Staff Writer
Young working professionals in Windhoek are spending up to half of their monthly income on rent as housing costs continue to rise faster than wages.
A one-bedroom unit now ranges between N$4 500 and N$7 500 per month, excluding utilities. For many tenants, rent is their largest expense.
An upfront payment of between N$8 000 and N$12 000, including deposits and utility charges, is often required to secure a one-bedroom apartment.
For entry- and mid-level earners taking home less than N$10 000 per month, the financial pressure begins before they move in.
A 27-year-old marketing assistant, who spoke to the Windhoek Observer on conditions of anonymity, said she has been searching for a new place for nearly a month.
“Most places I’ve viewed are above N$5 000. When you add a deposit and prepaid electricity, you need almost N$9 000 upfront,” she said.
She earns just under N$10 000 a month.
“After rent, transportation, and groceries, there is very little left. Saving becomes impossible. You work full time, but you’re constantly calculating,” she said.
“If you want something cheaper, you move further from town. But then transport costs increase.”
Tenants say the impact is already shaping their lives.
“When rent takes nearly half your salary, everything else becomes secondary. It changes how you plan your future.”
Thirty-year-old junior accountant Miguel Paulus said upfront costs make it challenging for young people to live on their own.
“It’s not just rent. There are water deposits, electricity deposits and sometimes agency fees. You need almost two months’ salary before you can secure a place,” Paulus said.
He recently viewed apartments priced between N$6 000 and N$7 000 but could not afford the deposit and advance payment.
“You realise quickly that it’s not sustainable long term,” he said. Adding, “The hardest thing about accommodation in Windhoek is that landlords only want one tenant in a house; for someone with a small kid or family, we are forced to sacrifice family over accommodation.”
Paulus said some young professionals are postponing plans to live independently.
“I know colleagues who are staying with family longer than they intended because rent is high,” he said.
Property consultant Helena Uugwanga said demand for smaller units remains strong, especially among single-income earners and young professionals moving to the capital for work.
“There is consistent demand for one-bedroom and bachelor units close to commercial areas. Supply has not increased at the same rate,” she said.
She said landlords are adjusting their rental rates due to rising municipal tariffs, maintenance costs and security expenses.
“Operating costs have gone up, and that is reflected in rental pricing,” she said.
“As long as demand remains strong and development remains limited, rental rates will stabilise around current levels,” Uugwanga said.
Windhoek’s population has grown over the past decade and now exceeds 500 000 residents.
Urban migration continues to increase demand for housing, especially in the lower- and middle-income rental market.
Housing analysts have pointed to a backlog in serviced land and affordable housing construction. Limited serviced plots and delays in infrastructure expansion have slowed the development of lower-cost housing.
Economist Precious Martinus said the crisis reflects the gap between wage growth and housing costs.
“Internationally, housing is considered affordable when households spend no more than 30 to 35% of income on rent,” she said. “In Windhoek, many young professionals are spending between 40% and 50%.”
She said high rental costs limit savings and delay financial stability.
“When a large portion of income goes to rent, households struggle to accumulate assets, invest or prepare for emergencies,” Martinus said.
Many young professionals also support extended family members.
“If one income supports multiple dependents, the effective housing burden becomes heavier,” she said.
Last week, the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development announced plans to reactivate a national rent control board and review rental laws. The current framework, based on the Rents Ordinance of 1977, has not been enforced for years.
The ministry said the board will address landlord-tenant disputes and review rules on deposits and rental practices.
Officials acknowledged that market forces have largely set rental prices in the absence of an active regulatory system.
Urban development researcher George Kandanga said reform may improve dispute resolution but will not lower prices in the short term.
“The core issue is supply. As long as demand exceeds available stock in the affordable segment, prices will remain under upward pressure,” Kandanga noted.
He said increasing land servicing and speeding up housing development are key to easing pressure over time.
