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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Knysna is about 13% cheaper than Johannesburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 R 158

$12.61 R 201

-21.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.75 R 634

$46.05 R 735

-13.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 R 96.0

$7.51 R 120

-19.84%

Cappuccino

$2.21 R 35.28

$2.49 R 39.71

-11.24%

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

$1.05 R 16.70

$1.26 R 20.18

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R 11.83

$0.94 R 15.03

-21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R 36.84

$2.07 R 33.02

11.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 R 46.15

$2.77 R 44.13

4.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 18.56

$1.36 R 21.73

-14.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.36

$1.29 R 20.52

-15.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 24.89

$1.83 R 29.19

-14.75%

Eggs

$2.77 R 44.21

$2.68 R 42.75

3.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 R 141

$9.34 R 149

-5.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 R 82.4

$6.00 R 95.7

-13.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 R 130

$9.15 R 146

-10.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.00

$2.25 R 35.88

-24.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.62

$1.95 R 31.16

-21.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.00

$1.82 R 29.02

-13.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.44

$2.13 R 33.99

-25.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.06

$1.79 R 28.58

-8.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 R 22.92

$1.87 R 29.87

-22.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 R 20.11

$1.51 R 24.08

-16.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 R 16.67

$1.34 R 21.39

-21.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 R 52.5

$3.40 R 54.3

-3.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.85 R 77.3

$6.05 R 96.6

-19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R 20.13

$1.86 R 29.68

-32.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 R 25.55

$2.45 R 39.04

-34.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 R 25.33

$2.13 R 33.99

-25.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 R 1,497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 R 10.17

$0.90 R 14.39

-28.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 R 9.12

$0.94 R 15.06

-39.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.49 R 135

$15.16 R 242

-44.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 R 22.79

$1.54 R 24.49

-7.14%

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

$24.9K R 397.2K

$36.4K R 580.1K

-31.53%

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

$29.1K R 464.4K

$32.9K R 524.2K

-11.41%

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

$118 R 1,877

$222 R 3,543

-47.02%

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

$34.65 R 553

$38.73 R 618

-10.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.00 R 718

$39.69 R 633

13.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.95 R 781

$38.29 R 611

27.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 R 279

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 R 141

$7.99 R 127

10.76%

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

$182 R 2,900

$248 R 3,953

-26.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,914 R 94.3K

$5,745 R 91.6K

2.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.83 R 699

$59.9 R 955

-26.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.08 R 544

$48.00 R 766

-29.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 R 1,817

$109 R 1,744

4.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 R 1,249

$110 R 1,756

-28.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 R 8,270

$546 R 8,709

-5.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 R 7,929

$443 R 7,062

12.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 R 13.3K

$1,107 R 17.7K

-24.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 R 12.9K

$939 R 15.0K

-14.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,042 R 16.6K

$1,020 R 16.3K

2.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,062 R 16.9K

$773 R 12.3K

37.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$956 R 15.3K

$1,787 R 28.5K

-46.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.83

10.91

8.43%

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

Last update for Knysna: September 1, 2026

Last update for Johannesburg: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Kindergarten costs $182 per month in Knysna and $248 in Johannesburg. 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.