Home of the rich
Windhoek appears to be one of the most expensive cities in the sub-region, while the purchasing power of its residents is low.
Namibia, and in particular Windhoek, remains one of the most expensive places to live in in the sub-region and outperforms Johannesburg and Cape Town on a variety of indices. Property prices are not the only factor: groceries and local purchasing power draw a grim picture of the Namibian capital.
According to a new study ranking the world's most expensive cities, consumer prices in South Africa are 9.41% lower than in Namibia, rent prices are 21.73% lower, grocery prices are 15.56% lower while purchasing power is 74.97% higher in South Africa than in Namibia.
According to the study the take-home salary per month in Cape Town is N$17 358; in Johannesburg it is N$21 477; while in Windhoek it is only N$10 154.
The study indicates that a person would need at least N$32 000 in Johannesburg to maintain the same standard of living that they can have with N$34 938 in Windhoek, while if they spend N$35 211 to live in Windhoek a person would need just N$35 000 in Cape Town.
The Cost of Living Survey indicates that rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the Windhoek CBD costs more than N$7 800 per month and in the suburbs about N$7 000. In Johannesburg it costs N$6 443 to rent in the CBD and N$5 496 in the suburbs, while in Cape Town it costs N$9 098 and N$6 432 respectively.
Besides rent, the monthly cost of utilities in Windhoek for an 85-square-metre apartment is about N$1 282.
Cape Town's utilities cost N$896 per month and in Johannesburg utilities cost N$1 014.
Buying a new Volkswagen Golf or an equivalent car would cost about N$282 500 in Cape Town, in Johannesburg N$265 000 while in Windhoek it costs N$280 000.
In Windhoek fuel can cost as much as N$12 per litre, while in Cape Town and Johannesburg it costs about N$13 per litre.
Eating a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant can cost N$400 in Windhoek while an average bottle of wine can be as expensive as N$60 and a plain loaf of bread costs about N$11.
In Cape Town eating a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant costs about the same as in Windhoek at N$450, while an average bottle of wine is also N$60 and a loaf of bread cost N$12.80.
In Johannesburg a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant costs N$500, a bottle of average wine is only N$52.50 and a loaf of bread costs N$12.68.
In Windhoek local beer is slightly cheaper than in Cape Town and Johannesburg at N$17.40, while in the two South African cities beer costs N$17.80. A draught beer costs N$20 in Windhoek and N$25 in Cape Town.
Eggs, milk, rice, fruit and vegetables are much more expensive in Windhoek.
For example apples cost N$31.39 per kilogram in Windhoek and N$23.38 in Cape Town; potatoes are N$28.98 per kilogram in Windhoek and N$18.98 in Cape Town. A litre of milk costs 16.93 in Windhoek and 13.39 in Cape Town while rice is N$25.37 in comparison to N$18 in Cape Town.
The study also points out that one pair of Levi jeans costs N$777 in Windhoek and a summer dress from a chain store N$429.
In Cape Town the same items cost N$670.95 and N$466.34 respectively and in Johannesburg they cost N$761 and N$470.
In Angola consumer prices are 146.7% higher than in Namibia, rent is 530% higher and groceries are 142% higher, while purchasing power is 37.3% lower than in Namibia.
The cities rated the most expensive to live in globally are Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland, San Francisco and Washington D.C in the United States, and London in the United Kingdom.
The cost of living in Namibia is 34.37% lower than in the United States (aggregate data for all cities, rent is not taken into account). Rent in Namibia is 44.95% lower than in United States (average data for all cities).
ELLANIE SMIT
According to a new study ranking the world's most expensive cities, consumer prices in South Africa are 9.41% lower than in Namibia, rent prices are 21.73% lower, grocery prices are 15.56% lower while purchasing power is 74.97% higher in South Africa than in Namibia.
According to the study the take-home salary per month in Cape Town is N$17 358; in Johannesburg it is N$21 477; while in Windhoek it is only N$10 154.
The study indicates that a person would need at least N$32 000 in Johannesburg to maintain the same standard of living that they can have with N$34 938 in Windhoek, while if they spend N$35 211 to live in Windhoek a person would need just N$35 000 in Cape Town.
The Cost of Living Survey indicates that rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the Windhoek CBD costs more than N$7 800 per month and in the suburbs about N$7 000. In Johannesburg it costs N$6 443 to rent in the CBD and N$5 496 in the suburbs, while in Cape Town it costs N$9 098 and N$6 432 respectively.
Besides rent, the monthly cost of utilities in Windhoek for an 85-square-metre apartment is about N$1 282.
Cape Town's utilities cost N$896 per month and in Johannesburg utilities cost N$1 014.
Buying a new Volkswagen Golf or an equivalent car would cost about N$282 500 in Cape Town, in Johannesburg N$265 000 while in Windhoek it costs N$280 000.
In Windhoek fuel can cost as much as N$12 per litre, while in Cape Town and Johannesburg it costs about N$13 per litre.
Eating a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant can cost N$400 in Windhoek while an average bottle of wine can be as expensive as N$60 and a plain loaf of bread costs about N$11.
In Cape Town eating a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant costs about the same as in Windhoek at N$450, while an average bottle of wine is also N$60 and a loaf of bread cost N$12.80.
In Johannesburg a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant costs N$500, a bottle of average wine is only N$52.50 and a loaf of bread costs N$12.68.
In Windhoek local beer is slightly cheaper than in Cape Town and Johannesburg at N$17.40, while in the two South African cities beer costs N$17.80. A draught beer costs N$20 in Windhoek and N$25 in Cape Town.
Eggs, milk, rice, fruit and vegetables are much more expensive in Windhoek.
For example apples cost N$31.39 per kilogram in Windhoek and N$23.38 in Cape Town; potatoes are N$28.98 per kilogram in Windhoek and N$18.98 in Cape Town. A litre of milk costs 16.93 in Windhoek and 13.39 in Cape Town while rice is N$25.37 in comparison to N$18 in Cape Town.
The study also points out that one pair of Levi jeans costs N$777 in Windhoek and a summer dress from a chain store N$429.
In Cape Town the same items cost N$670.95 and N$466.34 respectively and in Johannesburg they cost N$761 and N$470.
In Angola consumer prices are 146.7% higher than in Namibia, rent is 530% higher and groceries are 142% higher, while purchasing power is 37.3% lower than in Namibia.
The cities rated the most expensive to live in globally are Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland, San Francisco and Washington D.C in the United States, and London in the United Kingdom.
The cost of living in Namibia is 34.37% lower than in the United States (aggregate data for all cities, rent is not taken into account). Rent in Namibia is 44.95% lower than in United States (average data for all cities).
ELLANIE SMIT
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