If you are currently living in Ghana, you might be considering immigration to Canada for a variety of reasons.
Perhaps, you live somewhere else in Africa and are debating the pros and cons of moving to Canada versus Ghana.
There are many factors to consider when deciding on where to relocate abroad, such as the climate, cost of living, job openings, educational opportunities, healthcare, safety and other issues.
This article will compare living in Canada or Ghana and then you can decide for yourself which is better for you.
Table of Contents
Climate and Geography in Canada and Ghana
Climate
Canada experiences all four seasons and its climate ranges from temperate along the Pacific coast to continental in the central region and Atlantic coast to sub-Arctic in the northern part of the country.
Examples of average high and low temperatures (in Celsius) for certain Canadian cities are as follows:
- Vancouver – July (High = 22C and Low = 14C) / January (High = 7C and Low = 1C)
- Calgary – July (High = 23C and Low = 10C) / January (High = -1C and Low = -13C)
- Toronto – July (High = 27C and Low = 18C) / January (High = -1C and Low = -7C)
- Montreal – July (High = 26C and Low = 16C) / January (High = -5C and Low = -14C)
- Halifax – July (High = 23C and Low = 14C) / January (High = 0C and Low = -8C)
The average yearly precipitation for select Canadian cities is as follows:
- Vancouver = 168 days of precipitation per year / 1,457 mm of annual precipitation
- Calgary = 112 days of precipitation per year / 419 mm of annual precipitation
- Toronto = 145 days of precipitation per year / 831 mm of annual precipitation
- Montreal = 163 days of precipitation per year / 1,000 mm of annual precipitation
- Halifax = 162 days of precipitation per year / 1,468 mm of annual precipitation
Ghana is located 900.6 kilometers (559.6 miles) from the Equator and has a tropical climate with a dry season and a wet season which is greatly influenced by the monsoon winds of West Africa.
The climate of Ghana is typically warm, but varies depending on the elevation and time of year.
The southwestern region of Ghana is generally humid and hot; the east coast of Ghana is relatively dry and warm; and northern Ghana is typically dry and hot.
There are generally two rainy seasons in southern Ghana (April – July and September – November), while there is one rainy season in northern Ghana (May – September).
The average high temperature in Ghana in July is about 27.1C and the average low is around 23.5C, whereas the average high temperature in January is about 30.1C and the average low temperature is around 24.5C.
In Accra, Ghana’s capital city, it rains about 53 days per year and the annual rainfall is around 740 mm.
Thus, when it comes to Ghana vs Canada in regards to the climate, Ghana generally has milder weather than Canada throughout the year, but Canadian get to enjoy all four seasons.
Geography
Canada is the second largest country in the world, stretching from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Atlantic Ocean in the east, while bordering the United States in the south and the Arctic Ocean in the north.
Coastal mountains and the Canadian Rockies are in the western region of the country; the Prairie Provinces are in the flat central plains section of Canada; the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River occupy the southeast lowlands; and to the east are the northern Appalachian Mountains and Maritime (Atlantic) Provinces.
Canada is a beautiful country with scenic mountains, forests, rivers, valleys, plains and around 2 million lakes.
The Canadian Rocky Mountains are home to snowcapped peaks and some of Canada’s most scenic national parks, such as Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, and Waterton Lakes National Park which are all in Alberta province.
The longest rivers in Canada include the Mackenzie River, Yukon River, and St. Lawrence River.
Canada shares with the United States four of The Great Lakes (Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario), while Great Bear Lake, Great Slave Lake and Lake Winnipeg are the largest lakes completely inside Canada.
There are 10 provinces and three territories in Canada:
- Canadian Provinces – Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan
- Canadian Territories – Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon
Quebec is the biggest province in Canada, while Ontario has the largest population (15,608,369 residents).
There are over 40 million people living in Canada.
Ghana is located in West Africa and bordered by the Atlantic Ocean’s Gulf of Guinea in the south, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and Togo in the east.
The population of Ghana is over 34 million people.
