Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Swakopmund

For one person, living is cheaper in Swakopmund: $582 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $25,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Swakopmund

🇳🇦 Namibia

$582

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Swakopmund

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Swakopmund actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $582 in Swakopmund.

Austin, TX $2,704
Swakopmund $582

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,072 in Swakopmund.

Austin, TX $4,133
Swakopmund $1,072

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $1,562 in Swakopmund.

Austin, TX $5,562
Swakopmund $1,562

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 365% more expensive than in Swakopmund, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Swakopmund is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$5.92 NAD 97.6

241.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$35.91 NAD 593

136.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$3.56 NAD 58.7

246.91%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$1.85 NAD 30.49

195.68%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 $3.82

$0.77 NAD 12.74

396.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.55 NAD 9.04

354.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$1.38 NAD 22.77

484.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$1.84 NAD 30.42

388.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.18 NAD 35.96

-48.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.41 NAD 23.25

168.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.31 NAD 38.05

79.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$7.97 NAD 131

64.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.53 NAD 58.3

24.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.55 NAD 25.50

-6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.13 NAD 35.12

96.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$8.10 NAD 134

81.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$0.58 NAD 9.61

379.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$30.31 NAD 500

33.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.82 NAD 13.46

225.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.87 NAD 14.32

81.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$7.29 NAD 120

384.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.25 NAD 20.65

-20.80%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.8K $35.8K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.2K $27.2K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$219 $219

$54.3 NAD 895

304.18%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$58.0 $58.0

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,509 $1,509

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$73.1 NAD 1,207

43.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$422 NAD 6,968

357.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$235 NAD 3,885

440.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$898 NAD 14.8K

308.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$719 NAD 11.9K

251.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Swakopmund: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Swakopmund

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Swakopmund

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Swakopmund

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Swakopmund

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Swakopmund

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Swakopmund

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Swakopmund

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $422 in Swakopmund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $36.00 in Swakopmund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $126 per month, with Swakopmund cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇳🇦 Swakopmund

🕒 Local time

04:49 4:49 AM

11:49 11:49 AM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

25,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Namibian Dollar NAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 NAD = 6.06 USD

100 NAD = 5.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇳🇦 Namibian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Namibian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.5 NAD (100 NAD = 6.06 USD). 1 EUR = 18.49 NAD (100 NAD = 5.41 EUR).

NAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Swakopmund 13,320 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Swakopmund

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Austin, TX vs Swakopmund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swakopmund wins on cost – living expenses run 365% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Swakopmund the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,055 in Austin, TX and $873 in Swakopmund to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $422 in Swakopmund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Swakopmund – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Swakopmund runs roughly 34% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $582 in Swakopmund versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Swakopmund but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Swakopmund the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Swakopmund are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Swakopmund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 365% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.