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

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

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

Living in Swakopmund costs roughly 68% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 NAD 91.5

$16.19 €14.15

-65.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.80 NAD 557

$63.3 €55.3

-46.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.24 NAD 53.4

$10.32 €9.02

-68.60%

Cappuccino

$1.68 NAD 27.73

$2.83 €2.47

-40.64%

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

$0.69 NAD 11.40

$2.29 €2.00

-69.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 NAD 8.37

$1.58 €1.38

-67.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 NAD 21.05

$3.40 €2.97

-62.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 NAD 28.10

$4.03 €3.52

-57.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 NAD 19.81

$1.09 €0.95

10.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 NAD 14.40

$1.75 €1.53

-50.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

Eggs

$2.06 NAD 34.05

$3.17 €2.77

-35.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 NAD 123

$13.19 €11.53

-43.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.96

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.57

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 NAD 24.36

$1.71 €1.49

-13.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.75

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 NAD 31.43

$2.43 €2.12

-21.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 NAD 37.35

$1.92 €1.68

17.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 NAD 52.0

$6.58 €5.75

-52.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.67 NAD 110

$5.58 €4.87

19.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 NAD 9.52

$1.33 €1.16

-56.39%

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 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 NAD 11.64

$4.23 €3.69

-83.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 NAD 21.35

$2.08 €1.82

-37.50%

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

$13.7K NAD 226.2K

$34.7K €30.3K

-60.43%

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

$17.0K NAD 280.3K

$39.2K €34.2K

-56.59%

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

$51.0 NAD 841

$148 €129

-65.55%

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

$20.46 €17.88

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 NAD 1,089

$39.56 €34.56

67.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.03 NAD 545

$47.99 €41.93

-31.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.34 NAD 187

$18.60 €16.25

-39.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.04 NAD 99.7

$9.22 €8.06

-34.49%

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

$616 €538

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.47

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.5 NAD 1,080

$122 €107

-46.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 NAD 7,748

$1,633 €1,426

-71.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 NAD 5,784

$1,232 €1,077

-71.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 NAD 15.9K

$3,098 €2,707

-68.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 NAD 11.1K

$2,031 €1,775

-66.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$619 NAD 10.2K

$7,831 €6,842

-92.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$364 NAD 5,994

$4,389 €3,835

-91.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,404

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 Swakopmund: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

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

You'd need roughly $1,103 in Swakopmund and $3,437 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: $470 in Swakopmund versus $1,633 in Lisbon. 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 $735 per month in Swakopmund versus $2,291 in Lisbon – 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, 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 212% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.