Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Swakopmund and Lisbon

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.

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

How much you'll spend in Swakopmund and in Lisbon

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

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

  • Swakopmund $558
  • Lisbon $2,202

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

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

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

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

Living in Swakopmund costs roughly 75% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Swakopmund
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.35 NAD 88.2
$17.04 €15.15
-68.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.92 NAD 559
$62.3 €55.4
-45.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.51 NAD 57.8
$11.02 €9.80
-68.15%
Cappuccino
$1.68 NAD 27.68
$3.12 €2.78
-46.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 NAD 12.73
$2.27 €2.02
-66.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 NAD 9.47
$1.74 €1.55
-67.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.26 NAD 20.72
$3.42 €3.04
-63.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 NAD 26.46
$3.74 €3.33
-56.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Swakopmund
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 NAD 35.61
$1.17 €1.04
84.62%
White Bread (500g)
$1.34 NAD 22.15
$1.86 €1.66
-27.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.54 €1.37
-
Eggs
$2.21 NAD 36.47
$4.06 €3.61
-45.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.48 NAD 123
$12.91 €11.49
-42.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$7.90 €7.03
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$17.64 €15.69
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.38 NAD 55.7
$2.26 €2.01
49.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 NAD 24.98
$1.75 €1.55
-13.14%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.89 €1.68
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 NAD 32.54
$2.56 €2.27
-22.66%
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)
$7.71 NAD 127
$5.67 €5.04
35.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 NAD 9.80
$1.37 €1.22
-56.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.11 €1.88
-
🚌 Getting Around
Swakopmund
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.32 €2.07
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.22 NAD 482
$44.43 €39.52
-34.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.78 NAD 12.91
$3.95 €3.51
-80.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.90 NAD 14.88
$1.05 €0.93
-14.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.18 NAD 118
$17.15 €15.26
-58.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 NAD 20.24
$2.19 €1.95
-43.84%
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
Swakopmund
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.1 NAD 859
$164 €146
-68.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$18.48 €16.43
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$32.96 €29.32
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Swakopmund
Lisbon
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
Swakopmund
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$684 €608
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$17.6K €15.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Swakopmund
Lisbon
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
$69.1 NAD 1,138
$125 €111
-44.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Swakopmund
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$404 NAD 6,654
$1,589 €1,414
-74.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$232 NAD 3,816
$1,169 €1,040
-80.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$841 NAD 13.8K
$2,851 €2,536
-70.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$690 NAD 11.4K
$1,993 €1,773
-65.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,793 €6,932
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,418 €3,930
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Swakopmund
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,600 €1,423
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.85
-

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

Last update for Swakopmund: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

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

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

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

EUR, USD to NAD – Namibian Dollar Converter

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).

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Swakopmund Lisbon 7,260 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Swakopmund
  • Lisbon

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
Swakopmund vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Swakopmund and in Lisbon?
Swakopmund and Lisbon differ by about 294% in total monthly costs ($558 vs $2,202 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 Swakopmund compared to Lisbon?
You'd need roughly $838 in Swakopmund and $3,302 in Lisbon 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 Swakopmund and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $404 in Swakopmund versus $1,589 in Lisbon. 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: Swakopmund or Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $558 per month in Swakopmund versus $2,202 in Lisbon – 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 Swakopmund and Lisbon?
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 Swakopmund or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Swakopmund and Lisbon 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: Swakopmund or Lisbon?
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.

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