Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Antananarivo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Antananarivo or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Antananarivo and Cape Town can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Antananarivo or Cape Town?
Antananarivo
Antananarivo is the capital of Madagascar; it is also sometimes referred to as Tana. This city is the cultural and political center of Madagascar as a whole. There are multiple universities, museums, and other social venues in the city, as well as a national rugby team. This city has a very apparent French influence.
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 Wildlife Tours to Madagascar, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Madagascar, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Antananarivo Prices
Madagascar PricesCape Town Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAntananarivo $93Cape Town $187
The average daily cost (per person) in Antananarivo is $93, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $187. 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 Antananarivo and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAntananarivo $30Cape Town $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAntananarivo $60Cape Town $174
Compare Hotels in Antananarivo and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Antananarivo 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.
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: Antananarivo Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Antananarivo $14Cape Town $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Antananarivo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Antananarivo:
- Safe Transfer Airport - Hotel in Antananarivo Madagascar: $23
- Private Airport Transfert Ivato Antananarivo: $80
- 24/7 Transfer from Ivato Airport to Antananarivo & more: $116
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- CPT Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $13
- AIRPORT Transfer to and from Cape Town City: $17
- Cape Town Cruise Terminal to and from Hotels Transfer: $20
- Private Transfer from Cape Town Cruise Port to Cape Town hotels: $21
- Transfer from Cape Town International Airport to Cape Town Areas: $26
- Cape Town Airport Transferes: $28
- 1-4 Passenger Cape Town - Airport Transfer: $31
- Cape Town International Airport Private Transfer: $31
- Private Airport & Hotel Transfers in Cape Town: $31
- Cape Town to Cape Town Airport (CPT) - Departure Private Transfer: $32
- Airport and day tour transfers to Cape Town International Airport: $34
- Airport Transfers to and from Cape Town International Airport: $37
Is it cheaper to fly into Antananarivo or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Antananarivo 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
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Food Meals for one dayAntananarivo $50Cape Town $80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antananarivo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Antananarivo.
- Cooking And Cuisine Tasting From Tana-Malagasy Fine Foodie Madagascar Tour: $245
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: $61
- Cape Town Cooking Class & Wine Pairing with Award-Winning Chef: $69
- PRIVATE South African Home Cooking Class in Cape Town with Annika: $82
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $85
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $87
- Cape Town Historic Centre Food Tour with 15 Local Dishes and Wine: $97
- Cape Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $99
- Cape town Dinner Restaurant African Food With Live Music: $110
- Little Mogadishu Food Tour in Bellville, Cape Town: $112
- Cape Malay/Creole Cooking Class and Local Shopping in Salt River: $112
- The Cape Town Essentials Food Tour: $141
- Private Walking Food Tour in the Mother City CBD: $186
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Antananarivo $24Cape Town $26
Tours and Activities in Antananarivo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Antananarivo are as follows:
- 4 Days Adventure to wild Andasibe Mantasoa from Antananarivo: $926
- 6 Days Adventure to Andasibe & Tamatave from Antananarivo: $1,852
- 6-day Madagascar private tour: Local, Lemurs & Baobab Avenue: $1,867
- 9 Days Adventure from Antananarivo to Isalo Park & Tulear: $2,315
- Antananarivo : Custom Walking Tour With A Guide (Private Tour): $37
- Antananarivo : Day tour to Mantasoa Lake: $480
- Antananarivo Guided: Lemurs Park & City Tour: $300
- Antananarivo Private Walking Tour with a Local: $25
- 2-Day Andasibe Rainforest & Wildlife Tour: $850
- 2-Days tour to Andasibe National Park: $1,050
- 3-Day Andasibe Wildlife and Culture Tour: $950
- Full day Lemurs’ Park/Queen’s Palace/City Tour: $230
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $4.03
- Cape Town's original shoreline: a self-guided audio tour: $5.00
- Self-Guided Podcast Tour The Soul of Bo Kaap: $6.86
- 30 Minute Harbour Cruise in Cape town: $8.06
- Skip the Line: World of Birds Admission Ticket: $8.99
- Cape Town Walking Tour with Audioguide on Your Smartphone: $11
- The Art of Chocolate Making Bean-To-Bar Experience in Cape Town: $12
- Cape Wheel Admission Ticket: $17
- Skip the Line: South African Jewish Museum Admission Ticket: $19
- Bay Sail Adventure on the Spirit of Victoria: $22
- The Heart of Cape Town Museum Admission Ticket: $25
- 1- Hour Catamaran Cruise Cape Town: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAntananarivo $9.63Cape Town $23
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: $14
- Indigenous Food and Wine Tasting: $37
- Uncork the Cape : Stellenboch Half Day Wine Tour: $56
- From CapeTown: Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour: $58
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $68
- Wine Tour :Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch with 3 Wine Tastings: $71
- Stellenbosch Wine Tour half day from Cape Town: $72
- Wine tasting tour: $78
- Full Day Stellenbosch Paarl and Franschhoek Private Wine Tour: $78
- Cape Point, Penguins & Wine Tasting In Constantia Full Day Tour: $79
- Private Stellenbosch Wine Tour: $99
- Private Full Day Wine Tasting of Western Cape: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Antananarivo and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Antananarivo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Antananarivo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Antananarivo 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 Antananarivo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Antananarivo Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Antananarivo or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Antananarivo. When comparing the sizes of Antananarivo 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.