Cost of Living Comparison Between Knysna and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Knysna and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,128 per month in Knysna vs $1,058 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,643 per month in Knysna vs $1,552 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,157 per month in Knysna vs $2,046 in Durban, rent included.

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

Both Knysna and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Knysna 16% lower, Durban 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.36 R 138

$7.60 R 126

10.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.43 R 603

$28.12 R 466

29.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 R 79.0

$4.97 R 82.4

-4.02%

Cappuccino

$2.22 R 36.77

$1.97 R 32.59

12.69%

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

$1.10 R 18.20

$0.87 R 14.39

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 R 12.94

$0.67 R 11.15

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 R 35.69

$1.93 R 31.90

11.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R 36.71

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 R 19.35

$1.00 R 16.49

17.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 R 14.66

$0.91 R 15.08

-2.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.38

$1.48 R 24.59

11.49%

Eggs

$2.62 R 43.35

$2.11 R 34.91

24.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 R 161

$7.28 R 121

33.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 R 72.3

$4.59 R 76.1

-5.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.70 R 111

$6.33 R 105

5.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.46

$1.57 R 26.02

-9.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.73

$1.36 R 22.50

22.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.51

$1.38 R 22.86

-10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.18

$1.36 R 22.56

16.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 R 24.22

$1.27 R 21.05

14.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 R 23.17

$1.18 R 19.55

18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 18.08

$0.97 R 16.12

12.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.58

$0.96 R 15.87

-2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 R 45.36

$3.13 R 51.9

-12.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 R 80.2

$5.02 R 83.2

-3.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R 23.16

$1.46 R 24.19

-4.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.35

$1.75 R 28.93

-5.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 27.00

$1.50 R 24.80

8.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 R 627

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.12

$1.71 R 28.29

-36.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 R 15.48

$0.61 R 10.15

52.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 R 66.4

$6.78 R 112

-40.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 R 22.58

$1.28 R 21.13

6.25%

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

$22.4K R 371.6K

$20.3K R 336.3K

10.50%

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

$21.8K R 360.8K

$24.2K R 401.4K

-10.12%

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

$87.4 R 1,447

$147 R 2,433

-40.52%

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

$22.16 R 367

$29.29 R 485

-24.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.18 R 682

$33.72 R 558

22.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.74 R 741

$34.46 R 571

29.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.14 R 151

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 R 114

$6.56 R 109

4.73%

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

$236 R 3,913

$210 R 3,470

12.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,327 R 71.7K

$4,585 R 75.9K

-5.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.75 R 824

$42.78 R 709

16.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.15 R 532

$29.50 R 489

8.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 R 1,818

$93.3 R 1,544

17.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 R 1,306

$73.1 R 1,210

7.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 R 7,873

$373 R 6,179

27.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 R 7,366

$368 R 6,088

20.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 R 12.7K

$754 R 12.5K

2.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 R 11.9K

$594 R 9,836

21.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,050 R 17.4K

$910 R 15.1K

15.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,037 R 17.2K

$581 R 9,621

78.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$955 R 15.8K

$1,395 R 23.1K

-31.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.25

12.01

2.00%

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

Last update for Knysna: June 1, 2026

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Knysna versus $373 in Durban. 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 46% higher in Durban, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Knysna versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $168 – making Durban 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

Knysna vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Knysna is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,692 per month in Knysna and $1,587 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Knysna and $28.00 in Durban. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Knysna, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Durban, where all-in costs run around $1,058, than in Knysna at $1,128. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Knysna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Durban – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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