Cost Of Living For a Student in Windhoek 2025
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: NAD
Average monthly spending for students in Windhoek
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Windhoek?
Students in Windhoek spend around 9,600 NAD per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 1,500 NAD or as high as 64,000 NAD. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Windhoek
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 44,000 NAD | 88,000 NAD | 120,000 NAD |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 1,600 NAD | 2,400 NAD | 6,400 NAD |
1-bedroom apartment
| 2,400 NAD | 3,900 NAD | 9,700 NAD |
2-bedroom apartment
| 3,200 NAD | 4,800 NAD | 13,000 NAD |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 320,000 NAD | 480,000 NAD | 970,000 NAD |
1-bedroom apartment
| 390,000 NAD | 640,000 NAD | 2.4M NAD |
2-bedroom apartment
| 640,000 NAD | 1.9M NAD | 3.9M NAD |
| $34,000 | $100,000 | $200,000 |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 1,800 NAD | 2,200 NAD | 2,900 NAD |
Double Bed
| 1,200 NAD | 1,800 NAD | 2,200 NAD |
Single Bed
| 1,000 NAD | 1,400 NAD | 1,800 NAD |
Living Room
| 2,000 NAD | 2,500 NAD | 8,800 NAD |
Dining Table
| 880 NAD | 1,200 NAD | 2,200 NAD |
Sofa or Couch
| 1,200 NAD | 1,600 NAD | 3,500 NAD |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 1,200 NAD | 1,800 NAD | 3,500 NAD |
Fridge or Freezer
| 1,000 NAD | 1,600 NAD | 2,200 NAD |
Washing Machine
| 1,400 NAD | 2,000 NAD | 3,500 NAD |
Stove or Cooker
| 1,300 NAD | 1,600 NAD | 2,200 NAD |
Mobile Phone
| 1,500 NAD | 1,800 NAD | 2,500 NAD |
Laptop or Computer
| 1,600 NAD | 2,000 NAD | 3,500 NAD |
How do students spend their money in Windhoek?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost18%
18% of total expenses on average (13% to 24%)
| LOW | $18 350 NAD |
| AVERAGE | $120 2,300 NAD |
| HIGH | $810 15,000 NAD |
| Per Month |
Students in Windhoek typically spend from 13% to 24% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 18% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 2,300 NAD with expenditure ranging from 350 NAD to 15,000 NAD. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities6%
6% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $3.1 58 NAD |
| AVERAGE | $20 380 NAD |
| HIGH | $130 2,600 NAD |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Windhoek ranges from 4% to 10% of total expenses with 6% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 380 NAD with 58 NAD and 2,600 NAD being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel4%
4% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $5.4 100 NAD |
| AVERAGE | $35 670 NAD |
| HIGH | $240 4,500 NAD |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 100 NAD to 4,500 NAD in a month on commuting with 670 NAD being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 4% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 10%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost23%
23% of total expenses on average (17% to 27%)
| LOW | $15 290 NAD |
| AVERAGE | $100 1,900 NAD |
| HIGH | $670 13,000 NAD |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Windhoek is 1,900 NAD. The cost of groceries can range between 290 NAD to 13,000 NAD. Students spend on average about 23% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 17% and 27% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare9%
9% of total expenses on average (6% to 12%)
| LOW | $4.6 87 NAD |
| AVERAGE | $30 580 NAD |
| HIGH | $200 3,800 NAD |
| Per Month |
Students in Windhoek allocate 6% to 12% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 9%. The range of medical expenses range from 87 NAD to 3,800 NAD with 580 NAD being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping3%
3% of total expenses on average (2% to 7%)
| LOW | $3.8 73 NAD |
| AVERAGE | $25 480 NAD |
| HIGH | $170 3,200 NAD |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 73 NAD to 3,200 NAD with 480 NAD being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 7% of total expenses with an average of 3% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling18%
18% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $15 280 NAD |
| AVERAGE | $96 1,800 NAD |
| HIGH | $640 12,000 NAD |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 1,800 NAD per month with 280 NAD being the minimum spent amount and 12,000 NAD being the maximum.
