Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Knysna Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Knysna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,104 in Knysna, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,289 per month in Lisbon vs $1,626 in Knysna, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,369 per month in Lisbon vs $2,148 in Knysna, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 100% more than Knysna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Knysna is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.71 €13.76

$8.46 R 139

85.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €55.1

$36.33 R 596

73.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 €9.23

$4.91 R 80.5

114.46%

Cappuccino

$2.88 €2.53

$2.12 R 34.75

35.85%

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

$2.25 €1.97

$1.14 R 18.64

97.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.36

$0.79 R 12.87

97.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 €2.97

$2.07 R 33.89

63.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.41

$2.22 R 36.46

75.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.95

$1.19 R 19.56

-9.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.51

$0.90 R 14.82

92.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.58 R 25.95

11.39%

Eggs

$3.16 €2.77

$2.65 R 43.42

19.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.64

$10.06 R 165

32.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 €6.89

$4.47 R 73.2

76.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 €13.88

$6.66 R 109

137.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 €2.11

$1.36 R 22.37

76.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.67 R 27.37

1.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.24 R 20.35

63.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.21

$1.64 R 26.89

53.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.63

$1.45 R 23.85

28.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.35 R 22.07

52.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.75

$1.14 R 18.72

75.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.68

$0.99 R 16.27

-21.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.82

$2.75 R 45.15

141.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €5.06

$4.95 R 81.2

16.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.37 R 22.52

0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.64

$1.64 R 26.85

84.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.04

$1.61 R 26.47

44.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.45 €39.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.57

$1.10 R 18.09

270.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.95 R 15.55

-15.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.65 €16.34

$3.93 R 64.5

374.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.75

$1.36 R 22.24

47.06%

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

$35.4K €31.0K

$22.5K R 368.7K

57.34%

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

$39.1K €34.2K

$21.7K R 355.1K

80.36%

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

$150 €132

$86.8 R 1,423

72.91%

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

$20.55 €18.01

$22.18 R 364

-7.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 €34.56

$41.04 R 673

-3.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 €42.11

$45.54 R 747

5.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 €16.38

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 €8.15

$6.59 R 108

41.12%

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

$628 €550

$236 R 3,873

165.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$4,280 R 70.2K

284.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.0

$51.2 R 839

98.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.55 €36.40

$31.72 R 520

30.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 €81.0

$111 R 1,824

-16.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €107

$79.5 R 1,304

54.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,426

$475 R 7,793

242.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,080

$451 R 7,390

173.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,126 €2,739

$746 R 12.2K

318.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 €1,803

$724 R 11.9K

184.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,762 €6,801

$1,000 R 16.4K

676.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,386 €3,843

$1,023 R 16.8K

328.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,621 €1,420

$914 R 15.0K

77.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

12.25

-68.90%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 21, 2026

Last update for Knysna: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $475 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 77% higher in Lisbon, 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $36.00 in Knysna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $184 – 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

Lisbon vs Knysna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 100%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,655 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 $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,104 in Knysna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $628 per month in Lisbon and $236 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 $1,104, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Knysna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon 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, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.