Knysna vs Lamu
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Knysna edges it, 55 to 54, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Knysna is stronger on quality of life, internet; Lamu on safety, cost of living. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Garden Route lagoon town between forest and the Knysna Heads
Full Knysna profile →Where to stay in Knysna →Car-free Swahili island town, a UNESCO site of donkeys and dhows
Full Lamu profile →Where to stay in Lamu →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Knysna | Lamu |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 46 | 56 ✓ |
| Safety | 26 | 43 ✓ |
| Healthcare | 50 ✓ | 48 |
| Internet | 55 ✓ | 42 |
| Visa ease | 72 ✓ | 63 |
| Getting there & around | 26 | 34 ✓ |
| Climate | 67 ✓ | 58 |
| Air quality | 91 | 96 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 61 ✓ | 44 |
Cost
| Metric | Knysna | Lamu |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,450 | $1,100 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Knysna | Lamu |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 39.72 | 4.65 ✓ |
| Political stability (0–100) | 58.9 ✓ | 46 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 74 ✓ | 57 |
| Life expectancy | 61.5 yrs | 66.8 yrs ✓ |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Knysna | Lamu |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 16.1 Mbps ✓ | 8.5 Mbps |
| Upload | 9.9 Mbps ✓ | 4 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Knysna | Lamu |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Remote work visitor's visa | Digital nomad work permit (Class N) |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,241/mo ✓ | $4,583/mo |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days ✓ | eTA required (online, before travel) |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days ✓ | eTA required (online, before travel) |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days ✓ | eTA required (online, before travel) |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Knysna | Lamu |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 5 ✓ | 4 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 5 ✓ |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Knysna | Lamu |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 8 ✓ | 7 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 9 µg/m³ | 6.9 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Knysna or Lamu?
- Lamu is cheaper: about $1,100 per month versus $1,450 for one person.
- Is Knysna or Lamu safer?
- Lamu scores higher on safety (43 vs 26), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Knysna or Lamu?
- Knysna: a measured median of 16.1 Mbps versus 8.5 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.