A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Amman vs. Cape Town for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Amman or Cape Town?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Amman and Cape Town. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Amman or Cape Town?

Amman

Amman is the largest city in of the Hashemite Kingdom of the country of Jordan. It is also the capital city of Jordan and has a population of over four million people. Many people use Amman as a base for venturing out into the rest of Jordan and other surrounding countries. There are many things to see and do in Amman.

Cape Town

Picture your travel bucket list. Is Cape Town on it? Yes, most people dream of visiting the "Mother City" of South Africa. As one of the most iconic places in the world, Cape Town is a world-class cosmopolitan city full of bustling nightlife, historical backdrops and a large gay community.

Cape Town is the most southern city in Africa with seasons turned upside down. In the southern hemisphere they experience the summer from December to February. During these months days can be hot and dry so be sure to gather in the shade and wear plenty of sunscreen. The winter from June to August is full of rainy days and cold nights.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Jordan, The Best Budget Tours to Jordan, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.


Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Amman?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Amman is $135, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $194. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Amman and Cape Town in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Amman $49
    Cape Town $90
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Amman $98
    Cape Town $180
Compare Hotels in Amman and Cape Town

Looking for a hotel in Amman or Cape Town? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Amman


Hotels in Cape Town


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Amman Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Amman $24
    Cape Town $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Amman

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Amman:


  • Bus Ride (for Two)
    $0.71
  • RIde to Airport
    $28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Amman

Also for Amman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer from Queen Alia Airport to Dead Sea Hotels or visa versa: $46
  • Queen Alia Airport Transfers From / To Amman, Petra, Dead Sea.: $45
  • Queen Alia Airport Transfer Pick-Up and Drop-Off Service: $50
  • Private Transfers from Amman City Inside Jordan and Vice Versa: $77
  • Private Transfer: Amman Airport to Wadi Rum: $133
  • Private Transfer: Amman Airport to Aqaba Airport: $153
  • Private Transfer from Madaba Hotel to Amman Airport: $47
  • Private Transfer from Amman to the Dead Sea: $53
  • Private Transfer from Amman Airport to Dead sea: $95
  • Private Transfer from Amman Airport to Amman Hotel: $19
  • Private Transfer from Amman Airport QAIA to Your Hotel in Amman: $65
  • Private Transfer from Allenby King Hussein Bridge to Aqaba Airport: $173

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town

Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • West Coast Wonders Full Day Tour with Private Transfer: $297
  • Van for 1-7 Passenger Cape Town - Airport Transfer: $51
  • Unguided Hermanus Wine Tour (Full Day Incl Cape Town Transfers): $179
  • Transfer from Cape Town International Airport to Cape Town Areas: $27
  • Transfer To Safari- Aquila From Cape Town Excluding Entry Fees Full Day: $159
  • Township Tour by Lwafika Tours and Transfers in Cape Town: $77
  • Table Mountain Tour with Round Trip Transfers: $61
  • Table Mountain Tour with Pre Booked Ticket and Return Transfer: $99
  • Table Mountain Shared Transfer With Hotel Pickup: $77
  • Table Mountain Guided with Cable Car Tickets & Hotel Transfers: $116
  • Table Mountain Cable Car Tour with Tickets & Hotel Transfers: $78
  • Table Mountain &Bo-Kaap Half-DayTour with Tickets &Transfers: $110

Is it cheaper to fly into Amman or Cape Town?

Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Amman change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Amman $58
    Cape Town $83
Typical Food Prices in Amman

For Amman, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Pastries
    $4.23
  • Tea
    $5.64

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Amman

For Amman, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Amman by Night Tour with Local Dinner: $31
  • private cooking with local chef: $40
  • Private 2 Hour Cooking Class with the Locals in Amman: $50
  • Private Lunch or Dinner at a Local Traditional Restaurant in Amman: $80
  • Amman Food Tours: 3-Hours Guided Walking Food Tour in Amman: $107
  • Private Jordan Heritage Restaurant Lunch or Dinner with Arak Experience: $140

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cape Town

For Cape Town, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • From African Dinner and Drumming Experience: $63
  • Cape Town Cooking Class & Wine Pairing with Award-Winning Chef: $69
  • Cape Town Dinner Experience with local family: $69
  • Private Indonesian Cultural Cooking Class: $76
  • Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $77
  • South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family: $82
  • African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $88
  • Sunset At Signal and Dinner Privat: $90
  • Cape Town African Taste-Safari & Live Entertainment Dinner Experience: $95
  • Private Cape Malay Cooking Class in Lorette’s Cape Town Home: $99
  • Cape Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $99
  • Half Day Cape Town African Dinner Restaurant with Live Music Show: $102

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Amman $32
    Cape Town $27

Tours and Activities in Amman

For Amman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 1 Day Tour to Amman Jerash and Ajloun castle: $100
  • 2 Day Group Tour from Amman to Petra Wadi Rum Aqaba Dead Sea: $250
  • 2 Day Petra Shobak Wadi Rum and Dead Sea Private Guided Tour: $175
  • 2 Day Petra Wadi Rum Baptism and Dead Sea Private Guided Tour: $175
  • 2 Day Petra Wadi Rum Madaba Mount Nebo and Dead Sea Privet Tour: $175
  • 2 Day Petra Wadi Rum Madaba and Mount Nebo Private Guided Tour: $175
  • 2 Day Petra Wadi Rum Shobak Castle and Kerak Castle Private Tour: $175
  • 2 Day Petra Wadi Rum and Dead Sea Private Guided Tour: $185
  • 2 Day Petra Wadi Rum and Dead Sea Private Guided Tour: $175
  • 2 Day Petra Wadi Rum and Dead Sea Private Guided Tour: $175
  • 2 Day Petra Wadi Rum and Dead Sea Private Guided Tour: $175
  • 2 Day Petra Wadi Rum and Dead Sea Private Tour: $175