Other Expenses18%
18% of total expenses on average (12% to 24%)
| LOW | $11 220 NAD |
| AVERAGE | $76 1,400 NAD |
| HIGH | $510 9,600 NAD |
| Per Month |
Affordable living in Windhoek
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Windhoek?
Around 66% of surveyed students think that living in Windhoek is affordable with proper budgeting while 34% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Windhoek
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Windhoek
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,600 NAD | 2,400 NAD | 6,400 NAD |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 2,400 NAD | 3,900 NAD | 9,700 NAD |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 3,200 NAD | 4,800 NAD | 13,000 NAD |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 3,900 NAD | 6,400 NAD | 18,000 NAD |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 7,700 NAD | 19,000 NAD | 39,000 NAD |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 6,400 NAD | 9,700 NAD | 28,000 NAD |
House monthly rent cost
| 7,700 NAD | 19,000 NAD | 39,000 NAD |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 9,700 NAD | 24,000 NAD | 39,000 NAD |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Windhoek ranges between 1,600 NAD and 6,400 NAD, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 2,400 NAD to 9,700 NAD. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 3,200 NAD and 13,000 NAD per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 3,900 NAD to 18,000 NAD. The average rent of a townhouse in Windhoek is around 9,700 NAD while house rental costs can be as high as 19,000 NAD per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 9,700 NAD to 39,000 NAD per month.
Apartment and house prices in Windhoek
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 320,000 NAD | 480,000 NAD | 970,000 NAD |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 390,000 NAD | 640,000 NAD | 2.4M NAD |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 640,000 NAD | 1.9M NAD | 3.9M NAD |
| $34,000 | $100,000 | $200,000 |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 2.1M NAD | 3.2M NAD | 9.7M NAD |
| $110,000 | $170,000 | $510,000 |
Townhouse price
| 2.8M NAD | 6.4M NAD | 24M NAD |
House price
Villa price
The average price of a studio apartment in Windhoek can range from 320,000 NAD to 970,000 NAD depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 390,000 NAD to 2.4M NAD. A villa can cost you 21M NAD on average with prices ranging from 3.9M NAD to 32M NAD.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Windhoek will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 42 | x119 monthly income | 227 |
Property prices in Windhoek can be x119 to x227 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x119 multiples of the average monthly salary in Windhoek.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Windhoek is around 34%. This means that people pay 34% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 23% to 45% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
32% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Low-cost alternatives in Windhoek
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options65%
Few low-cost options35%
Based on the survey, 65% of the students living in Windhoek have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 35% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes66%
No34%
Based on the survey, 34% of the students living in Windhoek said that they don't have an emergency fund while 66% said that they do.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Windhoek
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Windhoek
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 380 NAD. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 88 NAD to 230 NAD with 180 NAD being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 120 NAD but can range between 70 NAD and 350 NAD depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Windhoek is around 6.6%. This means that people pay 6.6% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 3.3% to 11% depending on salary and location.
Financial Literacy in
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy55%
We asked student guardians and parents in Windhoek whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 45% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 55% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 36% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 64% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance36%
Easily manages finances64%
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Windhoek
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Windhoek
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Windhoek is approximatly 35 NAD with meal cost ranging from 18 NAD to 59 NAD. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 62 NAD and 180 NAD with 92 NAD being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Windhoek.
Fine dining meal for one price
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 120 NAD to 740 NAD with the average cost being 180 NAD for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Windhoek.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Windhoek is around 23 NAD. Price ranges between 15 NAD and 35 NAD depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Windhoek is 14 NAD. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 18 NAD and the minimum being 12 NAD depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 12 NAD on average with 8.8 NAD and 18 NAD being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Windhoek is between 20 NAD and 37 NAD depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 26 NAD.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 35 NAD. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Windhoek costs around 13 NAD on average with prices rangeing between 9.5 NAD and 18 NAD depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 3.5 NAD to 8.8 NAD. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 8.2 NAD on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 290 NAD to 13,000 NAD with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