Forests, shrublands and grasslands are the primary vegetation found throughout Ghana.
The Volta River is the major waterway in Ghana, flowing from north to south into Lake Volta and then emptying into the Gulf of Guinea.
Ghana is home to beautiful national parks, including Kakum National Park, Kyabobo National Park, and Mole National Park.
In regards to Canada vs Ghana in terms of geography, both countries are diverse and beautiful, however, Canada is 41.8 times larger and has greater geographic diversity.
Cost of Living
According to the Numbeo.com website, the cost of living in Canada’s largest city, Toronto, excluding housing, is about $1,421 Canadian Dollars (CAD) per month for a single person and around $5,128 CAD for a family of four.
The average monthly rent in Toronto’s city center is approximately $2,448 CAD for a one bedroom apartment and around $3,925 CAD for a three bedroom apartment, while the average monthly rent outside of Toronto’s city center is about $2,085 CAD for a one bedroom apartment and $3,261 CAD for a three bedroom apartment.
The average salary in Canada is around $6,000 CAD per month or $72,000 CAD per year, but income will vary depending on the occupation, education level, years of experience, location, etc.
By comparison, the Numbeo.com website reports that the cost of living in Ghana’s largest city, Accra, excluding housing, is around $670 CAD for a single person and about $2,389 CAD for a family of four.
The average monthly rent in Accra’s city center is about $767 CAD for a one bedroom apartment and around $2,933 CAD for a three bedroom apartment, while the average monthly rent outside of Accra’s city center is about $113 CAD for a one bedroom apartment and around $520 CAD for a three bedroom apartment.
The average salary in Ghana is approximately $553 CAD per month or $6,640 per year, but income will vary depending on the occupation, education level, years of experience, location, etc.
When it comes to Ghana vs Canada regarding the cost of living, Canadians pay more for housing and other living expenses, however, they earn much higher salaries than people living in Ghana.
In fact, Canada is ranked as the #13 most prosperous country in the world (Ghana is ranked #98), according to the 2023 Legatum Prosperity Index.
Job Opportunities
Canada has the 10th largest economy in the world, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of $2.1 trillion USD, is a member of the G7 and has a low unemployment rate of 5.7% (October 2023).
Around 70.2% of Canada’s GDP comes from the services sector, about 28.2% is derived from industry, and agriculture accounts for approximately 1.6% of the country’s economic output.
Statistics Canada reported (December 2023) that there were 706,100 Canadian job openings throughout the country in all sectors of the economy.
According to economists, there is a strong demand for workers to fill jobs in Canada, especially as more and more Canadians retire.
Thousands of Canadian jobs are available to skilled foreign workers in industries such as:
- Accounting
- Business
- Construction
- Education
- Engineering
- Finance
- Healthcare
- Information Technology
- Maintenance & Repair
- Manufacturing
- Natural Resources
- Telecommunications
Examples of median annual salaries (Canada’s Job Bank, 2023) for select jobs in Canada are as follows:
- Accountant = $73,843 CAD
- Civil Engineer = $82,560 CAD
- Construction Manager = $78,470 CAD
- Crane Operator = $65,280 CAD
- Dentist = $118,394 CAD
- Electrical Engineer = $83,078 CAD
- Electrician = $57,792 CAD
- Primary School Teacher = $79,123 CAD
- Financial Analyst = $72,864 CAD
- Human Resources Manager = $97,843 CAD
- Physician = $216,833 CAD
- Occupational Therapist = $79,334 CAD
- Pharmacist = $104,646 CAD
- Plumber = $59,520 CAD
- Registered Nurse = $76,800 CAD
- Retail & Wholesale Manager = $68,314 CAD
- Secondary School Teacher = $84,403 CAD
- Software Engineer = $94,810 CAD
- University Professor = $103,392 CAD
Ghana has one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $76.6 billion USD (89th largest in the world) and a low unemployment rate of 3.8% (October 2023).
