Cost of Living Comparison Between Knysna and Pretoria Cost of Living Comparison Between Knysna and Pretoria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,211 per month in Knysna vs $1,377 in Pretoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,806 per month in Knysna vs $2,061 in Pretoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,401 per month in Knysna vs $2,745 in Pretoria, rent included.

Knysna is about 12% cheaper than Pretoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Knysna sits 11% below the global median, while Pretoria is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.91 R 161

$9.30 R 151

6.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.48 R 658

$38.02 R 618

6.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 R 96.9

$5.71 R 92.8

4.38%

Cappuccino

$2.17 R 35.21

$2.35 R 38.28

-7.66%

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

$1.08 R 17.59

$1.06 R 17.22

1.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 R 12.44

$0.88 R 14.35

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 R 37.89

$2.65 R 43.14

-12.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 R 46.98

$3.18 R 51.7

-9.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.52

$1.23 R 20.03

-2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 R 17.02

$1.16 R 18.79

-9.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.18

$1.85 R 30.02

-19.46%

Eggs

$2.78 R 45.14

$2.54 R 41.36

9.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.88 R 144

$8.48 R 138

4.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 R 81.4

$5.07 R 82.4

-1.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.37 R 136

$7.24 R 118

15.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.67

$1.87 R 30.42

-12.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.03

$1.63 R 26.50

-5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.42

$1.83 R 29.83

-11.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.02

$1.65 R 26.85

-3.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.21

$1.19 R 19.27

45.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.32

$1.23 R 20.06

16.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 R 20.45

$1.24 R 20.13

1.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R 16.22

$1.36 R 22.12

-26.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 R 55.2

$3.27 R 53.1

3.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 R 81.9

$5.03 R 81.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 R 20.11

$1.54 R 25.04

-19.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 R 24.85

$1.92 R 31.28

-20.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 R 24.61

$4.80 R 78.0

-68.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$179 R 2,903

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 R 10.71

$0.32 R 5.28

106.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 R 8.68

$0.78 R 12.65

-32.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.01 R 147

$14.56 R 237

-38.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 R 23.77

$1.47 R 23.96

-0.68%

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

$25.0K R 406.9K

$36.5K R 594.2K

-31.52%

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

$29.3K R 476.9K

$34.0K R 552.9K

-13.73%

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

$116 R 1,883

$155 R 2,516

-25.15%

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

$34.59 R 562

$37.47 R 609

-7.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.25 R 736

$37.79 R 615

19.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 R 825

$31.74 R 516

59.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.81 R 176

Cinema Ticket

$8.70 R 142

$7.41 R 120

17.41%

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

$187 R 3,042

$263 R 4,281

-28.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,937 R 96.5K

$8,086 R 131.5K

-26.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.04 R 700

$54.4 R 885

-20.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.36 R 559

$32.97 R 536

4.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 R 1,799

$93.1 R 1,514

18.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 R 1,246

$86.2 R 1,401

-11.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 R 8,612

$471 R 7,653

12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 R 8,099

$418 R 6,791

19.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 R 13.6K

$1,007 R 16.4K

-17.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 R 13.3K

$763 R 12.4K

7.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,035 R 16.8K

$900 R 14.6K

15.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,053 R 17.1K

$713 R 11.6K

47.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 R 15.8K

$1,447 R 23.5K

-32.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.83

11.34

4.32%

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

Last update for Knysna: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pretoria: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $530 in Knysna versus $471 in Pretoria. 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 49% higher in Pretoria, 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 $38.00 in Pretoria. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Knysna vs $198 in Pretoria – so Knysna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Pretoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,816 per month in Knysna and $2,066 in Pretoria. 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 $1,211 in Knysna and $1,377 in Pretoria. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $187 per month in Knysna and $263 in Pretoria. 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 $1,211, than in Pretoria at $1,377. In Knysna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Knysna – 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 Knysna. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pretoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.