Hello. I currently live in the US & planning on moving to Accra in August with my 3 kids. I have been to Ghana a couple of times & I'm originally from the neighboring country , Togo. I grew up & have lived in the US most of my life. I would like to know what the pros & cons of leaving in Ghana are. What are the safe & affordable neighborhood? Is it wiser to rent or buy? would like to get information about the schools , comparable to the ones here in the US ( good schools @ resonable price) as I have a 8yrs old, 6 & 2. How about the banking jobs ? My husband is a bank branch manager here in the US & will eventually join us when he finds a job. I have my own business & planning on opening a shop in Accra. Please , I would like to hear about your experience or anything that would help with my decision. Thanks.
Moving to Accra
Hi Jorbrie, do not hesitate to browse through the forum, it may help.
Wishing you good luck in your projects,
Harmonie.
If you have been to Ghana before you will know that it has a lot going for it in African terms - it is generally peaceful and safe and the people are very friendly and welcoming but it is not a cheap place. It will depend on your budget whether you decide to rent or buy. Depending on where you want to live I would budget for US$200 000+ to buy. To rent you would be looking at US$1500+ per month and you are expected to pay 2 years up front.
Schools of an American standard aren't that cheap either. I hope someone else can give actual figures on fees but I would expect a few thousand dollars a year.
The banking industry has taken off in Ghana so I expect he wouldn't have any problems finding a job but I don't know how salaries compare with those in the US.
Good luck with your company and with your move.
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Thanks all. I will be in Accra on jan 19th. The goal of this trip is to come & do some research & see if this is what I really want to do. I will be coming by myself & will spend 2 weeks in accra. Is that enough time to see everything ( housing, schooling for kids, activities, opening a business in Accra, everyday life) ? The last time I visited Accra was in 2009, just for 3 days. Has it changed much since? This trip would determine my decision for my move in August. I just want to make sure I'm not doing something that I would regret. From my recent visits, I really like Ghana. I'm tired of the stressful life here in the US, the bad economy & especially the cold weather. I want to eat & provide fresh organic food for my kids, while still want them to get the same quality of education they are getting here (if not, better). Do you think Ghana would be the right place for me? Thanks for your kind replies.
I would think you could achieve quite a lot in 2 weeks but not sure if you can do everything you need to do. You will need to put things in place before you come - eg. research schools so you can find an area to live. Find out the best area for you to start your business and how to go about renting a shop/office etc.
With regard to fresh organic food, I hope you will find it in Ghana as the type of fruits and veg that you are used to in the US can be very expensive here but if you eat local food then that is much more affordable.
Good luck with your decision.
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