Ghana Travel Cost: My Complete Budget Breakdown [2026]

Ghana Travel Cost: My Complete Budget Breakdown

Wondering how much it costs to travel Ghana? This Ghana Travel Cost Guide is here to help!

Ghana has a reputation for being one of the easiest countries to travel in West Africa, but is it one of the cheapest?

This vibrant country receives more tourists than most other places in the region, has a much better-developed tourism industry, and offers a wider range of accommodation, transport and activities. So I wondered whether that convenience would come with a much higher price tag.

So, as with every country on my West Africa overland trip, I tracked every single expense.

After nearly two weeks travelling Ghana, I spent a total of £542.83. This includes everything: accommodation, transport, food, activities, my SIM and every other purchase along the way!

That works out at £45.24 per day.

While it wasn’t as cheap as Mauritania or Senegal, the standard of accommodation, transport and food made it feel like it was really worth it!

In this guide, I’ll break down exactly what I spent, where my money went, and how much you should realistically budget for a trip to Ghana.

Ghana Budget Summary

Trip Overview

Trip length	12 days
Total spend	£542.83
Average per day	£45.24
Realistic backpacker budget	£35-50/day

NOTE: These figures are based on my own independent travel around Ghana in 2026. Whilst the trip spanned 13 calendar days, all the daily averages in this guide are based on an 12-day trip since I arrived in the afternoon and departed in the morning. This also excludes VISA and flight costs which vary depending on your own individual circumstances.

Where My Money Went

Across 12 days in Ghana, here’s exactly how I spent my money:

At a glance, this feels like:

• Backpacker budget: £35-50 per day
• Mid-range budget: £50-80 per day
• Comfortable budget: £80+ per day

If you’re travelling independently, using tro tros and shared transport, eating local food, and staying in budget accommodation, I’d recommend budgeting around £35-£50 per day.

My Actual Travel Budget Breakdown

Before diving into each category, it’s worth explaining exactly what these figures include.

Throughout my time in Ghana, I travelled with a friend, so we split accommodation costs equally between the two of us. Everything else, including food, transport, activities, is my individual spending!

One thing I’ve learnt from tracking my expenses across West Africa is that the headline daily average doesn’t always tell the full story. Some days naturally cost more than others, whether it’s a long travel day, expensive activity or one-off purchase. .

That’s why I think the recommended backpacker budget is the more useful figure. Based on my experience, I’d recommend £35-50 per day in Ghana. Although, your own budget will obviously depend on your travel style, accommodation choices and how many activities you choose to include.

Below, I’ll break down every category in detail, showing exactly what I spent and sharing a few tips on where you can save money without missing the best of Ghana.

Accommodation Costs

Given Ghana is one of the more visited countries in West Africa, I wasn’t sure if accommodation was going to be more expensive because of quality, or less expensive because of demand.

I found it turned out to be a pleasant balance of good quality accommodation for a reasonable price, with budget options available almost everywhere!

During my time in Ghana, I spent a total of £179.27 on accommodation, averaging £14.94 per night.

Although this was one of my highest accommodation spends in West Africa, I also thought it offered some of the best overall value. Rooms were clean, Wi-Fi was largely reliable, and there was far more choice than I’d found elsewhere in the region.

My Accommodation Costs

The most expensive place I stayed was in Mole. But that was unsurprising, given there are limited accommodation options and we stayed inside of a National Park!

What stood out for me was how cheap accommodation options are, once you leave the main cities! I spent less than £7 per night in both Wli and Cape Coast – which was an extremely welcome surprise!

Of course, you can spend more than this, but cheap accommodation is just one of the ways I do budget lifestyle!

Transport Costs

Getting around Ghana is largely straightforward, wherever you go – whether it’s coaches for long journeys or taxis/public transport around the city. Shared minibuses (known locally as tro tros), are the most popular form of transport, and link most places for a reasonable price.

However… One thing I quickly learnt was that transport rarely ended when the bus did!

Although tro tros between towns were excellent value, there was often another taxi needed from the station to your destination. Individually these journeys weren’t expensive, but (along with bag fees) they increased my overall transport spend more than I liked. It’s crazy that a 5 hour tro tro can cost as much as a 15 minute taxi…

During my trip, I spent £113.34 on transport, averaging £9.45 per day.

