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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,248 in Knysna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,252 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,842 in Knysna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,069 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,435 in Knysna, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 15% more than Knysna, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Johannesburg sits 4% above the global median, while Knysna is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.61 R 201

$9.87 R 158

27.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.05 R 735

$39.75 R 634

15.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 R 120

$6.02 R 96.0

24.75%

Cappuccino

$2.49 R 39.71

$2.21 R 35.28

12.67%

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

$1.26 R 20.18

$1.05 R 16.70

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.03

$0.74 R 11.83

27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 R 33.02

$2.31 R 36.84

-10.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.13

$2.89 R 46.15

-4.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 21.73

$1.16 R 18.56

17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R 20.52

$1.09 R 17.36

18.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.19

$1.56 R 24.89

17.31%

Eggs

$2.68 R 42.75

$2.77 R 44.21

-3.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 R 149

$8.84 R 141

5.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 R 95.7

$5.17 R 82.4

16.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 R 146

$8.16 R 130

12.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 R 35.88

$1.69 R 27.00

33.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.16

$1.54 R 24.62

26.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.02

$1.57 R 25.00

15.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 R 33.99

$1.59 R 25.44

33.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.58

$1.63 R 26.06

9.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 R 29.87

$1.44 R 22.92

29.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 R 24.08

$1.26 R 20.11

19.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 21.39

$1.05 R 16.67

27.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 R 54.3

$3.29 R 52.5

3.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 R 96.6

$4.85 R 77.3

24.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 29.68

$1.26 R 20.13

47.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R 39.04

$1.60 R 25.55

53.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 R 33.99

$1.59 R 25.33

33.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 R 1,497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 R 14.39

$0.64 R 10.17

40.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.06

$0.57 R 9.12

64.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.16 R 242

$8.49 R 135

78.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.49

$1.43 R 22.79

7.69%

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

$36.4K R 580.1K

$24.9K R 397.2K

46.05%

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

$32.9K R 524.2K

$29.1K R 464.4K

12.89%

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

$222 R 3,543

$118 R 1,877

88.76%

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

$38.73 R 618

$34.65 R 553

11.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.69 R 633

$45.00 R 718

-11.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 R 611

$48.95 R 781

-21.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 R 279

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 R 127

$8.85 R 141

-9.72%

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

$248 R 3,953

$182 R 2,900

36.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,745 R 91.6K

$5,914 R 94.3K

-2.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 R 955

$43.83 R 699

36.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.00 R 766

$34.08 R 544

40.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,744

$114 R 1,817

-4.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 R 1,756

$78.3 R 1,249

40.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 R 8,709

$518 R 8,270

5.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 R 7,062

$497 R 7,929

-10.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 R 17.7K

$834 R 13.3K

32.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 R 15.0K

$806 R 12.9K

16.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.3K

$1,042 R 16.6K

-2.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$773 R 12.3K

$1,062 R 16.9K

-27.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,787 R 28.5K

$956 R 15.3K

86.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

11.83

-7.78%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: August 30, 2026

Last update for Knysna: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Johannesburg versus $518 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 87% 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 $46.00 in Johannesburg versus $40.00 in Knysna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $193 – 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 15% 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 $2,152 per month in Johannesburg and $1,872 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 $1,435 in Johannesburg and $1,248 in Knysna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $248 per month in Johannesburg and $182 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 $1,248, than in Johannesburg at $1,435. 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 $1,248 versus $1,435 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.