What if you were born in Ghana?

If you had grown up in Ghana instead of Pakistan, here is what your money, your home and your day in Accra could look like.

Try it with my numbers

Elmina Castle on the Gold Coast. Photo: Damien Halleux Radermecker, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Ghana

Each person keeps the same place on the income ladder they have in Pakistan. Amounts are per month, after tax, in GHS and in rupees at today’s rate.

Single, starting out

Earns Rs 60,000 a month in Pakistan, on your own.

Take-home in Ghana: GHS 4,090Rs 96,900
Rent (city centre): GHS 1,180
Transport (public transport): GHS 278
Food: GHS 591
Saved: GHS 613

Family of four

Earns Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, as a family of four.

Take-home in Ghana: GHS 9,390Rs 223,000
Rent (suburbs): GHS 2,400
Transport (public transport): GHS 639
Food: GHS 1,600
Saved: GHS 1,410

High-earning couple

Earns Rs 300,000 a month in Pakistan, as a couple.

Take-home in Ghana: GHS 15,200Rs 361,000
Rent (city centre): GHS 3,730
Transport (car): GHS 1,430
Food: GHS 1,860
Saved: GHS 4,260

Try it with my own income

A day in Accra

The family of four above, with one parent working as an engineer.

Morning
You wake up in Accra, a city of mild winters around 24°C and warm summers around 28°C.
Commute
Public transport is limited here, so you share rides or use taxis and buses for a longer commute.
Work
As an engineer: You spend the morning on site and the afternoon on drawings and calls with suppliers.
Language
You speak English.
Lunch
Lunch might be jollof rice, and fufu with light soup.
Evening
You get home with GHS 1,410 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast.

Ghana compared with Pakistan

	Ghana	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	1.8× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	66 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	28 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	3.0%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	27°C	26°C
Languages	English, Akan, and others	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	GHS	PKR

Sources: World Bank (price levels, household spending, life expectancy, PM2.5, unemployment), NASA POWER (climate), Dareecha’s daily exchange rates.

Thinking of really moving? See Pakistan vs Ghana, living in Ghana and the visa checker.

Questions

How much would I earn if I was born in Ghana?

It depends on where you are on the ladder. A family earning Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, above the national average, would take home around GHS 9,390 a month at the same level in Ghana (about Rs 223,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Ghana more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 1.8 times as much as in Pakistan (World Bank price levels), but incomes there are higher too, so what matters is how far your pay goes.

What language would I speak in Ghana?

Mainly English, Akan, and others. English is an official language.

Can I actually move to Ghana?

This page imagines being born there. For a real move, compare costs, safety and jobs on the Pakistan vs Ghana page, and check visa rules in the visa checker.