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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $582 in Swakopmund versus $2,203 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,072 in Swakopmund versus $3,237 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,562 in Swakopmund versus $4,272 in Lisbon.

Living in Swakopmund costs roughly 74% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Swakopmund is 57% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 NAD 98.3

$17.01 €15.19

-65.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.91 NAD 597

$62.7 €56.0

-42.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.56 NAD 59.1

$11.42 €10.19

-68.83%

Cappuccino

$1.85 NAD 30.71

$3.09 €2.76

-40.13%

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

$0.77 NAD 12.83

$2.37 €2.11

-67.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 NAD 9.10

$1.66 €1.48

-66.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 NAD 22.94

$3.46 €3.09

-60.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NAD 30.64

$3.29 €2.93

-44.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 NAD 36.22

$1.17 €1.04

86.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 NAD 23.42

$1.87 €1.67

-24.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.36

Eggs

$2.31 NAD 38.33

$3.88 €3.46

-40.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 NAD 132

$12.87 €11.49

-38.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.94 €7.08

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.63 €15.73

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 NAD 58.7

$2.26 €2.01

56.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 NAD 25.68

$1.76 €1.57

-11.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 €1.68

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 NAD 35.37

$2.47 €2.21

-13.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.66

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.85

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.89 €6.15

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 NAD 135

$5.53 €4.93

46.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 NAD 9.68

$1.33 €1.19

-56.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 €1.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 €2.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.31 NAD 504

$45.14 €40.29

-32.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 NAD 13.55

$4.00 €3.57

-79.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 NAD 14.43

$1.07 €0.95

-18.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 NAD 121

$16.53 €14.75

-55.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 NAD 20.80

$2.26 €2.02

-44.69%

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

$33.5K €29.9K

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

$40.5K €36.1K

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

$54.3 NAD 902

$164 €146

-66.84%

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

$18.54 €16.55

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.21 €29.64

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.01 €41.07

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.80 €16.78

Cinema Ticket

$9.47 €8.45

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

$690 €616

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €93.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.27 €40.41

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 €88.3

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 NAD 1,216

$124 €111

-40.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 NAD 7,018

$1,583 €1,413

-73.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 NAD 3,913

$1,209 €1,079

-80.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 NAD 14.9K

$2,833 €2,529

-68.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 NAD 12.0K

$1,964 €1,753

-63.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,643 €6,822

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,431 €3,955

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,573 €1,404

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

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

Last update for Swakopmund: October 6, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $422 in Swakopmund and $1,583 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Swakopmund vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $126 vs $272 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

Swakopmund vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swakopmund and Lisbon differ by about 279% in total monthly costs ($582 vs $2,203 including rent). Swakopmund is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $873 in Swakopmund and $3,304 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $422 in Swakopmund versus $1,583 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 116% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $582 per month in Swakopmund versus $2,203 in Lisbon – a 279% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $582 in Swakopmund versus $2,203 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, 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.

Expats usually find Swakopmund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 279% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.