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: $1,124 in Windhoek versus $735 in Swakopmund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,850 in Windhoek versus $1,118 in Swakopmund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,577 in Windhoek versus $1,500 in Swakopmund.

Living in Windhoek is roughly 53% more expensive than in Swakopmund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Windhoek 16% lower, Swakopmund 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.46 NAD 172

$5.55 NAD 91.5

88.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.12 NAD 645

$33.80 NAD 557

15.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 NAD 89.4

$3.24 NAD 53.4

67.28%

Cappuccino

$1.86 NAD 30.70

$1.68 NAD 27.73

10.71%

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

$0.91 NAD 14.94

$0.69 NAD 11.40

31.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 NAD 15.93

$0.51 NAD 8.37

90.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 NAD 29.61

$1.28 NAD 21.05

40.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NAD 37.48

$1.70 NAD 28.10

33.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 NAD 23.71

$1.20 NAD 19.81

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 NAD 13.52

$0.87 NAD 14.40

-5.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 NAD 27.23

Eggs

$2.80 NAD 46.12

$2.06 NAD 34.05

35.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 NAD 104

$7.45 NAD 123

-15.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 NAD 88.8

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 NAD 108

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 NAD 29.72

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NAD 32.58

$1.48 NAD 24.36

33.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 NAD 26.74

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 NAD 28.68

$1.91 NAD 31.43

-8.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NAD 32.92

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 NAD 29.85

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 NAD 31.94

$2.26 NAD 37.35

-14.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 NAD 18.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 NAD 44.85

$3.15 NAD 52.0

-13.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.98 NAD 115

$6.67 NAD 110

4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 NAD 23.03

$0.58 NAD 9.52

141.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NAD 30.38

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 NAD 11.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.09 NAD 678

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 NAD 12.19

$0.71 NAD 11.64

4.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 NAD 11.03

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.73 NAD 193

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 NAD 19.47

$1.30 NAD 21.35

-9.23%

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

$21.1K NAD 348.7K

$13.7K NAD 226.2K

54.14%

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

$24.4K NAD 402.3K

$17.0K NAD 280.3K

43.52%

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

$119 NAD 1,960

$51.0 NAD 841

133.01%

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

$17.50 NAD 289

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 NAD 827

$66.1 NAD 1,089

-24.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 NAD 604

$33.03 NAD 545

10.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.31 NAD 220

$11.34 NAD 187

17.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 NAD 86.2

$6.04 NAD 99.7

-13.41%

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

$218 NAD 3,595

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 NAD 87.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 NAD 846

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.72 NAD 441

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 NAD 1,430

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 NAD 1,338

$65.5 NAD 1,080

23.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 NAD 8,146

$470 NAD 7,748

5.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 NAD 6,297

$351 NAD 5,784

8.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 NAD 21.3K

$963 NAD 15.9K

33.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$921 NAD 15.2K

$674 NAD 11.1K

36.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,592 NAD 26.2K

$619 NAD 10.2K

156.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$627 NAD 10.3K

$364 NAD 5,994

72.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,009 NAD 16.6K

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 Windhoek: July 13, 2026

Last update for Swakopmund: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $494 in Windhoek and $470 in Swakopmund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Windhoek vs $34.00 in Swakopmund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $95.0 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 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,686 in Windhoek and $1,103 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: $494 in Windhoek versus $470 in Swakopmund. 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 $735 in Swakopmund versus $1,124 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 53% less than in Windhoek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.