Living in Namibia
Namibia taxes on a source basis, is among the least densely populated countries in the world and uses a dollar pegged to the rand. You need to like driving: cities sit hundreds of kilometres apart, and Europeans have needed a visa since April 2025.
The essentials · live · July 2026
For comparing where to live: personal tax, cities, drawbacks.
6.4/10
Liberty
Equal weights, higher is better
0–37%
Income tax
0%
Inheritance
Tax and rules
- Income tax : 0–37%
- Inheritance : 0%
The real drawbacks
- Anyone wanting a dense healthcare network outside Windhoek
- Anyone needing simple international banking (money 4/10)
- Families wanting a documented homeschool framework
Who it fits
- Anyone seeking wide open space and low density (space 10/10)
- Foreign-source income outside a local salary
- English speakers comfortable with long-distance driving
Cost of living and cities
Windhoek, the capital, sits on a plateau at around 1,650 m. It concentrates ministries, banks, private clinics and the international airport. Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, on the Atlantic coast, have a cooler, foggier climate and a calmer life, a few hours’ drive away. The rest of the country is very sparsely populated: our grid gives space 10/10.
The Namibian dollar is pegged one-to-one to the South African rand, which is also legal tender in the country. Many goods are imported from South Africa, and prices follow. English is the official language, which simplifies contracts and paperwork.
A car is essential: distances run into hundreds of kilometres and public transport is limited. The climate is arid and water is a closely watched resource. Our grid scores infrastructure 5/10. Budget a reliable vehicle, private health insurance and flights often routed via Johannesburg, as direct links to Europe are few.
Personal tax and residence
Namibia taxes on a source basis: Namibian-source income is taxed, foreign-source income generally is not. Narrow exceptions exist, for example some foreign interest received by residents or copyright royalties. Our grid shows a 0 to 37% scale on local income.
There is no estate, inheritance or donations tax. Property carries a progressive transfer duty for individuals, heavier for companies. A salary paid by a Namibian employer is local-source; for remote work performed from Windhoek for a foreign client, have the source qualified by local counsel.
As long as your centre of life is in Europe, your home country can keep taxing you. Validate the source of each income stream and any exit tax before settling.
Family, school and healthcare
Windhoek has private and international English-language schools; outside the capital and coast the choice narrows sharply. Homeschool status is not yet classified in our dataset: treat it as unknown and get written local advice before relying on it.
Private clinics in Windhoek cover routine needs; for some specialist care, patients are transferred to South Africa. Private health insurance with evacuation is the baseline for a foreign family.
Visa, pace and daily life
Since 1 April 2025, nationals of the EU, the United States, the United Kingdom and many other countries need a paid visa: e-visa or visa on arrival. The default stay is 30 days, extendable up to 90 days.
Staying longer requires a work permit, residence permit or permanent residence issued by Namibian immigration services. Timelines can be long: plan a buffer and apostilled documents.
The pace is slow and outdoors-oriented: nature, road trips, weekends in the desert or on the coast. For a remote-working couple with foreign income, it is a rare setting. For a family with specific school needs, the list of useful cities quickly shrinks to Windhoek.
Namibia suits a couple without school-age children, with foreign income and a taste for wide open space. A family that needs schools and specialists will be limited to Windhoek.
Common mistakes: arriving on a tourist visa with a long-term plan; underestimating the cost of a vehicle and insurance; assuming work done locally stays foreign-source; treating Ranking scores as tax advice.
Living here
Main cities
No city cards for this hub in Ranking yet.
Liberty scores
Overall score (equal weights) : 6.4/10
See the numbers
| Criterion | Namibia |
|---|---|
| Tax | 7.5 |
| Money | 4.0 |
| Economy | 6.0 |
| Property | 5.5 |
| Self | 7.0 |
| Space | 10.0 |
| Infra | 5.0 |
Ranking Liberty-mode scores 0–10. Higher is more favourable for that criterion.
Personal taxation
| Income tax | 0–37% |
| Inheritance | 0% |
Indicative Ranking labels: verify local law.
Homeschooling
Not coded
Status not yet classified in the dataset (missing indicative data).
Indicative status (self axis): verify local law.
Compare in Liberty mode Living-here page
FAQ
Do you need a visa for Namibia?
Yes for Europeans since 1 April 2025: e-visa or visa on arrival, 30 days by default. Check conditions on the official portal before booking.
Is my foreign income taxed in Namibia?
Generally not: Namibia taxes on a source basis. Some foreign income (certain interest, royalties) can be deemed local-source. Have it validated by an adviser.
Windhoek or Swakopmund to live?
Windhoek for schools, healthcare and the airport; Swakopmund for a cooler climate and a calm life by the ocean.
Is there inheritance tax in Namibia?
No, Namibia levies no estate, inheritance or donations tax. Property transfer duty does apply on purchase.