Jamaica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ghana leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

JM
22.0
GH
89.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

JM
2.8t
GH
0.7t

Jamaica generally does better on environment, though Ghana leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

JM
16.0
GH
0.7
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

JM
12.4%
GH
6.3%

Jamaica generally does better on infrastructure, though Ghana leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

JM
3.3%
GH
3.0%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

JM
$8,003
GH
$3,257

Jamaica generally does better on employment & economy, though Ghana leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

JM
71.6 yrs
GH
65.7 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

JM
16.4
GH
27.5

Jamaica performs better than Ghana across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Tax Admministration of Jamaica (2016), Ghana Revenue Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2015). How we calculate this

Weather in Ghana vs Jamaica

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kingston Rain: 32.0 in/yr (813 mm)
89° / 73°F

Avg. annual high / low

Accra Rain: 29.2 in/yr (741 mm)
88° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kingston Accra
Jan–Mar 87°/70°F (30°/21°C) 91°/76°F (33°/25°C)
Apr–Jun 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 88°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) 84°/74°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 89°/75°F (32°/24°C)
View all months
Month Kingston Accra
Jan 87°/70°F (30.3°/21.1°C) 90°/75°F (32.4°/24.1°C)
Feb 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.0°C) 92°/77°F (33.1°/25.0°C)
Mar 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.6°C) 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.1°C)
Apr 88°/73°F (31.1°/22.6°C) 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.1°C)
May 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.6°C) 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.4°C)
Jun 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.2°C) 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.6°C)
Jul 91°/76°F (32.8°/24.3°C) 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.1°C)
Aug 91°/76°F (32.7°/24.2°C) 83°/73°F (28.3°/22.7°C)
Sep 90°/75°F (32.1°/24.0°C) 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.1°C)
Oct 89°/74°F (31.7°/23.4°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C)
Nov 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.8°C) 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.2°C)
Dec 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.8°C) 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.3°C)

Data: Meteorological Service, Jamaica Meteorological Service, Jamaica, Ghana Meteorological Agency Ghana Meteorological Agency

Can you move from Jamaica to Ghana?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Jamaica 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.

Jamaica passport

Jamaica passport holder visiting Ghana

Visa Free
Jamaica passport holders can enter Ghana without a visa.
Ghana passport

Ghana passport holder visiting Jamaica

Visa Free
Ghana passport holders can enter Jamaica without a visa.

Data: 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 Jamaica?

On average Ghana is about 42% less expensive than Jamaica, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Ghana?

Budget about GHS126,500 for 3 months in Ghana (based on a JMD12,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Ghana?

Connectivity is usually fine (Ghana: 0.7 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Ghana offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Ghana safe for expats?

Ghana generally does better on safety, though Jamaica leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Ghana is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 49.4 in Jamaica. About 83% of people in Ghana feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Ghana compared to Jamaica?

Jamaica 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 4.6 in Jamaica. Ghana scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Jamaica: 74).

What's the weather like in Ghana compared to Jamaica?

The average high temperature in Accra is 88°F, compared to 89°F in Kingston. Accra receives around 29.2 in of rainfall per year, while Kingston gets 32.0 in.

What language do they speak in Ghana?

The official language in Ghana is English. In Jamaica, the official languages are English and Jamaican Patois.

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At a Glance

JM GH
Population 2,837,077 35,064,272
Currency Jamaican Dollar (JMD) Ghanaian Cedi (GHS)
Languages English, Jamaican Patois English
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +1 +233
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119 112