Around 49% of Ghana’s GDP comes from the services sector, about 30% is derived from industry, and agriculture accounts for approximately 21% of the country’s economic output.
Many of the jobs in Ghana are in the following business sectors:
- Agriculture
- Construction
- Financial Services
- Energy
- Mining
- Tourism
- Education
- E-Commerce
- Entertainment
Examples of median annual salaries (PayScale, 2023) for select jobs in Ghana are as follows:
- Accountant = $3,304 CAD per year
- Civil Engineer = $2,643 CAD per year
- Electrical Engineer = $3,968 CAD per year
- Registered Nurse = $4,185 CAD per year
- Secondary School Teacher = $1,542 CAD per year
- Software Engineer = $3,967 CAD per year
In regards to Canada versus Ghana for job opportunities, both countries have growing economies, but the Canadian economy is much larger; both countries have low unemployment rates, but it is lower in Ghana; both countries have many job openings in various business sectors, but Canada has a lot more; and salaries for jobs in Canada are substantially higher than for jobs in Ghana.
Healthcare and Education
Healthcare
Canadian citizens and permanent residents receive free or subsidized healthcare in the province or territory where they live in Canada.
The average life expectancy at birth in Canada (82.96 years) is among the longest in the world.
Ghana has one of the best healthcare systems in Africa, however, it is not at the same high standard as found in Canada and other developed countries.
The average life expectancy at birth in Ghana is only about 64.94 years (around 18 years lower than in Canada).
When comparing Ghana versus Canada regarding healthcare, the Canadian healthcare system and longevity are far ahead of what is found in Ghana.
Education
Canada has been called the “education superpower” because of the high quality of its primary, secondary and tertiary education programs.
Canadian secondary students consistently score among the top 10 best-performing countries on the OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests for reading, math and science.
Canada also has the largest percentage of working-age adults with a post-secondary education.
Furthermore, several Canadian universities are listed year-after-year among the world’s top 100 best universities, including the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, McGill University, and McMaster University.
Ghana has one of the best education systems in Africa, however, it is not at the same high standard as Canada and other developed countries.
Additionally, Ghana does not yet have the required number of tertiary education graduates needed for socio-economic progress.
The literacy rate in Ghana is about 80.4% compared with 99% literacy in Canada.
In 2020, Ghana spent about 3.9% of its GDP on education, compared with 11.4% in Canada that same year.
The University of Cape Coast is ranked among the world’s 350-400 best universities, while the University of Ghana, University for Development Studies, University of Professional Studies, and University of Health and Allied Sciences are ranked among the top 1,000-1,200 universities in the world.
When comparing Canada versus Ghana on education, Canada has a higher quality education system overall and offers more educational opportunities than Ghana.
Social Life and Leisure Activities
People who live in Canada are generally known for their friendliness, particularly toward newcomers, as well as their compassion and humility.
Furthermore, Canada was ranked as the #4 most family-friendly country in the world for 2023.
Equality and multiculturalism are also important to Canadians, where around 23% of the population is foreign-born.
Canadians enjoy a wide range of leisure activities, including ice hockey, snow skiing, football/soccer, golf, tennis, basketball, biking, hiking, camping, along with reading books, watching television and movies, going to concerts, dining out and shopping.
In Ghana, there is a strong sense of community, with family and respect for the elderly important priorities in society.
The people of Ghana are generally friendly and newcomers are welcomed with great hospitality.
Ghana has a diverse population with around 53 ethnic groups and more than 90 languages spoken.
Religion is important to the people of Ghana and a large proportion of the population participate in Christian or Muslim religious services each week.
Ghanaians enjoy a variety of leisure activities, including going to the beach (e.g., in Accra), swimming, football/soccer, volleyball, cricket, basketball, hiking, surfing, listening to music, dancing, and generally spending time with family and friends.
When comparing Ghana versus Canada on social life and leisure activities, both countries are similar on key factors.
Safety and Security
The 2022 Global Peace Index ranked Canada as the #12 most peaceful country in the world and US News & World Report listed Canada as the #3 safest country in 2023.
