Composite profile
Overall score
66/100
Use the Windhoek profile to compare cost framing, country-level context, and arid-resilience signals alongside other Southern-African capitals.
Overall66/100
Affordability70/100
Air quality76/100
Energy64/100
Namibia / Southern Africa
Windhoek, Namibia City Intelligence
Windhoek is Namibia's capital and largest city, in a semi-arid central-plateau setting, with national-services anchor role and active water-resource planning. Windhoek is a southern africa city of about ~0.4M city in Namibia. On the composite city-intelligence score, Windhoek sits below the indexed median, with practical gaps to close (66/100).
- Last updated
- 2026-05-16
- Data year
- 2025
- Population
- ~0.4M city
Image credit: Image: Bries / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5
Overall city intelligence
Mixed66/100
Composite directional score across affordability, air quality, clean energy, and resilience.
Data confidence
Directional
Directional indicators pending integration of verified city-level data.
Verified utility layers
See country hub
Emergency, healthcare, and transport verification status appears on the country hub.
Windhoek data table
The table is part of the initial server-rendered HTML and mirrors the key city score cards.
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 66/100 | Composite score across major city intelligence modules. |
| Cost of Living | 70/100 | Windhoek's cost-of-living profile is a directional indicator pending integration of verified city-level data; structured benchmark context applies. |
| Air Quality | 76/100 | Windhoek's air-quality profile is a directional indicator framed against WHO and regional benchmarks; verified city-level measurements appear in the dedicated air-quality dataset section once integrated. |
| Energy | 64/100 | Windhoek's energy-readiness profile is a directional indicator that combines national policy framing with city-level adaptation context. |
| Safety | 63/100 | Windhoek's safety profile is a directional indicator; verified country-level emergency profiles attach via the country hub where available. |
| Internet Speed | 65/100 | Windhoek's connectivity profile is a directional indicator combining national digital-readiness context with widely cited speed-test references. |
| Climate Risk | 60/100 | Windhoek's climate-risk profile is a directional indicator combining regional hazard categories with national adaptation capacity. |
| Resilience | 60/100 | Climate adaptation and infrastructure continuity context. |
Safety
Deterministic safety estimates from our index — planning signals derived from country priors and city data, not official crime statistics.
Safety
Overall safety58/100
Low crime60/100
Personal safety59/100
Night safety54/100
Road safety59/100
Windhoek has a moderate safety estimate (58/100); standard urban precautions are advised, particularly after dark.
Quality of Life
A composite quality-of-life estimate and its component indicators.
Quality of Life
Quality of life59/100
Healthcare63/100
Education66/100
Green space45/100
Cleanliness65/100
Infrastructure65/100
Mobility56/100
Windhoek has a moderate quality-of-life estimate (59/100) across our combined indicators.
Family Friendliness
How the city scores for raising a family, with the indicators that drive it.
Family Friendliness
Family friendliness60/100
Education66/100
Green space45/100
Overall safety58/100
Windhoek scores moderate for family living (60/100).
Digital Nomad Suitability
Suitability for remote workers, based on connectivity, mobility, and livability.
Digital Nomad Suitability
Digital nomad suitability65/100
Walkability72/100
Cycling60/100
Infrastructure65/100
Windhoek is moderate for remote workers (65/100), based on connectivity, affordability and walkability and day-to-day amenities.
Retirement Suitability
Suitability for retirement, weighing healthcare, affordability, climate, and environment.
Retirement Suitability
Retirement suitability61/100
Healthcare63/100
Cleanliness65/100
Outdoor lifestyle22/100
Windhoek is moderate for retirement (61/100), appealing for affordability.
Emergency and public safety in Windhoek
Local public safety guidance for Windhoek, with the country-level emergency contacts that apply when calling for police, fire, or ambulance.
For the universal emergency contacts that apply in Windhoek, including police, fire, and ambulance, see the Namibia emergency profile, which currently lists no verified national contacts.
Methodology and the wider source registry are documented on the scoring methodology and data sources pages.
Healthcare and hospitals in Windhoek
Healthcare context for Windhoek, with national-level information from Namibia where city-specific data is not yet verified. This is informational only and does not provide medical advice.
For the national healthcare and public-health context that applies in Windhoek, see the Namibia healthcare profile, which currently lists no verified national healthcare information.
Related sections: emergency and public safety, scoring methodology, and data sources.
Transport and mobility in Windhoek
Local mobility context for Windhoek, with national-level context from Namibia where city-specific data is not yet verified. This is informational only.
For national transport authorities and operators that apply in Windhoek, see the Namibia transport profile, which currently lists no verified national transport information.
Related sections: emergency and public safety, healthcare and hospitals, cities directory, countries directory, scoring methodology, data sources.
Air quality dataset
Source-attributed air-quality dataset for Windhoek. Verified measurements are surfaced when published from accepted official datasets; transparent fallback is shown otherwise.
