Cost of Living Comparison Between Windhoek and Calarasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Windhoek and Calarasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,113 per month in Windhoek vs $1,006 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Windhoek vs $1,518 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,513 per month in Windhoek vs $2,030 in Calarasi, rent included.

Windhoek costs about 11% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Windhoek and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Windhoek 17% lower, Calarasi 25% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Windhoek
Calarasi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.61 NAD 178
$10.06 RON 43.84
5.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.94 NAD 653
$27.69 RON 121
40.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.24 NAD 87.9
$7.65 RON 33.34
-31.50%
Cappuccino
$1.91 NAD 32.03
$2.68 RON 11.69
-28.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 NAD 15.31
$1.48 RON 6.46
-38.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 NAD 15.05
$1.87 RON 8.15
-51.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.84 NAD 30.89
$2.23 RON 9.74
-17.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 NAD 37.82
$3.38 RON 14.75
-33.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Windhoek
Calarasi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 NAD 24.26
$1.42 RON 6.18
2.11%
White Bread (500g)
$0.85 NAD 14.31
$1.10 RON 4.79
-22.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 NAD 26.96
$1.76 RON 7.68
-8.52%
Eggs
$2.90 NAD 48.62
$3.29 RON 14.34
-11.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.21 NAD 104
$8.95 RON 39.01
-30.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.32 NAD 89.3
$7.10 RON 30.95
-25.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.60 NAD 111
$9.08 RON 39.60
-27.31%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 NAD 31.19
$1.16 RON 5.08
60.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 NAD 32.21
$1.48 RON 6.46
29.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.68 NAD 28.20
$1.33 RON 5.82
26.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.74 NAD 29.21
$1.88 RON 8.22
-7.45%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 NAD 33.54
$0.75 RON 3.27
166.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 NAD 30.30
$0.88 RON 3.86
105.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.93 NAD 32.33
$0.71 RON 3.08
171.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 NAD 19.04
$0.85 RON 3.70
34.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.81 NAD 47.12
$5.63 RON 24.56
-50.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.64 NAD 111
$4.49 RON 19.56
47.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 NAD 23.33
$0.99 RON 4.30
40.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 NAD 31.28
$1.36 RON 5.93
36.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Windhoek
Calarasi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 NAD 12.62
$0.48 RON 2.07
56.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.91 NAD 686
$14.08 RON 61.4
190.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.75 NAD 12.64
$0.67 RON 2.91
11.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.72 NAD 12.04
$0.62 RON 2.69
16.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.68 NAD 196
$5.79 RON 25.23
101.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 NAD 19.83
$1.59 RON 6.92
-25.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K NAD 357.4K
$24.9K RON 108.6K
-14.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K NAD 393.7K
$26.8K RON 116.9K
-12.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Windhoek
Calarasi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 NAD 1,965
$149 RON 649
-21.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.00 NAD 302
$8.35 RON 36.41
115.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.5 NAD 864
$7.52 RON 32.77
585.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Windhoek
Calarasi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.57 NAD 630
$69.7 RON 304
-46.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.44 NAD 225
$19.43 RON 84.7
-30.83%
Cinema Ticket
$5.20 NAD 87.2
$5.85 RON 25.50
-11.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Windhoek
Calarasi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$216 NAD 3,615
$432 RON 1,883
-50.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,219 NAD 87.5K
$6,852 RON 29.9K
-23.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Windhoek
Calarasi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.4 NAD 862
$84.0 RON 366
-38.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.43 NAD 460
$42.91 RON 187
-36.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.0 NAD 1,492
$73.6 RON 321
20.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.7 NAD 1,354
$97.5 RON 425
-17.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Windhoek
Calarasi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 NAD 8,382
$389 RON 1,696
28.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$387 NAD 6,493
$229 RON 1,000
68.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,287 NAD 21.6K
$581 RON 2,533
121.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$936 NAD 15.7K
$370 RON 1,612
153.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,403 NAD 23.5K
$1,261 RON 5,496
11.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$616 NAD 10.3K
$1,013 RON 4,418
-39.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Windhoek
Calarasi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$991 NAD 16.6K
$779 RON 3,394
27.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.69
6.62
76.59%

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

Last update for Windhoek: April 27, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $500 in Windhoek versus $389 in Calarasi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 27% higher in Windhoek, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Windhoek versus $28.00 in Calarasi. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Windhoek vs $198 in Calarasi – so Windhoek wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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
Windhoek vs Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Windhoek and Calarasi compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,113 in Windhoek, $1,006 in Calarasi – roughly 11% apart. Windhoek costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Windhoek compared to Calarasi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,670 per month in Windhoek and $1,509 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Windhoek and Calarasi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Calarasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Windhoek and Calarasi?
Kindergarten costs $216 per month in Windhoek and $432 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Windhoek – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $1,006, than in Windhoek at $1,113. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Windhoek it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Windhoek or Calarasi?
Families tend to lean toward Calarasi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Windhoek or Calarasi safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Windhoek and Calarasi?
If budget matters most, go with Calarasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Windhoek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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