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Boankra on a budget: my photographer's month of scrambling, coffee, and cheap hostels

@Adam Wright2/7/2026blog

hey, i’m a freelance photographer in boankra trying to keep my gear budget from turning into a black hole. the city’s streets are a patchwork of dusty lanes and sudden neon bursts, and the sky these days looks like someone spilled teal paint across a sunrise and forgot to wipe it off. i’m staying in a one‑bedroom flat above a little coffee shop that plays vinyl from the '70s, and the rent’s sitting at about $450 a month - cheap enough that i can afford a few rolls of film each week, but pricey enough that i’m constantly checking the meter on my portable scanner. the safety vibe? honestly, the homicide rate is lower than the number of stray cats i’ve adopted, and the neighborhood watch is more like a group of retirees swapping stories over street food. i’ve heard drunk advice from a guy at the market: “if you’re gonna rent, make sure the landlord doesn’t say ‘all utilities included’ unless you enjoy surprise water bills that hit you like a rogue flash.” that rumor has kept me double‑checking every lease.

the job market for creatives is a weird beast; there are a few boutique studios that pay peanuts but love the aesthetic, and a handful of online gig platforms that treat you like a commodity. i managed to snag a few wedding shoots through a local subreddit, and the payoff is decent if you can handle the pressure of trying to capture ‘the perfect moment’ while the crowd is busy ordering jollof rice and arguing about which direction the sun sets. speaking of moments, i’ve been chasing light in the old market square where the murals change color depending on the time of day - it’s like watching a living Instagram filter in real life.

*here’s a quick data table i scribbled on the back of a receipt (don’t ask why i keep receipts):*
- rent (1‑bedroom): $450
- utilities (electric, water, internet): $70
- food (groceries + street eats): $120
- transport (bike + occasional taxi): $30
- camera gear upkeep: $45
- miscellaneous (gifts, laundry, random fees): $35

total comes to roughly $750 a month, which is about what i’d spend on a decent coffee habit in a bigger city. the only thing that feels like a luxury is the occasional weekend escape to the nearby coastal town of Kpata, just a short bus ride away, where the sea breeze feels like a free upgrade to my soul.

i’ve also got a couple of Unsplash shots i keep using for my Instagram feed - one of the sunrise over the river, another of a bustling night market lit by lanterns.

and

they’re not high‑resolution masterpieces, but they get likes.

if you’re curious about the day‑to‑day vibe, check out these links: Boankra on TripAdvisor Yelp Boankra r/Boankra on Reddit they’re full of cheap eats recommendations and warnings about the occasional power outage that turns the whole block into a low‑light photography playground.

current weather? think of a lazy teal sigh that drifts over the rooftops, and the neighbors next door are just a quick flight to the pine‑covered hills of Adidome if you ever need a change of scenery for a shoot. i’ve heard locals whisper that the hills are perfect for sunrise timelapses, but you have to be quick because the mist rolls in fast.

overall, living in boankra feels like balancing a budget spreadsheet with a heart that wants to capture every fleeting color. it’s messy, it’s unpredictable, and sometimes it feels like you’re constantly negotiating with a city that’s half‑sleepy, half‑wired. but if you can keep your gear safe, your rent low, and your appetite for street food insatiable, you might just find a rhythm that lets you chase light without breaking the bank.

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About the author: Adam Wright

Writer, thinker, and occasional over-thinker.

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