Africa · Windhoek
Cost of living in Namibia
Namibia is 62% cheaper than the US, ranking #125 of 203 countries we cover for cost of living.
World Bank data through 2024 · last reviewed 2026-06.
What drives the cost here
Price levels by category, where the world average = 100. Above 100 is pricier than the global norm; below it is cheaper.
In Namibia, communication is the priciest category relative to the world (97), while restaurants & hotels is the most affordable (65).
Category price levels: World Bank ICP 2021 (world average = 100) · source
What your money is worth here
A $100,000 US lifestyle would cost roughly $38,500 in Namibia.
Quality of life
60/100 · #142 of 198Beyond cost — health, safety, and connectivity. The score is a transparent, equal-weight composite of the verified metrics below (see methodology).
About Namibia
Various ethnic groups occupied southwestern Africa prior to Germany establishing a colony over most of the territory in 1884. South Africa occupied the colony, then known as German South West Africa, in 1915 during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966, the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that became Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region.
Read the full background
Namibia gained independence in 1990, and SWAPO has governed it since, although the party has dropped much of its Marxist ideology. President Hage GEINGOB was elected in 2014 in a landslide victory, replacing Hifikepunye POHAMBA, who stepped down after serving two terms. SWAPO retained its parliamentary super majority in the 2014 elections. In 2019 elections, GEINGOB was reelected but by a substantially reduced majority, and SWAPO narrowly lost its super majority in parliament.
Background from the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived 2026-06-03.
Frequently asked
Is Namibia expensive to live in?
Namibia is 62% cheaper than the US, ranking #125 of the 203 countries we track. Its most expensive category relative to the world is communication; restaurants & hotels costs the least.
How much money do you need to live in Namibia?
A lifestyle that costs $100,000 in the United States would cost roughly $38,500 in Namibia, going by overall price levels. The salary translator turns your own figure into a local equivalent.
Is Namibia cheaper than the United States?
Yes. Its overall price level is 38.3, against 100 for the United States.
What is the quality of life in Namibia?
Namibia scores 60 out of 100 on our quality-of-life index (#142 of 198), a composite of life expectancy, safety, health, and connectivity, with life expectancy around 68 years.
Every number, sourced.
We cite the exact source and year for each figure. Derived values are computed at build time, never hand-entered.
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