7 everyday things in Ghana that are now more expensive in 2026

Ghana's dramatic inflation battle, from a record 54% in late 2022 down to single digits in 2025, has been rightly celebrated. The country's inflation rate dropped to 5.4% in December 2025, a dramatic fall from the 23.8% recorded in December 2024, according to the Ghana Statistical Service. But don't let the headline numbers fool you.

For ordinary Ghanaians, a number of specific, everyday costs have quietly crept upward in 2026, the result of new tariff orders, surging demand, and persistent structural pressures.

Here are seven of them.

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This one was signed, sealed, and delivered before the year even began. The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) announced new increases in electricity and water tariffs, which took effect from January 1, 2026, following the completion of the 2026–2030 Multi-Year Tariff Review process.

For electricity specifically, residential customers consuming between zero and 300 kWh now pay 200.22 pesewas per kWh, compared to the existing 182.24 pesewas. Those consuming 301 kWh and above now pay 264.56 pesewas per kWh, up from 240.81 pesewas. The PURC cited the increasing share of costly thermal power, projected to account for 78.79% of Ghana's electricity generation mix, up from 70.75% in 2025, as a major driver.

What makes this especially painful for workers is the timing. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has calculated that the 9.86% electricity hike will completely erode the value of the 9% increase in the national minimum wage, which also took effect on January 1, 2026, leaving workers in a worse financial position than in 2025. The TUC notably described the increases as the "Government's New Year's gift to Ghanaians."

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Running alongside the electricity increase, and actually sharper, is the rise in water tariffs. Water tariffs increased by 15.92% over the 2026–2030 period, based on projected production and sales volumes, non-revenue water levels, and expected capital investment requirements.

The reason for the steeper hike compared to electricity? For the water sector, the PURC pointed toward the high cost of raw water treatment, exacerbated by illegal mining pollution, and the urgent need to address non-revenue water levels, which stand at approximately 43%. That means roughly 43 out of every 100 litres produced never generates revenue, and consumers are effectively helping to foot that bill.

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Residents at public hearings argued that higher tariffs would worsen the cost of living, strain small businesses, and disproportionately affect low-income households. Traders and households in Ho, for example, expressed frustration that rising utility bills come at a time when food, transport, and housing costs are already climbing.

Whether you're a family in Accra or a trader in Makola, rent is biting harder in 2026.

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As of January 2026, rents in Ghana have increased approximately 8% to 14% year-over-year, with Accra's well-located apartments trending toward the higher end of that range. The main drivers include persistent housing-related inflation, strong demand from returning diaspora and expats, and limited new quality supply in prime locations.

But the most dramatic, and controversial, rent story of early 2026 is playing out in the markets. Traders at Makola No. 2 Market revealed that rent stood at GH¢95,848.44 in 2024 inclusive of VAT and levies, was increased to GH¢120,343.04 in 2025, and a newly proposed rent for 2026 stands at GH¢158,035.39, representing nearly a 58% increase. Hundreds of traders staged a protest on February 26, warning that the situation was becoming unsustainable and appealing directly to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene.

After years of fuel volatility crushing household budgets, pump prices have stabilised somewhat in 2026, but utility gas and energy costs are a different story.

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Inflation for the utilities, gas, and other fuels category surged by 330 basis points to 12.6% year-on-year as the first quarter 2026 utility tariff hike ignited price momentum. This is a reversal from the previous trend and is directly linked to the new PURC tariff order. For households that rely on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for cooking, which remains a large portion of urban Ghanaians, this translates into heavier spending on a monthly staple.

The broader fuel picture, however, offers a partial counterpoint. Declining and relatively stable pump prices in 2026 have begun to reshape everyday economic decisions, with commercial drivers and traders experiencing some relief after years of sharp increases. The tension between stable fuel at the pump and rising utility gas costs is something many Ghanaian households are navigating at once.

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Beyond residential housing, commercial space costs have surged. The Makola No. 2 story is emblematic of a broader pressure on small traders. Traders claim that monthly shop rent at Makola No. 2 has been hiked from GH¢1,000 to GH¢1,500, and on top of that, a 20 percent charge was imposed on traders who have occupied the property for more than 30 years.

The backlash was swift. The Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, assured traders that the proposed rent increment and the disputed 20 percent charge would not take effect immediately, as the Accra Metropolitan Assembly moved to engage management to resolve the grievances. The standoff highlights how cost pressures are cascading from landlords to small business owners, and ultimately to consumers who shop at these markets.

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For families who send their children to private schools, the cost of education has continued to climb well above the general inflation rate.

Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) noted that several factors, including inflation, increased operational costs, and the necessity to provide quality educational resources, are major contributors to fee adjustments at private schools. EduWatch's Executive Director Kofi Asare defended the increases, noting that the market realities, from food costs to staffing, leave schools little choice.

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For those looking at international schools in Accra, the figures are stark. Premium international schools such as Lincoln Community School and British International School Accra sit at the top tier, with primary fees reaching GH¢140,000–200,000 annually and secondary or IB programme fees running from GH¢180,000 to GH¢250,000 or more. Mid-tier schools have similarly moved up the fee ladder, squeezing the middle-class families who had previously stretched to afford them.

This one is more nuanced, and requires a bit of context. Ghana's Ministry of Communications intervened in mid-2025 to force networks to offer more value. But not all operators experienced the same outcome.

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For MTN Ghana, which holds Significant Market Power status, all existing data bundles saw a 15% price increase effective July 1, 2025. However, the popular GH¢399 bundle, which had previously been reduced in value, was restored to its original form. In other words, while MTN users technically got more data, they paid 15% more across other bundles. Telecom taxes currently make up nearly 39% of total data pricing, a structural burden the Ministry acknowledged is making data expensive, and one that continues to affect Ghanaians daily.

The National Communications Authority has been directed to monitor implementation and apply sanctions to any operator that fails to comply, with quarterly billing integrity audits beginning from Q3 2025. Reforms are in progress, but for now, mobile data remains one of the more expensive line items in many Ghanaian household budgets.

Ghana's macroeconomic recovery is real and hard-won. February 2026 inflation data suggests that Ghana's disinflation trend is near the finish line, with the authorities in the decisive phase of sustaining price stability. But the cumulative toll of years of high inflation, combined with new structural tariff hikes, means everyday life still costs significantly more in 2026 than it did just two or three years ago, and for many households, those pressures haven't gone anywhere.