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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $735 in Swakopmund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,118 in Swakopmund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,500 in Swakopmund.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 212% more expensive than in Swakopmund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Swakopmund is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$5.55 NAD 91.4

191.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$33.80 NAD 557

87.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$3.24 NAD 53.4

218.52%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.68 NAD 27.72

68.45%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.69 NAD 11.39

231.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.51 NAD 8.37

209.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.28 NAD 21.04

165.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$1.70 NAD 28.09

137.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.20 NAD 19.81

-9.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.87 NAD 14.40

101.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.06 NAD 34.03

53.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$7.45 NAD 123

77.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.48 NAD 24.35

15.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.91 NAD 31.41

27.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.26 NAD 37.33

-15.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.15 NAD 51.9

108.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$6.67 NAD 110

-16.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.58 NAD 9.52

129.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.71 NAD 11.64

495.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.30 NAD 21.34

60.00%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$13.7K NAD 226.1K

152.69%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$17.0K NAD 280.2K

130.34%

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

$148 €130

$51.0 NAD 841

190.24%

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

$20.46 €17.90

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$66.1 NAD 1,089

-40.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$33.03 NAD 544

45.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$11.34 NAD 187

64.02%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$6.04 NAD 99.6

52.65%

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

$616 €539

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$65.5 NAD 1,080

86.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$470 NAD 7,745

247.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$351 NAD 5,781

251.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$963 NAD 15.9K

221.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$674 NAD 11.1K

201.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$619 NAD 10.2K

1164.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$364 NAD 5,991

1107.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Swakopmund: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $470 in Swakopmund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $34.00 in Swakopmund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $95.0 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 212% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $735 including rent). Swakopmund is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,437 in Lisbon and $1,103 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $470 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 $34.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $735 in Swakopmund – a 212% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $735 in Swakopmund versus $2,291 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 212% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.