Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Swakopmund

For one person, living is cheaper in Swakopmund: $558 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $19,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Swakopmund
🇳🇦 Namibia
$558
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon 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 Lisbon and in Swakopmund actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $558 in Swakopmund.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Swakopmund $558

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $1,034 in Swakopmund.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Swakopmund $1,034

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $1,510 in Swakopmund.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Swakopmund $1,510

Living in Lisbon is roughly 294% more expensive than in Swakopmund, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Swakopmund is 59% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Swakopmund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$5.35 NAD 88.2
218.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$33.92 NAD 559
83.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$3.51 NAD 57.8
213.96%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$1.68 NAD 27.68
85.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$0.77 NAD 12.73
194.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$0.57 NAD 9.47
205.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$1.26 NAD 20.72
171.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$1.61 NAD 26.46
132.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Swakopmund
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$2.16 NAD 35.61
-45.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.34 NAD 22.15
38.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
-
-
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$2.21 NAD 36.47
83.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$7.48 NAD 123
72.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$3.38 NAD 55.7
-33.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.52 NAD 24.98
15.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$1.98 NAD 32.54
29.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$7.71 NAD 127
-26.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$0.59 NAD 9.80
132.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Swakopmund
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
$29.22 NAD 482
52.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$0.78 NAD 12.91
406.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$0.90 NAD 14.88
16.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$7.18 NAD 118
138.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.23 NAD 20.24
78.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Swakopmund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$52.1 NAD 859
214.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Swakopmund
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Swakopmund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Swakopmund
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$69.1 NAD 1,138
80.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Swakopmund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$404 NAD 6,654
293.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$232 NAD 3,816
404.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$841 NAD 13.8K
239.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$690 NAD 11.4K
188.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Swakopmund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
0
-

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Swakopmund: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Swakopmund
–
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Swakopmund
–
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Swakopmund
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Swakopmund
–
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Swakopmund
–
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Swakopmund
–
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Swakopmund
–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $404 in Swakopmund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $34.00 in Swakopmund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $121 per month, with Swakopmund cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇳🇦 Swakopmund
🕒 Local time
04:57 4:57 AM
05:57 5:57 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
25,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

NAD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Namibian Dollar exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 NAD (100 NAD = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 NAD (100 NAD = 5.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Swakopmund 7,260 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • 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
Lisbon vs Swakopmund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Swakopmund?
Lisbon and Swakopmund differ by about 294% in total monthly costs ($2,202 vs $558 including rent). Swakopmund is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Swakopmund?
You'd need roughly $3,302 in Lisbon and $838 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Swakopmund?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $404 in Swakopmund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 126% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Swakopmund?
All in, you'll spend $2,202 per month in Lisbon versus $558 in Swakopmund – a 294% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $558 in Swakopmund versus $2,202 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.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Swakopmund?
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.
Is Lisbon or Swakopmund safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Swakopmund?
Expats usually find Swakopmund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 294% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?