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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,248 per month in Knysna vs $1,150 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,842 per month in Knysna vs $1,789 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,435 per month in Knysna vs $2,428 in Durban, rent included.

Knysna costs about 8% more than Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Knysna and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Knysna 9% lower, Durban 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 R 158

$8.10 R 129

21.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.75 R 634

$40.00 R 638

-0.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 R 96.0

$5.80 R 92.6

3.79%

Cappuccino

$2.21 R 35.28

$2.78 R 44.41

-20.50%

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

$1.05 R 16.70

$1.14 R 18.24

-7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R 11.83

$0.93 R 14.86

-20.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R 36.84

$2.42 R 38.65

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 R 46.15

$2.77 R 44.25

4.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 18.56

$1.25 R 20.01

-7.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.36

$0.99 R 15.81

10.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 24.89

$1.64 R 26.18

-4.88%

Eggs

$2.77 R 44.21

$2.44 R 38.98

13.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 R 141

$8.65 R 138

2.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 R 82.4

$5.64 R 90.0

-8.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 R 130

$7.30 R 116

11.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.00

$1.88 R 30.04

-10.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.62

$1.91 R 30.46

-19.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.00

$1.93 R 30.74

-18.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.44

$1.67 R 26.70

-4.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.06

$1.55 R 24.75

5.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 R 22.92

$1.53 R 24.39

-5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 R 20.11

$1.22 R 19.52

3.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 R 16.67

$1.25 R 19.89

-16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 R 52.5

$3.72 R 59.3

-11.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.85 R 77.3

$4.83 R 77.0

0.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R 20.13

$1.51 R 24.11

-16.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 R 25.55

$1.97 R 31.46

-18.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 R 25.33

$1.93 R 30.75

-17.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.24 R 355

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 R 10.17

$0.45 R 7.19

42.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 R 9.12

$0.77 R 12.24

-25.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.49 R 135

$7.72 R 123

9.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 R 22.79

$1.47 R 23.39

-2.72%

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

$24.9K R 397.2K

$36.5K R 582.0K

-31.76%

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

$29.1K R 464.4K

$33.0K R 526.0K

-11.73%

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

$118 R 1,877

$148 R 2,363

-20.59%

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

$34.65 R 553

$35.25 R 562

-1.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.00 R 718

$38.89 R 620

15.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.95 R 781

$31.54 R 503

55.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 R 150

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 R 141

$6.68 R 107

32.49%

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

$182 R 2,900

$331 R 5,281

-45.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,914 R 94.3K

$7,462 R 119.0K

-20.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.83 R 699

$53.4 R 852

-17.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.08 R 544

$30.55 R 487

11.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 R 1,817

$101 R 1,611

12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 R 1,249

$88.7 R 1,415

-11.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 R 8,270

$490 R 7,809

5.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 R 7,929

$400 R 6,379

24.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 R 13.3K

$862 R 13.8K

-3.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 R 12.9K

$790 R 12.6K

2.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,042 R 16.6K

$934 R 14.9K

11.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,062 R 16.9K

$590 R 9,411

80.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$956 R 15.3K

$1,250 R 19.9K

-23.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.83

11.66

1.46%

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

Last update for Knysna: September 1, 2026

Last update for Durban: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $518 in Knysna versus $490 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 31% 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 $40.00 in Knysna versus $40.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $201 – 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

Knysna vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Knysna is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,872 per month in Knysna and $1,726 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 $40.00 in Knysna and $40.00 in Durban. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Knysna – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Durban, where all-in costs run around $1,150, than in Knysna at $1,248. 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.