Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Arusha?
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 Arusha 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 Arusha 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: Arusha or Cape Town?
Arusha
Arusha is a city in East Africa's Tanzania, located at the base of volcanic Mt. Meru. It’s a gateway to safari destinations and to Africa’s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro, lying some 100 kilometers northeast. To the west lies Serengeti National Park, home to wildlife including lions, rhinoceros, giraffes and leopards. Annual migrations feature huge herds of wildebeests crossing its plains. Arusha is Tanzania’s gateway to the northern circuit of stellar national parks and the starting point of many a memorable safari. It’s also a large, sprawling city which offers a nice break from the rigors of life on the African road – it has excellent places to stay and eat and, for the most part, it’s lush and green and enjoys a temperate climate throughout the year. Arusha is a great destination, and you're sure to enjoy your time here, no matter what your interests are.
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 G Adventures Tours to Tanzania, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Tanzania, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Arusha Prices
Tanzania PricesCape Town Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayArusha $189Cape Town $191
The average daily cost (per person) in Arusha is $189, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $191. 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 Arusha and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personArusha $126Cape Town $89
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomArusha $252Cape Town $178
Compare Hotels in Arusha and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Arusha 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: Arusha Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Arusha $13Cape Town $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arusha
Also for Arusha, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Moshi - Arusha Transfer: $130
- Kilimanjaro/Arusha Airport Transfers with Private Day Tours: $60
- Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha City Center Transfer: $60
- Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha City Private Transfer: $120
- Kilimanjaro Airport and Arusha Private Transfer: $59
- Arusha Airport and Hotel Transfer: $35
- Arusha Airport & Hotel Transfers: $40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Van for 1-7 Passenger Cape Town - Airport Transfer: $50
- Unguided Hermanus Wine Tour (Full Day Incl Cape Town Transfers): $176
- Transfer from Cape Town International Airport to Cape Town Areas: $22
- Township Tour by Lwafika Tours and Transfers in Cape Town: $76
- Table Mountain Tour with Round Trip Transfers: $61
- Table Mountain Tour Tickets and Transfers: $99
- Table Mountain Half-Day Tour – Cable Car Ticket & Transfers: $96
- Table Mountain Guided with Cable Car Tickets & Hotel Transfers: $116
- Table Mountain Cable Car Tour with Tickets & Hotel Transfers: $78
- Swift Ride Airport Transfers: $62
- Shopping Mall Transfers-Hassle-Free Ride: $37
- Shark Diving Full Day Guided Return Transfer to Gansbaai from Cape Town: $183
Is it cheaper to fly into Arusha or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Arusha 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 dayArusha $40Cape Town $82
Typical Food Prices in Arusha
For Arusha, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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A Quick Lunch (for 2)$2.09
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arusha
For Arusha, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- NGO Lifted Strong - Traditional Tanzanian Cooking Class: $50
- Local Tanzanian Food Cooking Class by Kingstone Asilia (Arusha): $55
- Homestay + Cooking + Animal Care + Fruit Harvesting + Much More: $195
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:
- African Cooking with a Chef Founder: $32
- From African Dinner and Drumming Experience: $62
- Cape Town Dinner Experience with local family: $67
- South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family: $82
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $86
- Sunset At Signal and Dinner Privat: $88
- Cape Town African Taste-Safari & Live Entertainment Dinner Experience: $94
- Cape Town Historic Centre Food Tour with 15 Local Dishes and Wine: $97
- Half Day Cape Town African Dinner Restaurant with Live Music Show: $99
- Private Cape Malay Cooking Class in Lorette’s Cape Town Home: $100
- Cape Town Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $103
- Cape town Dinner Restaurant African Food With Live Music: $109
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Arusha $44Cape Town $26
Tours and Activities in Arusha
For Arusha, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Day Tour Hot Spring (Majimoto): $80
- 1 Day trip to Materuni Waterfalls & Coffee Tour: $127
- 1-Day Trip Tarangire N.P Small group Tour Tanzania sharing Safari: $270
- 4 Hours Cycling Tour in Shimo La Mungu Crater: $50
- 8-Hour Lake Chala Guided Tour from Moshi or Arusha: $260
- A Day at Materuni Waterfalls and Coffee Tour in Mt Kilimanjaro: $160
- Amazing Lake Duluti Day Trip Experience: $70
- Arusha African Shopping Tour: $100
- Arusha Bike Town Tour Experience: $55
- Arusha City Culture and Historical Walking Tour: $40
- Arusha City Tour: Where Continents Collide & Cultures Dance: $30
- Arusha City town tour: $101
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 From Cape Town: $39
- ( Cape town ) Private Winelands Tasting Full Day Tour: $258
- 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: $69
- 10 Day South Africa Tour Johannesburg to Cape Town: $2,657
- 10 Day Ultra Budget South Africa Tour: $1,809
- 100 % Catch Rate Cape Town Wild Tours: $82
- 12 Day South Africa Tour Johannesburg to Cape Town: $2,854
- 2 Day Cape Escape: Whale Coast, Penguins & Zipline Adventure: $288
- 2-Day Cape Town Big 6 Pre-Booked Attraction Tickets: $205
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayArusha $10Cape 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
- Craft Gin Tasting Experience and Distillery Tour: $15
- Urban Wine Tasting: $31
- Cape Town Hop- On Hop -Off Tour and Groot Constantia Wine Tasting: $34
- Indigenous Food and Wine Tasting: $37
- Cape Point, Penguins & Wine Tasting In Constantia Full Day Tour: $47
- Cape Town Wine Tour: 3 Wineries — Babylonstoren, Fairview & Spier: $48
- Wine Tour at Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl: $49
- Cape Town Hostel Pub Crawl & LinkUps: $53
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $56
- Uncork the Cape : Stellenboch Half Day Wine Tour: $57
- From CapeTown: Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour: $59
When comparing the travel costs between Arusha and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Arusha Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Arusha or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Arusha. When comparing the sizes of Arusha 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.