Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Knysna Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Knysna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,181 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,106 in Knysna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,800 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,656 in Knysna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,418 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,206 in Knysna, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 7% more than Knysna, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Knysna are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 12% lower, Knysna 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 R 187

$8.34 R 137

36.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.74 R 737

$36.26 R 597

23.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 R 81.3

$5.00 R 82.4

-1.40%

Cappuccino

$2.16 R 35.53

$2.22 R 36.64

-2.70%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 R 16.45

$1.09 R 18.01

-8.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.40

$0.80 R 13.11

1.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 R 43.38

$2.16 R 35.52

21.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 42.44

$2.30 R 37.87

12.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 R 18.74

$1.16 R 19.12

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.99

$0.92 R 15.09

18.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.86

$1.58 R 26.07

3.16%

Eggs

$2.55 R 42.04

$2.61 R 43.06

-2.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.01 R 132

$9.74 R 160

-17.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 R 79.8

$4.37 R 72.0

10.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 R 111

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.37

$1.36 R 22.38

17.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.33

$1.61 R 26.44

-8.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.24

$1.30 R 21.34

17.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.52

$1.66 R 27.26

0.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.87

$1.39 R 22.86

8.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 R 23.09

$1.41 R 23.18

-0.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 R 17.80

$1.15 R 18.97

-6.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 14.83

$0.99 R 16.36

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 R 51.1

$2.73 R 44.96

13.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 R 102

$4.87 R 80.2

26.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R 22.54

$1.39 R 22.97

-1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 R 26.06

$1.71 R 28.17

-7.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 28.35

$1.68 R 27.59

2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.7 R 1,147

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 18.82

$1.11 R 18.21

2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.80

$0.96 R 15.78

-6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 R 67.8

$3.95 R 65.0

4.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.38

$1.35 R 22.19

-8.15%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.6K R 372.6K

$22.4K R 368.6K

1.09%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.3K R 400.8K

$21.9K R 361.0K

11.04%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$119 R 1,956

$88.5 R 1,457

34.28%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$41.04 R 676

$22.63 R 373

81.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.20 R 695

$40.63 R 669

3.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.55 R 553

$44.60 R 735

-24.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.63 R 225

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 R 123

$6.82 R 112

9.68%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$204 R 3,353

$243 R 3,994

-16.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,916 R 81.0K

$4,319 R 71.1K

13.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 R 842

$50.9 R 838

0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.43 R 551

$31.70 R 522

5.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 R 1,480

$109 R 1,801

-17.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 R 1,285

$78.7 R 1,297

-0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 R 7,031

$474 R 7,812

-10.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 R 6,256

$451 R 7,423

-15.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 R 14.9K

$766 R 12.6K

18.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$706 R 11.6K

$734 R 12.1K

-3.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,033 R 17.0K

$1,032 R 17.0K

0.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 R 12.8K

$1,027 R 16.9K

-24.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,574 R 25.9K

$944 R 15.5K

66.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

12.25

-6.04%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Johannesburg: April 21, 2026

Last update for Knysna: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Johannesburg versus $474 in Knysna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 67% higher in Johannesburg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Johannesburg versus $36 in Knysna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $182 – making Knysna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Johannesburg vs Knysna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 7% more than Knysna, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,772 per month in Johannesburg and $1,658 in Knysna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Knysna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,181 in Johannesburg and $1,106 in Knysna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $204 per month in Johannesburg and $243 in Knysna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Knysna, where all-in costs run around $1,106, than in Johannesburg at $1,181. In Knysna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Knysna costs $1,106 versus $1,181 in Johannesburg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Knysna. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Johannesburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.