Windhoek residents brace for higher living costs …municipality council approves 4% tariff hike

Thousands of Windhoek households are facing another financial blow after the City of Windhoek (CoW) confirmed last week an average 4% increase in municipal tariffs. Although minimal on paper, the increase means a larger share of household and business income will now be spent on basic services, risking weaker consumer spending, slower economic activity, and making it even harder for unemployed Namibians and young families to establish themselves.

While the city cites the measure as being necessitated by inflation, there is no doubt the single digit increase will add notable pressure to already constrained family budgets, which are reeling from higher borrowing costs, rising inflation and stubbornly high unemployment.

The CoW increases, which took effect retrospectively from 1 July 2026 and will first appear on municipal accounts on 31 July, apply to water, property rates and taxes, sewerage, waste management, refuse removal and fire brigade levies.

The CoW Council stated that the revised tariffs were approved under a Council Resolution and subsequently gazetted. According to the municipality, the increase is necessary to enable the city to continue maintaining essential infrastructure and delivering critical municipal services.