Windhoek Ranked Among Africa’s Higher-Cost Cities in 2026 Numbeo Index

Windhoek Ranked Among Africa’s Higher-Cost Cities in 2026 Numbeo Index. Windhoek has been ranked among Africa’s higher-cost cities in 2026, placing seventh on the continent and fourth in southern Africa, according to newly published cost-of-living data by Numbeo.

Numbeo’s index compares relative living costs across cities using a basket of indicators that includes groceries, rent, restaurant prices, and local purchasing power. The platform aggregates user-contributed data to produce comparative insights into everyday expenses in cities around the world.

According to the data, Windhoek recorded a cost-of-living index of 37.4. The city’s rent index stood at 15.2, while the combined cost-of-living-plus-rent index was measured at 27.5. Grocery prices were recorded at 35.6, with restaurant prices reaching 36.4.

Local purchasing power in Windhoek was measured at 72.0, indicating the relative ability of residents to purchase goods and services based on local wages compared to prices.

Numbeo’s rankings place Windhoek below Abidjan in Ivory Coast, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, and South African cities including Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. However, Windhoek ranked above several major African cities such as Accra, Nairobi, Casablanca, and Cairo.

Across the continent, Abidjan recorded the highest cost-of-living index at 45.2, followed by Addis Ababa at 42.6. Pretoria ranked third with an index of 41.6, while Johannesburg and Cape Town followed closely at 40.4 and 39.6, respectively.Within southern Africa, Windhoek ranked fourth. Pretoria led the regional rankings, followed by Johannesburg and Cape Town, with Durban placing fifth at 35.3.

Numbeo’s data indicates that while Windhoek’s overall cost levels remain lower than those of South Africa’s major metropolitan centres, the city is still more expensive than several other African capitals, including Nairobi at 32.0, Tunis at 30.7, and Algiers at 29.2.

Local purchasing power emerged as a key differentiator in the index. Numbeo noted that Windhoek’s purchasing power index of 72.0 is significantly lower than that of Johannesburg and Cape Town, which both exceeded 100, but remains notably higher than many West and East African cities, where purchasing power indices generally remain below 40.