Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Windhoek and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Windhoek: $1,182 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Windhoek, Namibia
Phuket, Thailand
Windhoek
🇳🇦 Namibia
$1,182
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Windhoek and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Windhoek and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,182 in Windhoek versus $1,278 in Phuket.

  • Windhoek $1,182
  • Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,028 in Windhoek versus $2,216 in Phuket.

  • Windhoek $2,028
  • Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,875 in Windhoek versus $3,154 in Phuket.

  • Windhoek $2,875
  • Phuket $3,154

Living in Windhoek costs roughly 8% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Windhoek 13% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.47 NAD 191
$4.47 ฿151
156.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.4 NAD 1,073
$32.41 ฿1,094
98.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.05 NAD 101
$8.81 ฿297
-31.33%
Cappuccino
$2.28 NAD 37.99
$2.83 ฿95.5
-19.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 NAD 14.38
$0.87 ฿29.43
-1.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 NAD 15.38
$0.49 ฿16.67
87.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.92 NAD 32.05
$2.56 ฿86.4
-25.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 NAD 34.79
$3.68 ฿124
-43.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 NAD 26.23
$1.66 ฿56.0
-5.42%
White Bread (500g)
$0.88 NAD 14.69
$1.46 ฿49.35
-39.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.96 NAD 32.59
$1.50 ฿50.6
30.67%
Eggs
$3.14 NAD 52.3
$2.09 ฿70.5
50.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.44 NAD 157
$19.07 ฿644
-50.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.87 NAD 115
$3.30 ฿111
108.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.66 NAD 128
$10.91 ฿368
-29.79%
Apples (1kg)
$2.14 NAD 35.71
$2.93 ฿99.0
-26.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 NAD 32.97
$1.69 ฿57.1
17.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.79 NAD 29.80
$2.25 ฿75.8
-20.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 NAD 33.10
$2.08 ฿70.1
-4.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 NAD 32.30
$1.51 ฿51.0
28.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 NAD 29.93
$1.38 ฿46.56
30.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 NAD 32.69
$1.07 ฿35.99
83.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 NAD 17.76
$0.52 ฿17.52
105.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.35 NAD 55.8
$4.20 ฿142
-20.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.48 NAD 108
$18.79 ฿634
-65.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 NAD 23.85
$1.82 ฿61.5
-21.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 NAD 23.07
$2.84 ฿95.9
-51.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.80 NAD 13.26
$1.45 ฿49.03
-44.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.86 NAD 814
$56.7 ฿1,913
-13.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.75 NAD 12.55
$3.02 ฿102
-75.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.94 NAD 15.68
$1.02 ฿34.36
-7.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.38 NAD 256
$3.69 ฿125
316.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.40 NAD 23.31
$1.47 ฿49.81
-4.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K NAD 409.1K
$26.8K ฿904.3K
-8.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K NAD 527.8K
$26.7K ฿901.3K
18.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$138 NAD 2,307
$96.4 ฿3,254
43.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 NAD 444
$11.26 ฿380
136.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.49 NAD 825
$16.85 ฿569
193.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.77 NAD 613
$67.2 ฿2,270
-45.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.40 NAD 173
$10.73 ฿362
-3.08%
Cinema Ticket
$5.29 NAD 88.1
$7.50 ฿253
-29.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$210 NAD 3,507
$476 ฿16.1K
-55.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,340 NAD 89.0K
$11.3K ฿380.4K
-52.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.2 NAD 903
$62.4 ฿2,106
-13.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.80 NAD 580
$28.41 ฿959
22.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.4 NAD 1,473
$94.3 ฿3,184
-6.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.4 NAD 1,573
$85.8 ฿2,898
10.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$502 NAD 8,362
$716 ฿24.2K
-29.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$358 NAD 5,970
$491 ฿16.6K
-27.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,456 NAD 24.3K
$1,927 ฿65.1K
-24.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$974 NAD 16.2K
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-31.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,617 NAD 26.9K
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-61.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$608 NAD 10.1K
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-80.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$997 NAD 16.6K
$502 ฿17.0K
98.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
5.57
105.03%

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

Last update for Windhoek: October 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Windhoek
$358
Phuket
$491 37% $133
Groceries & Markets
Windhoek
$223
Phuket
$266 19.3% $43
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Windhoek
$215
Phuket
$124 42% $90
Eating Out
Windhoek
$158
Phuket
$122 23.1% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Windhoek
$122
Phuket
$122 0.3% $0.4
Getting Around
Windhoek
$58
Phuket
$71 22.7% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Windhoek
$47
Phuket
$82 73.7% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $502 in Windhoek and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Windhoek pays 98% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64 in Windhoek vs $32 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $223 vs $266, with Windhoek cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇳🇦 Windhoek
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
17:43 5:43 PM
22:43 10:43 PM
5 h ahead of Windhoek
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
322,500 Capital
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to NAD – Namibian Dollar Converter

Namibian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 16.66 NAD (100 NAD = 6 USD). 1 EUR = 18.54 NAD (100 NAD = 5.39 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Windhoek Phuket 9,460 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Windhoek
  • Phuket

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
Windhoek vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Windhoek cheaper than Phuket?
Windhoek is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Windhoek or Phuket?
Average pay runs 98% higher in Windhoek, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Windhoek and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $502 in Windhoek versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $210 in Windhoek versus $476 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Windhoek and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Windhoek or in Phuket?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Windhoek is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Windhoek or in Phuket?
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.

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