Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Swakopmund and Windhoek

For one person, living is cheaper in Swakopmund: $584 a month against $1,182 in Windhoek, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Windhoek
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Windhoek Living Index

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Swakopmund

🇳🇦 Namibia

$584

/mo nomad

Windhoek

🇳🇦 Namibia

$1,182

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Swakopmund and in Windhoek

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 Windhoek actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $584 in Swakopmund versus $1,182 in Windhoek.

Swakopmund $584
Windhoek $1,182

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,084 in Swakopmund versus $2,028 in Windhoek.

Swakopmund $1,084
Windhoek $2,028

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,584 in Swakopmund versus $2,875 in Windhoek.

Swakopmund $1,584
Windhoek $2,875

Living in Swakopmund costs roughly 51% less than in Windhoek, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Swakopmund 57% lower, Windhoek 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.98 NAD 99.8

$11.47 NAD 192

-47.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.96 NAD 601

$64.4 NAD 1,076

-44.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.46 NAD 57.7

$6.05 NAD 101

-42.81%

Cappuccino

$1.79 NAD 29.85

$2.28 NAD 38.09

-21.49%

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

$0.74 NAD 12.43

$0.86 NAD 14.42

-13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 NAD 9.26

$0.92 NAD 15.42

-40.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.32 NAD 22.01

$1.92 NAD 32.14

-31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NAD 30.31

$2.09 NAD 34.88

-13.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 NAD 37.02

$1.57 NAD 26.30

41.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 NAD 22.47

$0.88 NAD 14.73

53.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NAD 32.68

Eggs

$2.27 NAD 37.92

$3.14 NAD 52.4

-27.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 NAD 132

$9.44 NAD 158

-16.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 NAD 115

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 NAD 128

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 NAD 59.8

$2.14 NAD 35.80

67.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 NAD 25.42

$1.98 NAD 33.06

-23.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 NAD 29.88

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 NAD 35.76

$1.99 NAD 33.19

7.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 NAD 32.39

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 NAD 30.01

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 NAD 32.78

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NAD 17.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 NAD 56.0

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 NAD 133

$6.48 NAD 108

23.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 NAD 9.57

$1.43 NAD 23.91

-60.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 NAD 23.13

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 NAD 13.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.43 NAD 508

$48.86 NAD 816

-37.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 NAD 13.54

$0.75 NAD 12.58

8.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 NAD 14.50

$0.94 NAD 15.73

-7.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.36 NAD 123

$15.38 NAD 257

-52.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 NAD 21.07

$1.40 NAD 23.37

-10.00%

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

$24.6K NAD 410.2K

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

$31.7K NAD 529.2K

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

$54.6 NAD 912

$138 NAD 2,313

-60.59%

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

$26.65 NAD 445

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.49 NAD 827

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.77 NAD 614

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.40 NAD 174

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 NAD 88.3

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

$210 NAD 3,516

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,340 NAD 89.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 NAD 905

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.80 NAD 581

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 NAD 1,476

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 NAD 1,198

$94.4 NAD 1,578

-24.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 NAD 6,918

$502 NAD 8,384

-17.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 NAD 4,042

$358 NAD 5,986

-32.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 NAD 14.9K

$1,456 NAD 24.3K

-38.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 NAD 12.1K

$974 NAD 16.3K

-25.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,617 NAD 27.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$608 NAD 10.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 NAD 16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Swakopmund: October 24, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Swakopmund

–

Windhoek

$358 30.3%

Groceries & Markets

Swakopmund

–

Windhoek

$223 18.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Swakopmund

–

Windhoek

$215 18.2%

Eating Out

Swakopmund

–

Windhoek

$158 13.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Swakopmund

–

Windhoek

$122 10.4%

Getting Around

Swakopmund

–

Windhoek

$58 4.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Swakopmund

–

Windhoek

$47 4%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $414 in Swakopmund and $502 in Windhoek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36 in Swakopmund vs $64 in Windhoek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $125 vs $223 per month, with Swakopmund cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇦 Swakopmund

🇳🇦 Windhoek

🕒 Local time

09:51 9:51 AM

Same time as Swakopmund

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,000

322,500 Capital

💱 Currency

Namibian Dollar NAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 NAD = 5.99 USD

100 NAD = 5.36 EUR

100 NAD = 5.99 USD

100 NAD = 5.36 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Swakopmund Windhoek 260 km

From you

Swakopmund
Windhoek

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 Windhoek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swakopmund is about 51% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $877 in Swakopmund and $1,772 in Windhoek 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: $414 in Swakopmund versus $502 in Windhoek. 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 $36 versus $64 in Windhoek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Swakopmund runs roughly 38% less than in Windhoek. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $584 in Swakopmund versus $1,182 in Windhoek, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Swakopmund but tight or insufficient in Windhoek. 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.

Expats usually find Swakopmund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Windhoek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.