Where people live in Ghana is making a significant difference to the pace at which prices are rising, with inflation reaching 9.8% in the Ashanti Region in September while the Western Region recorded a decline in prices over the same period.
The figures from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) show how the national inflation rate of 5.2% masks sharply different price movements across the country, with households in some regions facing considerably stronger price pressures than others.
Ashanti recorded the highest year-on-year inflation rate at 9.8%, followed by the Eastern Region at 7.8% and the Central Region at 7.2%, according to the September 2026 Consumer Price Index (CPI) data.
Greater Accra, meanwhile, recorded inflation of 3.4%, below the national average, while the Western Region posted a negative rate of 0.5%, meaning prices in the region’s measured consumer basket were lower on average than a year earlier.
The 10.3-percentage-point gap between Ashanti and Western Region highlights the uneven pace of price changes across Ghana, even as national inflation remains far below the 9.4% recorded in September 2025.
One country, different price pressures
For households, regional inflation matters because changes in the prices of goods and services affect how far their incomes can stretch. However, the inflation rate measures the pace of price changes, not the absolute cost of living in a region.
The September figures show that inflation in Ashanti was almost twice the national rate, while Greater Accra’s rate was considerably lower. This does not necessarily mean that living in Ashanti is more expensive than living in Greater Accra, but it indicates that prices in the regional basket were rising faster in Ashanti compared with a year earlier.
Other regions also recorded different rates. Ahafo registered 5.9%, while the Upper East Region recorded 4.5% and Volta Region 4.1%. Western North and Upper West both recorded 3.1%, while Savannah Region’s rate was 1.5%.
Bono East recorded negative inflation of 0.1%, while the Northern Region’s rate was close to zero at 0.02%.
Ashanti and Greater Accra drive much of national inflation
Despite recording different inflation rates, Ashanti and Greater Accra together accounted for 56.6% of Ghana’s overall inflation in September, the GSS data showed.
The distinction is important: a region’s inflation rate measures how quickly prices are changing, while its contribution to national inflation reflects its weight in the overall consumer price calculation as well as the price movements recorded there.
Greater Accra’s contribution therefore remained significant even though its 3.4% inflation rate was below the national average.
Nationally, inflation rose to 5.2% in September from 5.0% in August. Food inflation increased from 3.0% to 4.0%, while non-food inflation eased from 6.8% to 6.2%.
Fresh tomatoes recorded a 153.4% year-on-year price increase, while ginger rose by 100.4% and shrimps by 62.8%. Rent also remained a major contributor to the overall inflation rate.
These pressures can affect household budgets through food purchases, housing costs, transport and other everyday expenses, although the impact on each household depends on its spending patterns.
The regional differences underline the importance of looking beyond the headline inflation rate when assessing price pressures in Ghana.
A national rate of 5.2% does not mean that every household is experiencing a 5.2% increase in the cost of its usual purchases.
