Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Windhoek and Swakopmund

For one person, living is cheaper in Swakopmund: $584 a month against $1,182 in Windhoek, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Windhoek
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Windhoek Living Index

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Windhoek

🇳🇦 Namibia

$1,182

/mo nomad

Swakopmund

🇳🇦 Namibia

$584

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Windhoek and in Swakopmund

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 Swakopmund actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,182 in Windhoek versus $584 in Swakopmund.

Windhoek $1,182
Swakopmund $584

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,028 in Windhoek versus $1,084 in Swakopmund.

Windhoek $2,028
Swakopmund $1,084

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,875 in Windhoek versus $1,584 in Swakopmund.

Windhoek $2,875
Swakopmund $1,584

Living in Windhoek is roughly 102% more expensive than in Swakopmund, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Windhoek 13% lower, Swakopmund 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.47 NAD 191

$5.98 NAD 99.4

91.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 NAD 1,070

$35.96 NAD 598

79.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 NAD 101

$3.46 NAD 57.5

74.86%

Cappuccino

$2.28 NAD 37.91

$1.79 NAD 29.71

27.37%

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

$0.86 NAD 14.35

$0.74 NAD 12.37

16.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 NAD 15.35

$0.55 NAD 9.22

67.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 NAD 31.98

$1.32 NAD 21.90

45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 NAD 34.71

$1.81 NAD 30.16

15.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 NAD 26.18

$2.22 NAD 36.84

-29.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 NAD 14.66

$1.35 NAD 22.36

-34.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NAD 32.52

Eggs

$3.14 NAD 52.2

$2.27 NAD 37.73

38.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 NAD 157

$7.93 NAD 132

19.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 NAD 114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 NAD 127

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 NAD 35.63

$3.58 NAD 59.5

-40.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NAD 32.90

$1.52 NAD 25.30

30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 NAD 29.74

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 NAD 33.03

$2.14 NAD 35.59

-7.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 NAD 32.23

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 NAD 29.87

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 NAD 32.62

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NAD 17.72

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 NAD 55.7

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 NAD 108

$7.98 NAD 133

-18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 NAD 23.80

$0.57 NAD 9.53

150.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 NAD 23.01

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 NAD 13.23

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.86 NAD 812

$30.43 NAD 506

60.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 NAD 12.52

$0.81 NAD 13.48

-7.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 NAD 15.65

$0.87 NAD 14.43

8.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.38 NAD 256

$7.36 NAD 122

108.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 NAD 23.26

$1.26 NAD 20.97

11.11%

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

$24.6K NAD 408.2K

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

$31.7K NAD 526.6K

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

$138 NAD 2,302

$54.6 NAD 907

153.75%

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

$26.65 NAD 443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.49 NAD 823

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.77 NAD 611

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.40 NAD 173

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 NAD 87.9

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

$210 NAD 3,499

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,340 NAD 88.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 NAD 901

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.80 NAD 578

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 NAD 1,469

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 NAD 1,570

$71.7 NAD 1,192

31.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 NAD 8,343

$414 NAD 6,884

21.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 NAD 5,957

$242 NAD 4,023

48.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 NAD 24.2K

$892 NAD 14.8K

63.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$974 NAD 16.2K

$722 NAD 12.0K

35.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,617 NAD 26.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$608 NAD 10.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 NAD 16.6K

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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Swakopmund: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Windhoek

$358 30.3%

Swakopmund

–

Groceries & Markets

Windhoek

$223 18.9%

Swakopmund

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Windhoek

$215 18.2%

Swakopmund

–

Eating Out

Windhoek

$158 13.4%

Swakopmund

–

Clothing & Footwear

Windhoek

$122 10.4%

Swakopmund

–

Getting Around

Windhoek

$58 4.9%

Swakopmund

–

Sport & Entertainment

Windhoek

$47 4%

Swakopmund

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $502 in Windhoek and $414 in Swakopmund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64 in Windhoek vs $36 in Swakopmund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $125 per month, with Swakopmund cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇦 Windhoek

🇳🇦 Swakopmund

🕒 Local time

14:32 2:32 PM

Same time as Windhoek

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

322,500 Capital

25,000

💱 Currency

Namibian Dollar NAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 NAD = 6.02 USD

100 NAD = 5.4 EUR

100 NAD = 6.02 USD

100 NAD = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Windhoek Swakopmund 260 km

From you

Windhoek
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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 Swakopmund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swakopmund is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,772 in Windhoek and $877 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: $502 in Windhoek versus $414 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 versus $64 in Windhoek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Swakopmund runs roughly 38% less than in Windhoek. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $584 in Swakopmund versus $1,182 in Windhoek, a $1,000 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.

Expats usually find Swakopmund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Windhoek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.