Cost of Living Comparison Between Swakopmund and Windhoek Cost of Living Comparison Between Swakopmund and Windhoek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $743 in Swakopmund versus $1,106 in Windhoek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,138 in Swakopmund versus $1,822 in Windhoek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,533 in Swakopmund versus $2,538 in Windhoek.

Living in Swakopmund costs roughly 33% less than in Windhoek, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Swakopmund 44% lower, Windhoek 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 NAD 91.1

$10.61 NAD 176

-48.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.88 NAD 560

$38.68 NAD 640

-12.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.22 NAD 53.3

$5.36 NAD 88.6

-39.93%

Cappuccino

$1.63 NAD 26.94

$1.84 NAD 30.46

-11.41%

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

$0.68 NAD 11.19

$0.93 NAD 15.34

-26.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 NAD 8.39

$0.94 NAD 15.61

-45.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 NAD 20.21

$1.79 NAD 29.65

-31.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 NAD 28.40

$2.26 NAD 37.45

-23.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 NAD 20.70

$1.46 NAD 24.10

-14.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 NAD 15.09

$0.86 NAD 14.19

5.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 NAD 27.75

Eggs

$2.13 NAD 35.28

$2.90 NAD 47.99

-26.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 NAD 123

$6.43 NAD 106

15.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 NAD 89.1

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 NAD 112

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 NAD 31.17

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 NAD 24.67

$1.98 NAD 32.68

-24.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 NAD 28.38

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 NAD 31.68

$1.81 NAD 29.91

6.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NAD 34.49

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 NAD 29.21

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 NAD 36.29

$1.85 NAD 30.53

18.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 NAD 18.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 NAD 51.5

$2.77 NAD 45.80

12.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.76 NAD 112

$6.77 NAD 112

-0.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 NAD 9.53

$1.35 NAD 22.33

-57.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 NAD 30.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 NAD 12.16

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.82 NAD 675

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 NAD 11.70

$0.74 NAD 12.29

-4.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NAD 12.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.48 NAD 190

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NAD 20.42

$1.16 NAD 19.26

6.03%

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

$14.1K NAD 234.0K

$21.5K NAD 356.3K

-34.33%

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

$16.9K NAD 280.3K

$24.3K NAD 402.8K

-30.40%

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

$49.75 NAD 823

$116 NAD 1,920

-57.13%

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

$17.88 NAD 296

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 NAD 1,102

$50.1 NAD 828

33.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.37 NAD 552

$36.58 NAD 605

-8.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.29 NAD 187

$13.06 NAD 216

-13.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.04 NAD 99.8

$5.27 NAD 87.1

14.61%

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

$217 NAD 3,581

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,159 NAD 85.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 NAD 853

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.68 NAD 441

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 NAD 1,477

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 NAD 1,084

$81.1 NAD 1,342

-19.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 NAD 7,952

$502 NAD 8,308

-4.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 NAD 5,731

$385 NAD 6,370

-10.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 NAD 15.8K

$1,253 NAD 20.7K

-23.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$681 NAD 11.3K

$930 NAD 15.4K

-26.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$603 NAD 9,973

$1,587 NAD 26.3K

-62.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$357 NAD 5,908

$613 NAD 10.1K

-41.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$993 NAD 16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

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

Last update for Swakopmund: July 27, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Swakopmund and $502 in Windhoek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Swakopmund vs $39.00 in Windhoek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $96.0 vs $200 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 Windhoek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swakopmund is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,115 in Swakopmund and $1,658 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: $481 in Swakopmund versus $502 in Windhoek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 108% higher in Windhoek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Swakopmund – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $39.00 in Windhoek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $743 in Swakopmund versus $1,106 in Windhoek, a $1,500 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.

Safety-wise, Swakopmund and Windhoek 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 49% less than in Windhoek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.