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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,169 per month in Pretoria vs $1,112 in Knysna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,765 per month in Pretoria vs $1,635 in Knysna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,361 per month in Pretoria vs $2,157 in Knysna, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 5% more than Knysna, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pretoria and Knysna are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 12% lower, Knysna 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 R 142

$8.25 R 136

3.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.08 R 563

$36.04 R 595

-5.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 R 77.4

$4.98 R 82.2

-5.82%

Cappuccino

$2.13 R 35.14

$2.24 R 37.06

-4.91%

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

$1.06 R 17.47

$1.09 R 18.07

-2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.56

$0.79 R 13.12

11.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 R 37.80

$2.08 R 34.37

10.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 R 45.02

$2.19 R 36.12

24.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.90

$1.20 R 19.79

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.60

$0.96 R 15.94

11.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.97

$1.60 R 26.44

1.87%

Eggs

$2.40 R 39.65

$2.63 R 43.45

-8.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 R 124

$10.22 R 169

-26.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 R 75.8

$4.35 R 71.9

5.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 R 110

$6.53 R 108

1.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.62

$1.38 R 22.72

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.17

$1.68 R 27.73

-5.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.29

$1.27 R 20.99

25.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.85

$1.58 R 26.10

6.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.48

$1.40 R 23.17

-2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 R 20.17

$1.34 R 22.20

-8.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 R 18.63

$1.11 R 18.26

1.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R 18.34

$1.00 R 16.48

11.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 R 47.53

$2.84 R 46.85

1.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 R 83.2

$4.90 R 81.0

2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 R 25.66

$1.38 R 22.73

12.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 R 30.88

$1.69 R 27.95

10.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 R 54.0

$1.63 R 26.88

100.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.0 R 1,074

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R 22.56

$1.13 R 18.73

21.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 R 22.83

$0.90 R 14.91

53.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 R 49.85

$4.10 R 67.7

-26.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.78

$1.34 R 22.21

-1.49%

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

$18.9K R 313.1K

$21.8K R 360.4K

-13.13%

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

$26.5K R 438.3K

$21.6K R 357.7K

22.56%

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

$127 R 2,092

$87.8 R 1,450

44.23%

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

$37.37 R 617

$22.54 R 372

65.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.46 R 635

$41.28 R 682

-6.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.65 R 523

$44.30 R 732

-28.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.30 R 170

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 R 125

$6.67 R 110

13.19%

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

$195 R 3,219

$235 R 3,880

-17.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,269 R 70.5K

$4,421 R 73.0K

-3.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 R 840

$50.0 R 826

1.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.73 R 541

$32.35 R 535

1.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 R 1,443

$108 R 1,783

-19.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 R 1,440

$79.3 R 1,310

9.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,586

$470 R 7,758

-15.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 R 6,456

$457 R 7,548

-14.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 R 12.1K

$747 R 12.3K

-1.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 R 12.4K

$740 R 12.2K

1.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$855 R 14.1K

$1,003 R 16.6K

-14.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$688 R 11.4K

$1,011 R 16.7K

-31.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,418 R 23.4K

$915 R 15.1K

54.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

12.25

-4.57%

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

Last update for Pretoria: July 26, 2026

Last update for Knysna: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria versus $470 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 55% 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 $34.00 in Pretoria versus $36.00 in Knysna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $184 – making Pretoria 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

Pretoria vs Knysna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,753 per month in Pretoria and $1,669 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 $1,169 in Pretoria and $1,112 in Knysna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $195 per month in Pretoria and $235 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 $1,112, than in Pretoria at $1,169. 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.