Air quality dataset for Windhoek
Verified data unavailableLast updated 2026-05-16 / data year 2025
Verified air-quality measurements are not yet published for this location
Source-attributed values for Windhoek will appear here after the platform integrates verified measurements from accepted official publishers. Until then, structured air-quality module context remains available on the dedicated module page.
| Metric | Value | Data year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | Verified air-quality measurements are not yet published for this location. | ||
Data provenance
Source attributionGlobal City Intelligence — air-quality dataset
Verified data unavailable- Publisher
- Global City Intelligence
- Last verified
- 2026-05-16
The air-quality dataset begins empty by design. Verified city-level measurements appear here only after they are sourced from accepted publishers (WHO, EEA, US EPA, OpenAQ, OECD, or official national/city environmental agencies).
Methodology and context
Numeric measurements appear in this section only after they are sourced from accepted official publishers. The dataset is independently validated at build time; malformed records cannot ship to production.
- Scoring methodology — how indicators across the platform are constructed.
- Data sources registry — the official sources cited by verified datasets.
- Open the Windhoek air-quality module
- Browse the clean-air city collection
Quick answers
Quick, evidence-based answers about Windhoek drawn from this profile's indexed cost, climate, safety, economy, education, healthcare and nearby-nature data. Figures are deterministic estimates for orientation — verify specifics with official sources.
Quick answers about Windhoek
Is Windhoek worth visiting?
Yes — good quality of life (59/100) and a regional center economy.
Is Windhoek good for families?
Good (60/100) on safety, schools and green space.
Is Windhoek affordable?
More affordable than average; about 13,500 NAD/month for one person (estimate).
When is the best time to visit Windhoek?
Late spring to early autumn; warmest in Jan, coldest in Jul.
What are Windhoek's main industries?
Mainly government, mining, tourism.
What is the climate in Windhoek?
A desert climate, averaging about 26.6°C.
Does Windhoek have universities?
Higher education is good (59/100).
What is healthcare like in Windhoek?
Healthcare access is good (57/100).
Is Windhoek good for retirement?
Retirement suitability is good (58/100).
What nature is near Windhoek?
No major nature destinations are indexed within day-trip range.
Explore Windhoek modules
City pages link to module and ranking pages so crawlers can move through the topic cluster naturally.
Cost of Living in Windhoek
Windhoek's cost-of-living profile is a directional indicator pending integration of verified city-level data; structured benchmark context applies.
Air Quality in Windhoek
Windhoek's air-quality profile is a directional indicator framed against WHO and regional benchmarks; verified city-level measurements appear in the dedicated air-quality dataset section once integrated.
Energy in Windhoek
Windhoek's energy-readiness profile is a directional indicator that combines national policy framing with city-level adaptation context.
Safety in Windhoek
Windhoek's safety profile is a directional indicator; verified country-level emergency profiles attach via the country hub where available.
Internet Speed in Windhoek
Windhoek's connectivity profile is a directional indicator combining national digital-readiness context with widely cited speed-test references.
Climate Risk in Windhoek
Windhoek's climate-risk profile is a directional indicator combining regional hazard categories with national adaptation capacity.
City rankings
Compare this city against other indexed cities in crawlable ranking tables.
Cost of living in Windhoek
Cost of living estimates for Windhoek — monthly budgets, rent, food, and transport in the local currency, plus an affordability score for comparison. Planning estimates derived from country baselines, not live prices.
Climate in Windhoek
Climate profile for Windhoek — Desert climate, annual average 26.6°C, comfort score 56/100. Month-by-month temperatures, rainfall, sunshine, and the best months to visit. Deterministic planning estimates, not a forecast.
Economy and jobs in Windhoek
Economy and jobs profile for Windhoek — regional center, economy score 58/100, key industries including government, mining, tourism. Employment, salary, startup, remote-work, and career indicators. Deterministic planning estimates.
Universities and education in Windhoek
Education profile for Windhoek — regional education center, education score 57/100, 4 representative universities, plus research, student life, and international-student indicators. Deterministic dataset, not institutional rankings.
Healthcare and retirement in Windhoek
Healthcare and retirement profile for Windhoek — mixed healthcare profile, healthcare score 57/100, retirement score 58/100. Medical access, specialist and emergency care, affordability, and retirement suitability. Deterministic planning estimates.
Estimate a monthly budget for Windhoek
Estimate a monthly budget for Windhoek using your own housing, food, transport, healthcare, and lifestyle inputs. Planning estimator only — not an official cost-of-living measurement.
Plan a trip budget for Windhoek
Plan a trip budget for Windhoek using your own accommodation, food, local transport, activities, travel, healthcare buffer, and emergency buffer inputs. Planning estimator only — not an official travel cost estimate.
Nearby cities from Windhoek
Where else nearby you could spend a day or a weekend from Windhoek. Links are derived from geographic proximity, shared region, shared natural-recreation areas, transport corridors, and country borders — not popularity or tourism rankings.
