🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,124 in Windhoek versus $1,250 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,850 in Windhoek versus $2,284 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,577 in Windhoek versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Windhoek costs roughly 10% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Windhoek16% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.46NAD 172
$4.55฿153
129.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.12NAD 645
$46.18฿1,550
-15.29%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.42NAD 89.4
$8.84฿297
-38.69%
Cappuccino
$1.86NAD 30.70
$3.06฿103
-39.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91NAD 14.94
$0.73฿24.36
24.66%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97NAD 15.93
$0.40฿13.37
142.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.80NAD 29.61
$2.43฿81.6
-25.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27NAD 37.48
$3.78฿127
-39.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44NAD 23.71
$2.26฿75.8
-36.28%
White Bread(500g)
$0.82NAD 13.52
$1.81฿60.8
-54.70%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.65NAD 27.23
$2.25฿75.7
-26.67%
Eggs
$2.80NAD 46.12
$2.25฿75.4
24.44%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.28NAD 104
$19.51฿655
-67.81%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.38NAD 88.8
$3.65฿122
47.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.58NAD 108
$13.05฿438
-49.58%
Apples(1kg)
$1.80NAD 29.72
$3.23฿109
-44.27%
Banana(1kg)
$1.98NAD 32.58
$1.62฿54.3
22.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62NAD 26.74
$2.38฿80.0
-31.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.74NAD 28.68
$2.03฿68.0
-14.29%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00NAD 32.92
$1.53฿51.5
30.72%
Onion(1kg)
$1.81NAD 29.85
$1.50฿50.4
20.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.94NAD 31.94
$0.98฿32.85
97.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14NAD 18.88
$0.52฿17.36
119.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.72NAD 44.85
$4.44฿149
-38.74%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.98NAD 115
$18.32฿615
-61.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.40NAD 23.03
$1.86฿62.6
-24.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84NAD 30.38
$2.68฿90.0
-31.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.71NAD 11.65
$1.41฿47.37
-49.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.09NAD 678
$11.70฿393
251.20%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.74NAD 12.19
$3.11฿104
-76.21%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.67NAD 11.03
$1.04฿35.00
-35.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.73NAD 193
$14.11฿474
-16.87%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.18NAD 19.47
$1.31฿44.02
-9.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1KNAD 348.7K
$27.8K฿933.8K
-23.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4KNAD 402.3K
$33.2K฿1.1M
-26.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$119NAD 1,960
$122฿4,110
-2.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.50NAD 289
$13.59฿456
28.77%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.1NAD 827
$18.70฿628
168.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.62NAD 604
$60.5฿2,031
-39.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.31NAD 220
$16.98฿570
-21.61%
Cinema Ticket
$5.23NAD 86.2
$9.07฿305
-42.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$218NAD 3,595
$706฿23.7K
-69.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,275NAD 87.0K
$15.8K฿530.5K
-66.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3NAD 846
$58.6฿1,965
-12.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.72NAD 441
$35.36฿1,187
-24.43%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.7NAD 1,430
$115฿3,876
-24.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.2NAD 1,338
$83.7฿2,811
-3.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$494NAD 8,146
$626฿21.0K
-21.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$382NAD 6,297
$445฿14.9K
-14.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,291NAD 21.3K
$2,040฿68.5K
-36.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$921NAD 15.2K
$1,492฿50.1K
-38.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,592NAD 26.2K
$3,483฿116.9K
-54.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$627NAD 10.3K
$2,577฿86.5K
-75.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Windhoek
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,009NAD 16.6K
$500฿16.8K
101.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.69
5.33
119.32%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Windhoek: July 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $494 in Windhoek and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Windhoek pays 102% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $39.00 in Windhoek vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $289 per month, with Windhoek 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
Windhoek vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Windhoek?
Windhoek is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Windhoek or Phuket?
Average pay runs 102% 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: $494 in Windhoek versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $218 in Windhoek versus $706 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 46% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Windhoek or in Phuket?
At $1,124 in Windhoek versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Windhoek but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Windhoek the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Windhoek or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Windhoek is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Windhoek or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Windhoek and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Windhoek gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.