Ghana is one of the safest countries in Africa and was ranked as the #40 most peaceful country in the 2022 Global Peace Index, as well as the #61 safest country in the 2023 ranking by US News & World Report.
When it comes to Canada versus Ghana regarding safety and security, Canada is clearly the winner, although both countries are considered politically-stable countries.
Conclusion – Canada or Ghana: Which is better?
Only you can decide if living in Canada or Ghana is better for you and your family.
Ghana and Canada are similar in many ways, such as being friendly countries, offering good economic opportunities, possessing beautiful outdoor scenery, having similar kinds of leisure activities, and being diverse countries.
English is also an official language in both Ghana and Canada (French is Canada’s other official language).
The weather may be better in Ghana than Canada throughout the year, however, Canadians get to enjoy all four seasons.
Canada is one of the safest and most prosperous countries and has world-class education and healthcare systems.
There are many more available jobs in Canada than in Ghana and the salaries in Canada are much higher.
Canada is one of the world’s most immigrant-friendly countries and plans to welcome a record 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024 and 500,000 in 2025, most of whom will be skilled foreign workers and their family members.
Canadian permanent residents can live, study and work in Canada for an unlimited amount of time, buy a home, start a business, receive public healthcare, attend educational programs, travel to and from Canada, sponsor family members for Canadian visas and apply to become Canadian citizens after living in Canada for only three years during a five-year time period.
So, what do you think? Would you and your family like to start new lives living in Canada as permanent residents?
The first step is to find out if you are eligible for one of the many Canadian immigration programs.
Since 2012, Canadian Visa Expert has been working with authorized immigration consultants who can evaluate your eligibility and also guide you through each step of the application process if you qualify.
FAQ’s
Where is it more affordable to live: Canada or Ghana?
This depends on a person’s income and where they live in Canada or Ghana. In general, it is less expensive to live in Ghana, however, the salaries are also much lower than in Canada. It costs more to live in Canada than in Ghana, however, Canadian workers generally earn high salaries. The key to affordable housing and low cost of living in Canada is to get a good-paying job and live somewhere with lower housing costs. For example, housing is more expensive in Vancouver and Toronto, and less expensive in Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, and Quebec City.
What are the key differences in lifestyle between Ghana and Canada?
Ghana and Canada are similar in their lifestyles, such as being friendly and welcoming newcomers; spending time with family and friends; enjoying nature and outdoor activities; etc. Canadians and Ghanaians participate in similar leisure activities and sports, however, football/soccer is the most popular sport in Ghana, while ice hockey is the top sport in Canada.
What is the employment landscape like in Ghana compared to Canada?
Ghana and Canada both have low unemployment rates and good employment opportunities, however, Canada has many more jobs available (over 700,000 job openings) and Canadian jobs pay much higher salaries than found in Ghana.
How does the education system in Ghana compare to that in Canada?
Both Ghana and Canada have good educational systems and institutions. Canada is considered one of the best countries in terms of the high-quality education available; Canadian students generally outperform their peers from the OECD countries in academic testing (e.g., reading, math and science); Canada spends a lot more of its GDP on education than Ghana; and several Canadian universities are ranked among the top 100 best universities in the world. For these and other reasons, approximately 800,000 international students choose to study abroad in Canada.
Is it better to live in Canada or Ghana?
The answer to this question depends on what is important to you and your family and what you are looking for in life. Ghana and Canada are both nice places to live and have much to offer. As the #10 largest economy and one of the most prosperous countries, Canada has more job opportunities than Ghana and Canadian salaries are much higher. Canada was ranked #3 in the world for best quality of life in 2023, after Norway and Sweden, so if you are searching for a higher standard of living, Canada is the place to be. Canadians get advanced public healthcare, the education is world-class and the life expectancy at birth is among the longest in the world. Canada is one of the world’s safest countries, the people are friendly, families flourish and entrepreneurs thrive. So, would you rather live in Canada or Ghana?