My transport costs

*I passed through Accra multiple times. Therefore I have grouped multiple taxi costs together in one section. Remember I was travelling with one friend, so taxi costs have been halved.

Largely transport in Ghana felt reasonably priced, especially public transport. The only journey I felt was particularly overpriced was a taxi in Wli.

If you’re not hiring a car, I highly recommend using shared transport for longer journeys. It’s significantly cheaper than hiring private taxis, and comfort is manageable. Direct flights are available for less than £100 linking Accra and Tamale, but I was on a stricter budget than that.

Food Costs

With so many amazing Ghanaian delicacies, food was one of my favourite parts of my time here!

Not only was it affordable, but it was readily accessible everywhere went went; from bus stations to city back-streets!

Over 12 days, I spent a total of £167.95 on food and drinks, averaging £14 per day.

*This includes £21.92 (325 GHS) just on beer! Plus it includes any snacks, water bottles and soft drinks for long journeys. As well as a ‘goodbye’ meal since Ghana was the last country on my West Africa overland trip! Without these, I’m sure I could’ve got my average to nearer £10/day… But for me, part of travel is being able to spend on things that I want to do!

If I exclude snacks and beers, my average meal cost comes to around 93 GHS (£6.24).

But here’s the breakdown:

*Several accommodation had breakfast included.

Overall, I thought Ghana offered some of the best food anywhere in West Africa – for a real range of prices. Street food and local restaurants were incredibly affordable, while spending more opened up options to excellent seafood, western places or modern cafés.

The only place I found noticeably more expensive was Mole National Park, where accommodation and restaurants naturally have far less competition.

Activity Costs

There are plenty of things to do in Ghana! Many of them are paid attractions, but they’re generally good value for money.

That said, I found myself becoming more picky on activities to save money. For example, I skipped out on entrance fees to a couple of sights in Accra.

In total, I spent £57.52 on activities during my time in Ghana, which averages £4.79 per day.

These are the only activities in Ghana I spent money on:

Best Value Activity: Mole National Park

The safaris in Mole National Park are some of the cheapest in the world! After we’d paid our entry fee to get into the park (£5.85 = 87.5 GHS), the safaris were crazy cheap. £4 (60 GHS) for a walking safari, and then I paid £10.70 (160 GHS) for a Jeep safari. You can of course pay more if you want something private or at night. Or you can pay less if you share the Jeep with more people – there were only four of us on my safari.

Whilst the safari costs are extremely low, beware as costs for accommodation can add up! If you’re on a super low budget, some accommodations offer tent pitches.

Most Worthwhile Activity: Wli Waterfalls

Once again, hiking in Wli is a variable cost depending on which route you do, and how much you want to tip. I went for the Togo Loop (longest route) which was £8.66 (130 GHS) for the entry.

Thankfully Mount Afadja we didn’t require a quide, so we only paid the entrance fee.

Worth Seeing Once: Cape Coast & Elmina Castles

Both castles by the coast include a guided tour. They are definitely worth the 80 GHS entrance fee, but I’m still undecided if it’s worth doing both. I enjoyed them, but there’s definitely historical overlap.

One I’d skip: Kakum National Park

The canopy walk was enjoyable enough, but considering the entrance fee and cost of getting there, it ended up being the only activity I didn’t think represented particularly good value.

Kakum National Park has variable pricing for Ghanaian and non-Ghanaian citizens, as well as adults, students and children. There are also different experiences (Canopy Walk and Nature Walk) which change the price.

Aside from all of these activities, there was still plenty to do for free in Ghana! I loved the markets, the beaches,

Miscellaneous Costs

Aside from accommodation, food and transport, there were only a handful of extra costs during my time in Ghana.

Some were essential (like my SIM), while others were optional (like my laundry souvenirs)!

My Miscellaneous Costs

*Whilst the VISA cost for me should’ve been $60, it ended up being $120 due to additional fees for speeding up the process. I applied for the VISA at the embassy in Abidjan, and just didn’t have the time to wait…

One thing I always budget for when travelling is a local SIM card. Having mobile data makes navigating between bus stations, booking accommodation and ordering taxis much easier, and Ghana was no exception.

I had been putting off my laundry for too long in West Africa, so Ghana was a great opportunity to get it done.

Cost of getting to Ghana

I have kept the cost of getting to Ghana separate because this varies from person to person, and there’s no ‘right’ way.

