Is Windhoek hierso!

Windhoek is now ranked as Africa's fifth most expensive city to live in by a survey that measures the cost of living in various cities around the world.

Numbeo's latest Cost of Living Index that was released this month shows Windhoek is already more expensive to live in than both Johannesburg and Cape Town, and outperforms these South African cities on a variety of indices.

The index looks at the relative cost of various categories including rent, groceries, restaurants and local purchasing power, and draws a grim picture of the Namibian capital.

According to the study, consumer prices in Cape Town are 10.38% lower than in Windhoek, rent prices are 25.19% higher and grocery prices are 22.68% higher, while purchasing power is 74.97% lower in Windhoek than in Cape Town.

According to the study, the average take-home salary per month in Cape Town is N$15 678, in Johannesburg it is N$20 146 and in Windhoek N$10 947.

The study indicates a person would need at least N$34 267 in Johannesburg to maintain the same standard of living that you can have with N$36 000 in Windhoek, assuming you rent in both cities.

In Cape Town you would need N$37 000 to maintain the same standard of living that would cost you N$35 956 in Windhoek.

The Cost of Living Survey indicates that rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the Windhoek CBD costs more than N$7 200 and up to N$6 000 in the suburbs.

In Johannesburg it costs N$6 400 to rent in the CBD and N$5 100 for the suburbs, while in Cape Town it will put you back N$11 000 and N$7 000 respectively.

Besides rent, the monthly cost of utilities in Windhoek for an apartment of 85 square metres can set you back N$1 300.

Cape Town utilities cost N$850 per month and in Johannesburg you will pay N$1 434.

Buying a new Volkswagen Golf or an equivalent car would cost about N$280 000 in Johannesburg and in Cape Town, while in Windhoek it will cost N$290 349.





Eating a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant for two people in Windhoek can cost up to N$600 while an average bottle of wine can be as expensive as N$65 and plain loaf of bread costs more than N$11.

In Cape Town a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant can cost N$500, an average bottle of wine N$60, and a loaf of bread, N$12.21.

In Johannesburg a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant would also cost N$500, an average bottle of wine would be N$62.50 and a loaf of bread, N$12.47.

In Windhoek, local beer is slightly cheaper than in Cape Town and Johannesburg, at about N$20 for a 500ml draught, while in the two South African cities it will set you back N$32 and N$28 respectively.

Eggs, milk and rice as well as fruits and vegetables are much more expensive in Windhoek.

For example, apples cost N$32 per kilogram in Windhoek and 19.37/kg in Cape Town while potatoes are N$13.39/kg in Cape Town and N$29/kg in Windhoek.

Furthermore, milk costs N$18.75/litre in Windhoek and N$12.47/litre in Cape Town while in Johannesburg you will pay N$14.65. Rice costs N$25 in Windhoek in comparison to the N$20.25 it costs in Cape Town.

Meanwhile, in comparison to Luanda, Angola a person would need around N$36 301 in Windhoek to maintain the same standard of living that one can have with US$8 300 (about N$110 058) in Luanda.

Consumer prices in Windhoek are 59% lower in Luanda, rent is 77% lower and local purchasing power is 66.62% higher than in Luanda.

Globally, Hamilton in Bermuda was ranked as the most expensive city. The rest of the top five slots were filled by cities in Switzerland including Zurich, Basel, Lausanne and Bern.

ELLANIE SMIT