Tours and Activities in Cape Town

For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • #1 Boulders Penguins & Cape Point Full Day Tour with Pickup: $49
  • 1 Hour Coastal Catamaran Cruise from Cape Town: $26
  • 1 Hour Small Group Quad Bike Adventure in Cape Town: $42
  • 1- Hour Catamaran Cruise Cape Town: $21
  • 1-Hour Table Mountain Abseiling Experience: $70
  • 10 Day South Africa Tour Joburg to Cape Town: $2,823
  • 100 % Catch Rate Cape Town Wild Tours: $83
  • 12 Day South Africa Tour Johannesburg to Cape Town: $3,578
  • 2-Day Cape Town Big 6 Pre-Booked Attraction Tickets: $208
  • 3 Wineries Private Tour in Stellenbosch, Paarl Tasting Included: $144
  • 30min Harbour Boat Cruise Cape Town: $10
  • 3D ARCHERY EXPERIENCE (1,5 guided tour) in Somerset West: $54

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Amman $14
    Cape Town $24

Sample the Local Flavors in Amman

Also in Amman, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Full Day Tour of Ajloun Castle with Cable Car and Wine Tasting: $127

Sample the Local Flavors in Cape Town

Also in Cape Town, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $15
  • Craft Gin Tasting Experience and Distillery Tour: $16
  • Urban Wine Tasting: $32
  • Cape Town Hop- On Hop -Off Tour and Groot Constantia Wine Tasting: $35
  • Indigenous Food and Wine Tasting: $38
  • Cape Point, Penguins & Wine Tasting In Constantia Full Day Tour: $48
  • Cape Town Wine Tour: 3 Wineries — Babylonstoren, Fairview & Spier: $49
  • Wine Tour at Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl: $50
  • Cape Town Hostel Pub Crawl & LinkUps: $54
  • Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $57
  • From CapeTown: Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour: $60
  • Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour in Stellenbosch: $60


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Amman and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Amman much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Amman is in Middle East and Cape Town is in Africa, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Amman would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Amman and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Cape Town would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cape Town than you might in Amman.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Amman Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Amman or Cape Town?

Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Amman. When comparing the sizes of Amman and Cape Town, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.


When is the best time to visit Amman or Cape Town?

Cape Town has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Amman experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Amman or Cape Town in the Summer?

Both Cape Town and Amman are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Amman throughout the year.

Amman is a little warmer than Cape Town in the summer. The daily temperature in Amman averages around 25°C (77°F) in July, and Cape Town fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in January.

It's quite sunny in Cape Town. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Amman. Amman usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Cape Town during summer. Amman gets 364 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Amman usually receives less rain than Cape Townin January. Amman gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July and January
    Amman 25°C (77°F) 
    Cape Town 21°C (70°F)

Should I visit Amman or Cape Town in the Autumn?

Both Cape Town and Amman during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Amman because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the autumn, Amman is a little warmer than Cape Town. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Amman in October average around 20°C (68°F), and Cape Town averages at about 18°C (64°F)in April.

In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Amman. In the autumn, Amman often gets more sunshine than Cape Townin April. Amman gets 274 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun.

Amman usually gets less rain in October than Cape Townin April. Amman gets 26 mm (1 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October and April
    Amman 20°C (68°F) 
    Cape Town 18°C (64°F)

Should I visit Amman or Cape Town in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Amman and Cape Town. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Amman year-round.

In January, Amman is generally much colder than Cape Townin July. Daily temperatures in Amman average around 8°C (46°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).

Amman usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Cape Town during winter. Amman gets 184 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun in the winter.

Amman gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Amman usually receives more rain than Cape Townin July. Amman gets 149 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January and July
    Amman 8°C (46°F) 
    Cape Town 13°C (55°F)

Should I visit Amman or Cape Town in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Amman as well as Cape Town. Amman attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Amman is around the same temperature as Cape Town in the spring. The daily temperature in Amman averages around 16°C (61°F) in April, and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F)in October.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Amman this time of the year. In the spring, Amman often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Cape Townin October. Amman gets 269 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun.

Amman usually gets less rain in April than Cape Townin October. Amman gets 23 mm (0.9 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April and October
    Amman 16°C (61°F) 
    Cape Town 16°C (61°F)

Typical Weather for Cape Town and Amman

Amman Cape Town
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 8°C (46°F) 149 mm (5.9 in) 21°C (70°F) 14 mm (0.6 in)
Feb 9°C (48°F) 98 mm (3.9 in) 21°C (70°F) 16 mm (0.6 in)
Mar 12°C (54°F) 62 mm (2.4 in) 20°C (68°F) 21 mm (0.8 in)
Apr 16°C (61°F) 23 mm (0.9 in) 18°C (64°F) 41 mm (1.6 in)
May 21°C (70°F) 3 mm (0.1 in) 15°C (59°F) 68 mm (2.7 in)
Jun 24°C (75°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 13°C (56°F) 93 mm (3.7 in)
Jul 25°C (77°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 13°C (55°F) 83 mm (3.3 in)
Aug 25°C (77°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 13°C (55°F) 77 mm (3 in)
Sep 24°C (75°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 14°C (58°F) 41 mm (1.6 in)
Oct 20°C (68°F) 26 mm (1 in) 16°C (61°F) 33 mm (1.3 in)
Nov 14°C (57°F) 68 mm (2.7 in) 19°C (65°F) 16 mm (0.6 in)
Dec 10°C (50°F) 138 mm (5.4 in) 20°C (68°F) 17 mm (0.7 in)