Moving to Namibia from Finland

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Finland to Namibia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Finland to Namibia, and you’d need to navigate life in Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga and Tswana. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Windhoek averages 80°F vs 48°F in Helsinki, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Finland to Namibia, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
81 ↑ 5% vs 2015

people born in Finland live in Namibia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Namibia?

Top countries of origin for Namibia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Finland and Namibia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

FI
1.2
NA
12.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

FI
4.2
NA
22.0

Finland performs better than Namibia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

FI
$6,433
NA
$1,068
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

FI
43.8
NA
5.4

Namibia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

FI
7.0
NA
43.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

FI
5.5t
NA
1.2t

Finland generally does better on environment, though Namibia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

FI
34.5
NA
3.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

FI
7.1%
NA
0.9%

Finland generally does better on infrastructure, though Namibia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

FI
7.2%
NA
19.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

FI
$57,500
NA
$11,500

Finland generally does better on employment & economy, though Namibia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

FI
81.8 yrs
NA
66.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

FI
2.1
NA
29.4

Finland generally does better on family life, though Namibia leads in education spending.

Data: Finnish Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Helsinki Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Windhoek Rain: 14.5 in/yr (368 mm)
80° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Helsinki Windhoek
Jan–Mar 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) 84°/63°F (29°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) 74°/50°F (23°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) 76°/49°F (24°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 87°/61°F (30°/16°C)
View all months
Month Helsinki Windhoek
Jan 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.7°C)
Feb 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) 84°/63°F (28.7°/17.0°C)
Mar 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) 81°/61°F (27.4°/15.9°C)
Apr 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) 78°/55°F (25.8°/12.9°C)
May 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) 74°/50°F (23.4°/9.8°C)
Jun 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) 69°/44°F (20.7°/6.9°C)
Jul 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) 70°/44°F (21.2°/6.9°C)
Aug 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) 75°/48°F (23.8°/8.9°C)
Sep 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) 82°/54°F (27.5°/12.4°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) 85°/58°F (29.3°/14.7°C)
Nov 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) 86°/61°F (30.2°/16.2°C)
Dec 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) 89°/63°F (31.4°/17.2°C)

Data: Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute, Namibia Meteorological Service Namibia Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Finland and Namibia. To live, work, or study long-term in Namibia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Namibia's immigration authority.

Finland passport

Finland passport holder visiting Namibia

Visa on Arrival
Finland passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Namibia.
Namibia passport

Namibia passport holder visiting Finland

Visa Required
Namibia passport holders need a visa to enter Finland.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Namibia?

With 3.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Namibia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Finland and Namibia.

Is Namibia safe for expats?

Finland performs better than Namibia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Namibia is 12.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.2 in Finland.

How is healthcare in Namibia compared to Finland?

Namibia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 5.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Namibia, compared to 43.8 in Finland. Namibia scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Finland: 86).

What's the weather like in Namibia compared to Finland?

The average high temperature in Windhoek is 80°F, compared to 48°F in Helsinki. Windhoek receives around 14.5 in of rainfall per year, while Helsinki gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Namibia?

The official languages in Namibia are Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga and Tswana. In Finland, the official languages are Finnish and Swedish.

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At a Glance

FI NA
Population 5,601,547 2,727,409
Currency Euro (€) Namibian Dollar (NAD)
Languages Finnish, Swedish Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga, Tswana
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +358 +264
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 10111