Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Windhoek and Walvis Bay

For one person, living is cheaper in Walvis Bay: $841 a month against $1,195 in Windhoek, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 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

$1,195

/mo nomad

Walvis Bay

🇳🇦 Namibia

$841

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Windhoek and in Walvis Bay

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,195 in Windhoek versus $841 in Walvis Bay.

Windhoek $1,195
Walvis Bay $841

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,991 in Windhoek versus $906 in Walvis Bay.

Windhoek $1,991
Walvis Bay $906

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,787 in Windhoek versus $971 in Walvis Bay.

Windhoek $2,787
Walvis Bay $971

Living in Windhoek is roughly 42% more expensive than in Walvis Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Windhoek 12% lower, Walvis Bay 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.52 NAD 190

$8.96 NAD 148

28.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.8 NAD 1,051

$20.74 NAD 342

207.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 NAD 103

$7.44 NAD 123

-16.13%

Cappuccino

$2.35 NAD 38.77

$2.13 NAD 35.04

10.33%

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

$0.86 NAD 14.19

$0.93 NAD 15.29

-7.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 NAD 15.11

$0.72 NAD 11.86

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 NAD 32.44

$1.63 NAD 26.90

20.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 NAD 34.61

$3.05 NAD 50.2

-31.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 NAD 25.45

$1.61 NAD 26.56

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 NAD 14.97

$0.88 NAD 14.45

3.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 NAD 32.49

$1.83 NAD 30.08

7.65%

Eggs

$3.20 NAD 52.8

$1.83 NAD 30.16

74.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 NAD 156

$10.23 NAD 168

-7.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.01 NAD 116

$6.18 NAD 102

13.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 NAD 124

$7.05 NAD 116

7.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 NAD 36.33

$2.22 NAD 36.65

-0.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 NAD 32.35

$2.01 NAD 33.09

-2.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 NAD 31.46

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 NAD 34.62

$1.72 NAD 28.38

22.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NAD 32.55

$2.47 NAD 40.73

-19.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 NAD 29.25

$2.96 NAD 48.79

-39.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 NAD 31.38

$1.78 NAD 29.40

6.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 NAD 18.05

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 NAD 56.3

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 NAD 111

$1.85 NAD 30.51

265.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NAD 24.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 NAD 23.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 NAD 12.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.53 NAD 816

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 NAD 12.55

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 NAD 15.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.04 NAD 264

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 NAD 22.74

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

$24.4K NAD 401.7K

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

$31.6K NAD 520.5K

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

$138 NAD 2,274

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

$26.54 NAD 437

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 NAD 851

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.12 NAD 612

$41.68 NAD 687

-10.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.51 NAD 173

Cinema Ticket

$5.55 NAD 91.5

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

$211 NAD 3,471

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,395 NAD 88.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 NAD 898

$65.3 NAD 1,075

-16.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 NAD 576

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 NAD 1,509

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.6 NAD 1,607

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 NAD 8,342

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 NAD 5,935

$452 NAD 7,443

-20.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 NAD 19.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$867 NAD 14.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,631 NAD 26.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$621 NAD 10.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,028 NAD 16.9K

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 19, 2026

Last update for Walvis Bay: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Windhoek

$360 30.2%

Walvis Bay

–

Groceries & Markets

Windhoek

$226 18.9%

Walvis Bay

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Windhoek

$216 18.1%

Walvis Bay

–

Eating Out

Windhoek

$160 13.4%

Walvis Bay

–

Clothing & Footwear

Windhoek

$125 10.5%

Walvis Bay

–

Getting Around

Windhoek

$58 4.9%

Walvis Bay

–

Sport & Entertainment

Windhoek

$48 4%

Walvis Bay

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Windhoek vs $21.00 in Walvis Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $178 per month, with Walvis Bay cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇦 Windhoek

🇳🇦 Walvis Bay

🕒 Local time

09:10 9:10 AM

Same time as Windhoek

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

322,500 Capital

62,096

💱 Currency

Namibian Dollar NAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 NAD = 6.07 USD

100 NAD = 5.4 EUR

100 NAD = 6.07 USD

100 NAD = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Windhoek Walvis Bay 260 km

From you

Windhoek
Walvis Bay

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 Walvis Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Walvis Bay wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Windhoek. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Walvis Bay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,792 in Windhoek and $1,262 in Walvis Bay 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,195 per month in Windhoek versus $841 in Walvis Bay – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Windhoek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $841 in Walvis Bay versus $1,195 in Windhoek, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Walvis Bay but tight or insufficient in Windhoek. The gap between the two cities makes Walvis Bay 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 Walvis Bay 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 Walvis Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Windhoek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.