If you’re flying internationally, Accra has one of the most connected airports in the region. There are direct flights from several European cities such as London.

I was overlanding across West Africa, so I crossed from the northern land border after spending 1 week in Burkina Faso. This was convenient for me and saved some money, but obviously won’t work for everyone.

Typical Prices in Ghana

To help you plan your own budget, here are some of the prices I came across while travelling Ghana in 2026.

These are all based on my own experience, so prices may vary slightly depending on where you travel and your ability to negotiate.

FAQs

How much does it cost to travel Ghana?

Based on my experience travelling Ghana without a guide, I’d recommend budgeting around £35-50 per day.

For a 1 week trip in Ghana, it works out at around £315 in total. Meanwhile, 12 days in Ghana cost me £540.

Of course, exact costs will vary depending on your group size, and preferences for food, transport and accommodation.

Is Ghana expensive?

This depends on the standards you’re measuring to!

Compared to SE Asia, it’s a bit more expensive. Whereas, within West Africa, it’s on the lower-end of the spectrum.

A daily budget of around £35-50 per day, makes Ghana one of the more affordable countries to travel in North and West Africa, but not necessarily the cheapest of all!

It’s a little more than I spent in Mauritania, but given how much more developed it it, that’s not a surprise!

How to travel Ghana on a budget

The great thing about Ghana, is that you can travel on almost any kind of budget! If you’re on a budget, here are a few things that I did, to help stick to it!

• Using public transport: Public transport, particularly around cities, is good and extremely cheap!
• Browse accommodation across all booking platforms: Ghana has hostels, hotels and Airbnbs spread across a mixture of booking sites. Make sure to check out all of them for the best deal!
• Eating the local food: Local restaurants and street stalls are way cheaper than restaurants offering Western food. I also found them to be some of the best food going!
• Stay in rural areas: You can really make the most of your budget in Ghana if you spend more days in cheaper places. Accra and Mole felt twice as expensive as other places like Wli, Hohoe, Cape Coast or Busua.
• Download Bolt: Particularly in Accra, it was consistently cheaper and easier than negotiating taxis.
• Carry small notes: Several drivers and market stalls struggled to give change for larger denominations.

What surprised me about travel costs in Ghana

• I was surprised by how quickly costs added up! There always seemed to be an extra taxi to your accommodation, or another opportunity to get some street food, and naturally I spent a bit more.
• Western places felt particularly expensive! I went to a co-working cafe in Cape Coast, but ended up spending as much as I would’ve done in the UK! It was a treat to get a fancy coffee, but it doesn’t balance with how cheap other food can be.
• Mole National Park is the most expensive place to stay (but still incredible value)! Where else can you see wild elephants for as little!

What I’d do differently?

If I were to go back and travel Ghana all over again, there are only two things I’d change.

• Firstly, I’d stay for longer. Travelling so frequently increases the daily average spend, so I’d be able to slow down more.
• I’d explore more rural areas. Some of my highlights were in the Eastern corridor near Lake Volta and Wli. Accommodation was incredibly cheap and the nature feels untouched!
• I’d also try to organise my VISA further in advance to avoid spending on additional fees for express service…

My Verdict: Ghana Travel Cost

• Is Ghana cheap? ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
• Recommended budget: £35-50/day
• Biggest expense: Accommodation/Food
• Best value: Transport
• Worth travelling on a budget? Yes

Before arriving, I expected Ghana to be one of the most expensive countries in West Africa. Instead, it proved me wrong, and offered pretty good value for money.

I spent slightly more here than in Mauritania or Senegal, but the difference was reflected in better accommodation, easier transport, fantastic food and some genuinely memorable experiences.

If you’re backpacking independently, I’d budget around £35-50 per day. That gives you enough flexibility to eat well, visit Ghana’s biggest attractions and travel comfortably without constantly worrying about your budget.

It’s a country where spending a little extra often goes a long way.

Before you go

Thank you for reading my breakdown of how much I spent in Ghana and overview of general Ghana travel cost. If guides, itineraries and travel content like this interest you, head over to my Homepage to find out more.

If you are new to Matt’s Next Steps, check out my About page to find out a bit more about who I am, my travel adventures, and why I wanted to become a travel writer.

Please comment below and let me know your thoughts and experiences, or if there is anything else you want information on.

Happy travelling!