Cost of Living Comparison Between Windhoek and Walvis Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Windhoek and Walvis Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,248 in Windhoek versus $874 in Walvis Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,121 in Windhoek versus $934 in Walvis Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,993 in Windhoek versus $995 in Walvis Bay.

Living in Windhoek is roughly 43% more expensive than in Walvis Bay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Windhoek 9% lower, Walvis Bay 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 NAD 189

$9.05 NAD 145

30.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 NAD 991

$22.08 NAD 353

180.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 NAD 98.1

$7.30 NAD 117

-15.89%

Cappuccino

$2.35 NAD 37.55

$2.15 NAD 34.40

9.30%

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

$0.97 NAD 15.55

$0.91 NAD 14.62

6.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 NAD 15.10

$0.77 NAD 12.31

23.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 NAD 33.40

$1.75 NAD 27.88

19.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 NAD 36.80

$3.04 NAD 48.56

-24.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 NAD 26.68

$1.68 NAD 26.85

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 NAD 15.34

$0.89 NAD 14.18

7.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 NAD 35.13

$1.84 NAD 29.39

19.57%

Eggs

$3.20 NAD 51.1

$1.88 NAD 30.00

70.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.62 NAD 154

$10.43 NAD 167

-7.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 NAD 108

$6.07 NAD 96.9

11.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 NAD 124

$7.61 NAD 122

1.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 NAD 35.62

$2.26 NAD 36.18

-1.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 NAD 32.65

$2.10 NAD 33.53

-2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 NAD 31.43

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 NAD 35.23

$1.76 NAD 28.14

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 NAD 35.09

$2.50 NAD 39.90

-12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 NAD 29.81

$3.04 NAD 48.64

-38.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 NAD 32.44

$1.90 NAD 30.32

6.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 NAD 18.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 NAD 56.4

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 NAD 116

$1.87 NAD 29.94

287.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 NAD 23.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 NAD 23.75

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 NAD 12.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.63 NAD 793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 NAD 12.30

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 NAD 15.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.52 NAD 264

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 NAD 21.71

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

$25.2K NAD 402.3K

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

$29.8K NAD 476.0K

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

$145 NAD 2,318

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

$28.35 NAD 453

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.53 NAD 791

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.35 NAD 613

$43.38 NAD 693

-11.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.89 NAD 174

Cinema Ticket

$5.66 NAD 90.4

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

$215 NAD 3,428

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,479 NAD 87.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 NAD 905

$69.1 NAD 1,104

-18.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 NAD 579

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 NAD 1,491

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 NAD 1,594

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$541 NAD 8,648

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 NAD 6,106

$458 NAD 7,326

-16.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 NAD 18.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$994 NAD 15.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,677 NAD 26.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$636 NAD 10.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,050 NAD 16.8K

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: September 5, 2026

Last update for Walvis Bay: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $62.0 in Windhoek vs $22.00 in Walvis Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $183 per month, with Walvis Bay 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 Walvis Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Walvis Bay wins on cost – living expenses run 43% 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 $1,873 in Windhoek and $1,310 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 $1,248 per month in Windhoek versus $874 in Walvis Bay – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Windhoek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $874 in Walvis Bay versus $1,248 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 43% less than in Windhoek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.