Accra
Ghana · Africa · 2.6M people
West African hub known for stability and a warm coastal climate.
Ranked #238 of 303 overall · 5.60, -0.19
Overview
Accra, Ghana, is home to about 2.6 million residents and has built a reputation that goes beyond its size. It has become a go-to base for remote workers over the past few years. It's known for warm, sun-heavy weather for most of the year. People who choose to settle in Accra tend to point to a genuinely affordable cost of living, a climate most people find easy to live with, and solid infrastructure for remote work as the deciding factors. Within the 33 cities we track in Africa, the regional average sits at 6.0/10, which puts Accra's 6.0/10 comfortably ahead of the regional norm. On CityMatch, Accra scores 6.0/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #238 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is climate at 8/10, while public transport is its softest spot at 4/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Reasonable day-to-day costs.
Generally safe with normal precautions.
Air quality dips at certain times of year.
A car helps for anything off the main routes.
Pleasant weather most of the year.
Worth checking specifics if care needs are ongoing.
Solid enough for day-to-day remote work.
Is Accra right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
Climate scores 8/10 — genuinely pleasant weather is one of the clearer reasons people choose Accra.
At 7/10, Accra is genuinely easy on the budget — one of the more affordable options for the lifestyle it offers.
Internet and connectivity score 7/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Trade-offs
Transport is the soft spot at 4/10 — plan on a car or regular rideshares rather than relying on public transit alone.
Environment and air quality score just 5/10 — a real consideration if pollution affects you personally.
Is Accra safe?
At 6/10, safety in Accra is unremarkable in a good way: no particular risk stands out, but it's not a standout strength either.
At night
Nighttime is fine in most central areas, but it's worth checking which neighborhoods quiet down early versus stay lively and populated.
For tourists
Tourists are generally fine sticking to well-trodden areas; the usual advice about watching belongings in crowds and transit hubs applies.
For families
Families would want to weigh the 5.3/10 average of safety, healthcare and environment carefully against what specifically matters most to your household.
For solo travelers
Solo travel here is broadly fine with standard precautions; it's worth reading recent, specific traveler reports rather than relying on the city's reputation alone.
On public transport
We'd be more selective about late-night public transport here — daytime use is generally fine, but off-peak service and platforms are worth a second thought.
Practical tips
- →Stick to well-lit, populated streets after dark, as you would in most cities.
- →Keep valuables out of sight rather than out of caution about any specific threat.
What's the climate like in Accra?
Climate is one of Accra's clearer strengths at 8/10 — the kind of weather that makes outdoor plans a default rather than a gamble.
Seasonal character
Tagged as a warm-climate city in our data — expect mild winters and a long stretch of pleasant, sun-heavy weather rather than a sharp seasonal divide.
Comfort level
Comfort level is high enough that climate rarely dictates day-to-day plans — a rare trait among the cities we track.
Best time to live here
With a climate this consistent, there isn't a single "best" window — most of the year works.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Accra
Put together, quality of life in Accra is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: accra doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's worth planning around.
Pace & lifestyle
Accra doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (5/10) and climate (8/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Transport (4/10) has real gaps — plan on a mix of public options, walking and rideshares depending on where you end up living.
Culture & leisure
Accra isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Accra tends to suit people who prioritize climate and cost of living over public transport — see "Who Accra suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Accra?
Accra scores 5/10 on environment, suggesting air quality dips at certain times of year — a reasonable proxy for a public realm that's serviceable rather than pristine.
Public spaces
We don't have a dedicated public-space or waste-management score — the environment figure above (driven mainly by air quality) is the best available proxy, and it suggests room for improvement in at least some areas.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Accra suits
Digital nomad
Digital nomads — remote workers who need fast internet and an affordable, pleasant base (fit score 6.4/10 here).
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs — founders and small business owners who need reliable connectivity and a livable base without big-city costs (fit score 6.2/10 here).
Freelancer
Freelancers — independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (fit score 6.2/10 here).
Young professional
Young professionals — early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (fit score 6.0/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
Accra scores 7/10 on affordability — not cheap, but reasonable: expect a moderate budget to cover a comfortable, unremarkable lifestyle.
Safety
Accra scores 6/10 on safety — generally fine, with the usual big-city precautions rather than any particular red flag.
Climate
The climate is a major selling point: Accra scores 8/10, with the kind of mild, sunny conditions that make outdoor life a year-round option rather than a summer-only one.
Quality of life
Accra scores 6.0/10 overall, but that average hides a real spread: climate (8/10) is genuinely strong, while public transport (4/10) pulls the picture down considerably. The average across all seven criteria is 6.0/10.
Transport
Getting around Accra takes some planning: transport scores 4/10, and a car or rideshare budget is worth factoring in for anything off the main routes.
Internet & remote work
Connectivity in Accra scores 7/10 — solid enough for remote work day-to-day, without being a headline reason to move here.
Why choose Accra?
Accra makes the most sense if climate matters more to you than public transport — at 6.0/10 overall, it's a solid rather than perfect pick, and the trade-offs above are worth weighing against your own priorities rather than the headline score alone.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Accra safe?
Accra scores 6/10 on safety — generally fine, with the usual precautions you'd take in any mid-sized city.
What budget do I need to live in Accra?
Accra scores 7/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Accra good for families?
Accra isn't a natural fit for families on paper: the average of safety, healthcare and environment scores (5.3/10) is below what most family-focused cities on our site score.
Is Accra a good city for students?
Accra isn't an obvious student pick: affordability (7/10) and transport (4/10) average out lower than the cities we specifically tag for students.
Is Accra suitable for digital nomads?
Yes — Accra is one of our tagged digital-nomad destinations, with an internet score of 7/10 and a cost-of-living score of 7/10 to match.
What's the climate like in Accra?
Accra scores 8/10 on climate — mild, pleasant conditions for most of the year, one of the better climate scores in our database.
Is Accra pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — Accra scores 8/10 on climate and 5/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is Accra a good choice for a first move abroad?
A first move abroad is more demanding in Accra: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to just 5.0/10, so more preparation and local research is worth doing before committing.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Accra?
Accra scores 7/10 on internet — generally fine for remote work, without being a standout choice for it.
Is Accra a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 6.3/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Accra?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Marrakech and Phuket are the closest matches to Accra in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Accra worth living in?
Reasonably — Accra scores 6.0/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Accra?
Based on its score profile, Accra suits people who value climate and cost of living more than the average mover — see the "Who Accra suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Accra walkable, and is public transport good?
Not especially — Accra scores just 4/10 on transport, so expect to lean on a car, bike or rideshares more than public transit alone.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Accra?
Climate is Accra's standout strength, scoring 8/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Accra?
Public transport is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 4/10 — the lowest of Accra's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.