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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,245 in Windhoek versus $796 in Swakopmund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,066 in Windhoek versus $1,307 in Swakopmund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,886 in Windhoek versus $1,818 in Swakopmund.

Living in Windhoek is roughly 57% more expensive than in Swakopmund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Windhoek 8% lower, Swakopmund 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 NAD 188

$6.03 NAD 97.5

92.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 NAD 855

$36.48 NAD 590

44.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 NAD 95.4

$3.71 NAD 60.0

59.03%

Cappuccino

$2.33 NAD 37.60

$1.81 NAD 29.32

28.73%

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

$0.87 NAD 13.98

$0.75 NAD 12.12

16.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 NAD 15.41

$0.56 NAD 9.12

69.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 NAD 29.52

$1.41 NAD 22.83

29.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NAD 32.03

$1.81 NAD 29.22

9.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 NAD 25.26

$2.00 NAD 32.27

-22.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 NAD 15.95

$1.19 NAD 19.21

-16.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 NAD 35.09

Eggs

$3.16 NAD 51.0

$2.42 NAD 39.05

30.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 NAD 158

$8.00 NAD 129

21.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 NAD 111

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.68 NAD 124

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 NAD 37.54

$3.56 NAD 57.5

-34.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 NAD 31.77

$1.64 NAD 26.52

20.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 NAD 31.27

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 NAD 36.40

$2.22 NAD 35.91

1.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 NAD 34.75

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 NAD 29.89

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 NAD 32.40

$2.41 NAD 38.89

-17.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 NAD 19.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 NAD 53.4

$3.34 NAD 53.9

-1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 NAD 118

$7.05 NAD 114

3.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 NAD 23.23

$0.60 NAD 9.69

140.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 NAD 23.49

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 NAD 12.72

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.97 NAD 792

$30.59 NAD 494

60.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 NAD 12.46

$0.91 NAD 14.64

-15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 NAD 15.71

$0.89 NAD 14.43

8.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.22 NAD 262

$7.40 NAD 120

119.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 NAD 22.78

$1.49 NAD 24.01

-5.37%

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

$24.8K NAD 400.9K

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

$29.4K NAD 474.6K

$18.7K NAD 302.3K

57.02%

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

$142 NAD 2,291

$55.0 NAD 889

157.50%

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

$27.98 NAD 452

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.61 NAD 786

$73.5 NAD 1,188

-33.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.51 NAD 623

$37.15 NAD 600

3.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.65 NAD 172

$12.57 NAD 203

-15.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 NAD 89.6

$7.00 NAD 113

-20.86%

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

$210 NAD 3,402

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,465 NAD 88.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 NAD 926

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.53 NAD 574

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 NAD 1,479

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 NAD 1,621

$74.9 NAD 1,211

33.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 NAD 8,904

$531 NAD 8,576

3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 NAD 6,205

$304 NAD 4,916

26.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 NAD 19.2K

$1,063 NAD 17.2K

11.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 NAD 15.9K

$736 NAD 11.9K

33.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,616 NAD 26.1K

$619 NAD 9,999

161.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$613 NAD 9,910

$369 NAD 5,972

65.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,009 NAD 16.3K

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 Windhoek: August 10, 2026

Last update for Swakopmund: August 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $551 in Windhoek and $531 in Swakopmund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Windhoek vs $36.00 in Swakopmund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $131 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

Windhoek vs Swakopmund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swakopmund is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,868 in Windhoek and $1,193 in Swakopmund 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: $551 in Windhoek versus $531 in Swakopmund. 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 $36.00 versus $53.0 in Windhoek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Swakopmund runs roughly 60% less than in Windhoek. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $796 in Swakopmund versus $1,245 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, Windhoek and Swakopmund 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 57% less than in Windhoek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.