Moving to Ghana from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Ghana? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Ghana, you would find that Ghana is 26.6% cheaper than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR282,923 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly GHS451,942 in Ghana to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Saudi Arabia and Ghana.
What does your salary buy?
SAR282,923 → GHS451,942
To maintain the same standard of living in Ghana
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.3% more
Groceries
pay 23.5% more
Transportation
pay 11.8% less
Housing
pay 46.4% less
Childcare
pay 45.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 48.4% 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
The numbers behind daily life in Ghana compared to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Saudi Arabia 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
Ghana performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Saudi Arabia 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
Saudi Arabia 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
Saudi Arabia performs better than Ghana across all family life metrics.
Data: Department of Zakat and Income Tax, 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 | Riyadh | Accra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 89°/75°F (32°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Accra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 90°/75°F (32.4°/24.1°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 92°/77°F (33.1°/25.0°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.1°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.1°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.4°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.1°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 83°/73°F (28.3°/22.7°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.1°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.2°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.3°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Ghana Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Ghana
Visa Required
Ghana passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
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 Saudi Arabia?
On average Ghana is about 44% less expensive than Saudi Arabia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Ghana?
Budget about GHS112,986 for 3 months in Ghana (based on a SAR282,923 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Ghana?
Connectivity is usually fine (Ghana: 0.6 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?
Saudi Arabia performs better than Ghana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ghana is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Ghana compared to Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ghana leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Ghana, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Ghana scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Ghana compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Accra is 88°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Accra receives around 29.2 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Ghana?
The official language in Ghana is English. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
