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: $1,108 in Windhoek versus $743 in Swakopmund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,797 in Windhoek versus $1,120 in Swakopmund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,485 in Windhoek versus $1,497 in Swakopmund.

Living in Windhoek is roughly 49% more expensive than Swakopmund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Windhoek 17% lower, Swakopmund 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.55 NAD 172

$5.48 NAD 89.1

92.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.77 NAD 630

$33.89 NAD 551

14.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 NAD 87.0

$3.20 NAD 52.1

67.19%

Cappuccino

$1.94 NAD 31.53

$1.64 NAD 26.64

18.29%

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

$0.96 NAD 15.57

$0.74 NAD 12.05

29.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 NAD 15.37

$0.55 NAD 8.91

72.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 NAD 30.25

$1.23 NAD 19.99

51.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NAD 37.01

$1.62 NAD 26.39

40.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 NAD 23.51

$1.26 NAD 20.51

15.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 NAD 13.94

$0.85 NAD 13.75

1.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 NAD 27.04

Eggs

$2.80 NAD 45.47

$2.15 NAD 34.92

30.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 NAD 101

$7.08 NAD 115

-12.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 NAD 86.6

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.79 NAD 110

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 NAD 30.16

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 NAD 30.84

$1.43 NAD 23.23

32.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 NAD 27.87

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 NAD 28.70

$1.92 NAD 31.28

-7.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 NAD 33.17

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 NAD 29.47

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NAD 30.54

$2.25 NAD 36.50

-16.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 NAD 18.59

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 NAD 45.70

$3.02 NAD 49.05

-6.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.21 NAD 117

$6.81 NAD 111

5.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 NAD 21.80

$0.57 NAD 9.26

135.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 NAD 30.03

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 NAD 11.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.64 NAD 661

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 NAD 11.12

$0.69 NAD 11.23

-1.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NAD 11.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 NAD 187

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NAD 19.93

$1.24 NAD 20.17

-0.81%

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

$21.2K NAD 344.2K

$13.7K NAD 223.4K

54.09%

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

$24.0K NAD 389.7K

$16.9K NAD 273.9K

42.27%

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

$116 NAD 1,893

$50.4 NAD 818

131.36%

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

$17.47 NAD 284

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 NAD 828

$66.3 NAD 1,077

-23.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.28 NAD 606

$33.95 NAD 552

9.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.37 NAD 217

$11.26 NAD 183

18.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 NAD 88.1

$6.02 NAD 97.8

-9.97%

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

$218 NAD 3,539

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,110 NAD 83.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 NAD 840

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.89 NAD 437

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 NAD 1,451

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 NAD 1,353

$67.6 NAD 1,098

23.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 NAD 7,970

$464 NAD 7,546

5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 NAD 6,326

$355 NAD 5,776

9.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 NAD 20.4K

$981 NAD 15.9K

28.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 NAD 15.4K

$662 NAD 10.8K

43.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,660 NAD 27.0K

$620 NAD 10.1K

167.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$616 NAD 10.0K

$372 NAD 6,053

65.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 NAD 16.8K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Swakopmund: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Windhoek and $464 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 $199 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,663 in Windhoek and $1,114 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: $490 in Windhoek versus $464 in Swakopmund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 110% 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 $743 in Swakopmund versus $1,108 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 49% less than in Windhoek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.