Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Lusaka vs Windhoek

Lusaka vs Windhoek

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lusaka 36% cheaper Moderate / Low

Lusaka

Vije Vijendranath/Unsplash

Windhoek

Ndumiso/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,367

Lusaka

$2,126

Windhoek

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Lusaka

Low

Windhoek

Air Quality

5/5

Lusaka

5/5

Windhoek

Healthcare

High

Lusaka

Low

Windhoek

Population

1.7m

Lusaka

325.9k

Windhoek

Lusaka (Zambia) and Windhoek (Namibia) are both in Africa, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Lusaka is significantly cheaper for digital nomads at $1367/mo — 36% less than Windhoek's $2126/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $9108.

For families, Lusaka costs $806.9391088542649/mo compared to Windhoek's $1939.259361943645/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Lusaka leads on internet connectivity at 20 Mbps (ranked #167 globally) versus Windhoek's 13 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

Lusaka has a stronger safety profile than Windhoek, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Lusaka offers better healthcare infrastructure than Windhoek — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Lusaka is April (around 27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 402), while Windhoek peaks in April (26 degrees, 0mm rain, score 408). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

LusakaWindhoek

Nomad$1,367/mo$2,126/mo

Expat$530/mo$1,069/mo

Local$231/mo$554/mo

Family$807/mo$1,939/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

LusakaWindhoek

City Speed

20 Mbps#167

13 Mbps

Country Speed22 Mbps13 Mbps

Environment & Health

LusakaWindhoek

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighModerate

ClimateN/AHigh

Humidity8969

Quality of Life

LusakaWindhoek

SafetyModerateLow

HealthcareHighLow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Lusaka

Windhoek

Jan

29°

3mm309

32°

0mm388

Feb

32°

0mm389

33°

0mm386

Mar

29°

1mm378

31°

0mm388

Apr

27°

0mm402

26°

0mm408

May

24°

0mm402

22°

0mm408

Jun

20°

0mm382

16°

0mm388

Jul

24°

0mm402

19°

0mm408

Aug

25°

0mm402

24°

0mm408

Sep

29°

0mm402

25°

0mm408

Oct

31°

0mm402

28°

0mm408

Nov

32°

1mm378

32°

0mm388

Dec

33°

0mm387

33°

0mm368

Who Should Choose Lusaka?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1367
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $806.9391088542649/mo for families
Peak season in April — 27 degrees, score 402

Who Should Choose Windhoek?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1939.259361943645/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 325.9k residents
Peak season in April — 26 degrees, score 408

Overall Verdict

Overall, Lusaka edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1367/mo it runs 36% cheaper than Windhoek's $2126/mo, with 20 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Lusaka Windhoek

ItemLusakaWindhoekDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3$8.58

65%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$18.37$37.16

51%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.17$5

37%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.81$1.81

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.22$1.43

15%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.5$1.57

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.88$0.78

11%

Water (0.33L)$0.47$0.81

42%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.34$1.14

15%

White bread (500g)$0.95$0.72

24%

White rice (1kg)$2$1.37

31%

Eggs (12)$1.73$1.82

Chicken fillets (1kg)$4.18$4.57

Beef round (1kg)$5.3$5.01

Local cheese (1kg)$9.11$5.93

35%

Apples (1kg)$2.48$1.68

32%

Bananas (1kg)$1.49$1.63

Oranges (1kg)$2.51$1.48

41%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.16$1.32

12%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.23$1.55

21%

Onions (1kg)$1.59$1.07

33%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.22$1.44

15%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.98$1.21

19%

Wine, mid-range bottle$4.9$3.43

30%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$0.99$1.05

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.26$1.19

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.66$2.29

14%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$1.24$0.71

43%

Monthly transport pass$30.62$22.44

27%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$3$0.79

74%

Taxi per 1km$0.62$0.82

24%

Taxi 1hr waiting$9.19$2.06

78%

Gasoline (1L)$1.36$1.07

21%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$8,593.28$8,576.33

Toyota Corolla (new)$6,444.46$11,435.11

44%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$140.69$92.44

34%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$103.74$48.6

53%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.07$0.05

29%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$23.82$39.31

39%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$4.78$7.46

36%

Cinema, 1 ticket$2$3.45

42%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$171.24$140.08

18%

International primary school/yr$14,061.39$3,872.31

72%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$12.66$52.88

76%

Summer dress (chain store)$31.12$18.09

42%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$90.18$74.79

17%

Men's leather business shoes$105.64$60.02

43%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$262.01$382.36

31%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$168.4$291.58

42%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$832.64$825.89

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$439.96$596.26

26%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$10,763.91$857.63

92%

Price per m², outside centre—$657.52

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$396.94$564.61

30%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$26$10.78

59%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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