Gaborone, Botswana
Cross-border · about 928 km from Windhoek. Explore Gaborone's city intelligence profile.
Pretoria, South Africa
Cross-border · about 1180 km from Windhoek. Explore Pretoria's city intelligence profile.
Johannesburg, South Africa
Cross-border · about 1180 km from Windhoek. Explore Johannesburg's city intelligence profile.
Cape Town, South Africa
Cross-border · about 1273 km from Windhoek. Explore Cape Town's city intelligence profile.
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Cross-border · about 1276 km from Windhoek. Explore Stellenbosch's city intelligence profile.
Windhoek FAQ
Common questions about living in, visiting, working in, studying in and retiring to Windhoek, answered from the indexed cost-of-living, climate, safety, economy, education, healthcare and nearby-nature data on this profile.
Frequently asked questions about Windhoek
Is Windhoek worth visiting?
Windhoek has a moderate quality-of-life estimate (59/100) across our combined indicators. Visitors can also reach nature such as nearby parks and countryside within weekend range.
What is it like to live in Windhoek?
Windhoek has a moderate quality-of-life estimate (59/100) across our combined indicators. It indexes 59/100 for overall quality of life.
How much does it cost to live in Windhoek?
A single resident of Windhoek spends roughly 13,500 NAD per month, with a one-bedroom rent near 7,200 NAD. Overall the city is more affordable than average for Namibia. These are modelled estimates, not live quotes — verify locally.
What should I know about moving to Windhoek?
Plan for below-average living costs and check current rents before relocating. Windhoek is moderate for remote workers (65/100), based on connectivity, affordability and walkability and day-to-day amenities.
What is the job market like in Windhoek?
Windhoek's labour market is moderate, with opportunities concentrated in tourism and hospitality, technology and education and research. Windhoek has a regional economy with strengths in government, mining and tourism.
Is Windhoek good for digital nomads and remote work?
Windhoek offers solid infrastructure and amenities for remote professionals, with a remote-work score of 58/100.
What are the education options in Windhoek?
Windhoek is a regional education center with a mix of universities and research activity in our dataset, spanning fields such as Economics, Social Sciences and Engineering.
Is Windhoek a good place to study?
Windhoek offers a moderate student environment, supported by walkable neighborhoods and relatively affordable living.
What is healthcare like in Windhoek?
Windhoek has a mixed healthcare profile, supported by hospitals, specialist services, and public-health infrastructure, with a healthcare score of 57/100. Residents have solid access to healthcare across primary, specialist, and emergency care.
Is Windhoek a good place to retire?
Windhoek offers a combination of healthcare access, safety, and amenities that may appeal to retirees, with a retirement score of 58/100. Residents benefit from walkable streets and day-to-day services.
What is the climate like in Windhoek?
Windhoek has a desert climate, averaging about 26.6°C annually with roughly 250 mm of rain. The hottest month is Jan and the coldest Jul. The driest is typically Jan.
Is Windhoek a safe place to live?
Windhoek has a moderate safety estimate (58/100); standard urban precautions are advised, particularly after dark.
How easy is it to get around Windhoek?
Windhoek indexes a walkability score of 72 and a cycling score of 60 out of 100. Check the local operator for live transit routes and fares.
What nature and outdoor places are near Windhoek?
Windhoek has limited indexed nature destinations within day-trip range.
Is Windhoek good for families?
Windhoek scores moderate for family living (60/100).
What outdoor activities are there around Windhoek?
Windhoek rates 22/100 for outdoor lifestyle and 45/100 for green space.
Interpretation
Use the Windhoek profile to compare cost framing, country-level context, and arid-resilience signals alongside other Southern-African capitals. Its standout dimensions are air quality (76/100) and cost of living (70/100). The area most worth watching is climate risk (60/100), where the model registers practical gaps. Data year 2025; last updated 2026-05-16. Drawn from 4 institutional references.
Country context is available on the Namibia country page. Related rankings include Overall Intelligence, Quality of Life, Remote Work. See where Windhoek appears in global rankings or read the scoring methodology.
Structured indicators on this page are directional and intended for orientation. Verified datasets are being integrated; official sources should be used for critical decisions.
Sources
4 institutional references inform this view, listed below with reliability notes. Structured indicators on this page are directional and intended for orientation; verified datasets are being integrated and official sources should be used for critical decisions.
- UN-Habitat: World Cities Report 2024
Used as a policy and methodology reference for urban exposure and resilience signals.
- NASA: NASA POWER
Used as an energy-resource and weather-normalization reference.
- World Health Organization: WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines
Used to normalize air-quality indicators toward health-protective benchmarks.
- IPCC: AR6 WGII Chapter 6: Cities, settlements and key infrastructure
Used to explain urban climate vulnerability and adaptation scoring logic.