Windhoek ranks 9th globally as the most affordable city for expats

Windhoek has been ranked ninth among the least expensive cities globally, making it one of the most affordable cities for expatriates.

This is according to the latest Mercer Cost of Living Survey. The annual survey evaluates over 200 cities worldwide, assessing the cost of living based on factors such as housing, transportation, food and other daily expenses.

“In today’s ever-evolving global landscape, the factors that make a location attractive extend far beyond mere cost considerations. While cost undoubtedly still plays a significant role, companies and employees are increasingly prioritising other factors when evaluating the appeal of a destination,” the report reads.

Other cities featured on the list include Abuja (1) and Lagos (2) in Nigeria, Islamabad (3) and Karachi (4) in Pakistan, Bishkek (5) in Kyrgyzstan, Blantyre (6) in Malawi, Dushanbe (7) in Tajikistan, Durban (8) in South Africa and Havana (10) in Cuba.

The cities’ accessible housing markets and relatively low costs for daily living make them attractive options for budget-conscious expats, notes the survey.

“Comparing the data on costs and quality of living highlights the challenge of finding the sweet spot between the two, in other words, a city that combines low costs with a high quality of life.”

The report notes that the world’s most expensive cities for expatriates are Hong Kong (1) in China, followed by Zurich, Geneva and Basel in Switzerland. Other high-cost cities include Bern in Switzerland, New York and Los Angeles in the United States (US), London in the United Kingdom and Nassau in the Bahamas.

These cities face high housing costs, expensive goods and services and premium transportation rates, making them significantly less affordable for expatriates.

For consistency, New York was used as the base city and currency movements were measured against the US dollar.