Accra vs Beirut Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Accra leads on CPI (25.5 vs 35.7, NYC=100), Accra leads on rent index, and Accra leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Accra
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Transport (876111% gap, Accra ahead); Internet (853410% gap, Accra ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $98 lower in Accra than in Beirut (~15% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $98 (favoring Accra).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Accra | CPI 25.5 vs 35.7 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Accra | Rent index 16.5 vs 18.9 (lower is better) |
| Food | Accra | Groceries index 35.6 vs 45.4 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Accra | One-way ticket 7.05 vs 61772.9 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Accra | Utilities (85m²) 495 vs 3383100 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Accra | Internet 317.1 vs 2706480 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Accra | Restaurant index 25 vs 35 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Beirut | Avg net salary 136505400 vs 22878 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Accra | PP index 24.6 vs 24.6 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Transport: Accra leads with a 876111% gap.
One-way ticket 7.05 vs 61772.9 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Accra — Lower housing / rent index (15% gap).
- Families: Accra — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Accra; purchasing power favors Accra.
- Remote Workers: Accra — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Accra (~40% gap).
- Budget Living: Accra — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Accra is the overall cost winner on CPI (~40% lower everyday-cost index than Beirut).
- Housing: Accra leads on rent index (15% gap).
- Food / groceries: Accra is lower (28% gap).
- Purchasing power: Accra scores higher (0% gap).
- Largest category gap: Transport (876111%), favoring Accra.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$98 cheaper in Accra.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 25.5/35.7, rent 16.5/18.9, purchasing power 24.6/24.6. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-25
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.