Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Swakopmund Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Swakopmund

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $617 in Swakopmund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,123 in Swakopmund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,629 in Swakopmund.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 268% more expensive than in Swakopmund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Swakopmund is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.09

$6.32 NAD 101

177.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.5

$37.29 NAD 596

72.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.01

$3.76 NAD 60.0

209.84%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.80

$1.93 NAD 30.81

68.91%

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

$2.49 €2.14

$0.76 NAD 12.22

227.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.60 NAD 9.65

178.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.38 NAD 21.98

151.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.07

$1.83 NAD 29.16

95.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.30 NAD 36.76

-48.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.67

$1.47 NAD 23.46

32.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.34

Eggs

$4.01 €3.45

$2.31 NAD 36.92

73.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.41

$8.02 NAD 128

65.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.24

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.68

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.64 NAD 58.2

-36.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.59 NAD 25.45

8.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.23 NAD 35.64

18.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.03

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.09

$8.41 NAD 134

-29.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$0.61 NAD 9.74

122.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.74

$31.14 NAD 497

48.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.60

$0.84 NAD 13.39

398.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.94

$0.91 NAD 14.55

20.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.84

$7.38 NAD 118

133.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.93

$1.29 NAD 20.64

74.42%

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

$34.5K €29.6K

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

$41.6K €35.8K

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

$171 €147

$57.4 NAD 918

197.49%

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

$19.01 €16.34

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.48

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.69

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.77

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.68

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

$699 €601

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.24

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €110

$74.5 NAD 1,190

72.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,428

$434 NAD 6,934

282.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,056

$255 NAD 4,070

382.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,506

$934 NAD 14.9K

212.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,740

$738 NAD 11.8K

174.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €6,989

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,985

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,392

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Swakopmund: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $434 in Swakopmund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $37.00 in Swakopmund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $130 per month, with Swakopmund cheaper across the board.

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

Lisbon vs Swakopmund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Swakopmund differ by about 268% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $617 including rent). Swakopmund is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,402 in Lisbon and $925 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $434 in Swakopmund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 117% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $617 in Swakopmund – a 268% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $617 in Swakopmund versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Swakopmund but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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, Lisbon 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 268% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.