A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Athens vs. Pretoria for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Athens or Pretoria?

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 Athens and Pretoria. 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: Athens or Pretoria?

Athens

Athens is the capital city of Greece and is home to a population of over 3.7 million people. It's most famous as the birthplace of Classical Greece and the history in the city is incomparable to that found anywhere. It became the national capital of the modern Greek State in the 1830s, before which it was just a small village with a very impressive history. The city was redesigned by architects and city planners and incorporated large public squares, lots of green space, and wide avenues. The city has had its ups and downs both economically and politically, but it remains a beautiful and impressive place to explore.

Pretoria

Located in Gauteng Province, Pretoria is the administrative capital city of South Africa, making it home to many government buildings and three universities. It is actually one of three capital cities, being home to the executive branch, with Cape Town as the legislative capital and Bloemfontein as the judicial capital. Within South Africa, Pretoria is also known as the "Jacaranda City" due to the thousands of jacaranda trees lining its streets, parks, and gardens.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Day Tours from Athens, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Athens, The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa.


Which place is cheaper, Pretoria or Athens?

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 Athens is €154, while the average daily cost in Pretoria is €58. 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 Athens and Pretoria in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Athens 63
    Pretoria 24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Athens 126
    Pretoria 48
Compare Hotels in Athens and Pretoria

Looking for a hotel in Athens or Pretoria? 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 Athens


Hotels in Pretoria


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: Athens Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Athens 27
    Pretoria 11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Athens

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:


  • Airport Bus for Two
    6.40
  • Metro
    1.50
  • Metro
    2.00
  • Metro from Airport to City Center
    8.00
  • Taxi from Airport
    35

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens

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

  • Vip Transfer From/To Athens Center - Lavrio Port: $264
  • Vip Transfer From /To Athens Center - Athens Airport : $211
  • VIP VAN Athens Airport Transfer 1 - 8 persons: $137
  • Transfers and Guided Tours in all over Greece, sightseeing and Private hire!!: $90
  • Transfer services everywhere in Mykonos with Jeep Renegade: $26
  • Transfer from/to Piraeus Port and Athens city centre hotel: $41
  • Transfer from Piraeus port to Athens Airport and Vice Versa 22:30PM - 06:29AM: $148
  • Transfer from Athens Airport, Port, Marina to Athens City: $148
  • Transfer from Athens Airport (ATH) to Athens City Center: $41
  • Transfer Service from/to Athens Airport: $211
  • Transfer Airport- Transfer Port-VIP Transfer Athens-Guiding tour: $79
  • Taylor-Made Transfers in Athens ( airport , port, transfers and tours ): $60

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria

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

  • Pretoria to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport (JNB) - Departure Private Transfer: $109
  • One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $88
  • Airport transfers,door to door shuttle: $53
  • Shuttle and Transfers to Johannesburg and Pretoria: $52
  • Airport transfers, door to door .private transfers: $38
  • Private Oneway Transfer from Johannesburg to Johannesburg Airport: $31
  • Private Airport Transfers to Sandton & Joburg CBD: $27
  • Reliable Airport Transfers and Comfortable Shuttle Service: $22

Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Pretoria?

Prices for flights to both Pretoria and Athens 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
    Athens 64
    Pretoria 25
Typical Food Prices in Athens

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:


  • Ice cream
    3.00
  • Souvlaki
    2.20

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Athens

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

  • Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $25
  • Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Lunch or Dinner: $27
  • Authentic Athens Food Tour: $32
  • Foodies’ Favorite Food tour: $45
  • "A Night in Dinner and Music Under the Stars": $51
  • Greek Street Food Tour: $54
  • ATHEN: Traditional Cooking Class incl. Drinks: $61
  • Traditional Greek food tour in hidden spots: $61
  • Athens Small-Group Street Food Tour with 7 Authentic Tasting: $61
  • Street Food Tour Market & City Centre: $61
  • Athens Small-Group Street Food Tour with 7 Authentic Tastings: $62
  • Traditional Cooking Classes incl. Drinks: $62

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pretoria

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

  • Feisty Food Tour : $74
  • Lesedi Cultural Experience + Lunch or Dinner: $106
  • Pan African Cooking Class & Organic food experience: $198

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Athens 36
    Pretoria 14

Tours and Activities in Athens

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.

  • Acropolis/Athens Highlights Private Evening Tour (5 hours) from Athens, Piraeus: $143
  • Apostle Paul's missionary journys in Athens Private Tour 4Hours: $137
  • Delphi & Hosios Loukas Arachova Village Luxury Private Tour : $188
  • Delphi full day V.R audio guided tour with entry ticket: $26
  • Essential Athens Highlights Half-Day Private Tour with Flexible Options: $268
  • Food Experience in Athens including Unlimited Lunch : $61
  • Mycenae Epidaurus Nafplio Isthmus Canal Private Luxury Tour : $185
  • Mycenae, Epidaurus & Nafplio Full-Day V.R audio guided Tour: $26
  • Private Full Day Tour in Delphi: $186
  • Private Luxury Tour: Unveiling the Sacred Mysteries of Eleusis: $144
  • Private Tour - DELPHI and Hosios Loukas Monastery(UNESCO): $278
  • Traditional Villages Full day Tour in Santorini: $57

Tours and Activities in Pretoria

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

  • Cullinan diamond Mine Day Tour (surface tour): $85
  • Pilanesberg National Park Full Day Guided Tour( Safari Experience) : $181
  • Pretoria Tour - Voortrekker Monument, Union Buildings, Pretoria : $71
  • Soweto and Apartheid Museum Day Tour private from Johannesburg Private: $93
  • 2 Days Historical Cultural and Sightseeing Tour in Johannesburg : $241
  • 2 Hours Bicycle Tour in Soweto(Johannesburg): $91
  • 2-Day Johannesburg, Soweto and Pretoria Guided Tour: $173
  • Aerial Cableway Private Tour from Johannesburg : $82
  • Apartheid History of South Africa (Full day Experience with lunch: $102
  • Apartheid Museum Guided Tour : $55
  • Apartheid Museum and Soweto Tour in Johannesburg : $81
  • Artistic Half Day Tour of Johannesburg : $92

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Athens 23
    Pretoria 30

Sample the Local Flavors in Athens

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:

  • Polykala Distillery showroom. A125 years of history along with liqueur tasting.: $15
  • The NightCrawlers | Athens Bar Hopping | Pub Crawl: $17
  • Liquer tasting in Polykala's Distillery Show Room in Athens: $17
  • Athens Party Pub Crawl with Unlimited Drinks & Club Access: $21
  • Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Athens, Greece: $25
  • Thursday & Friday Night Bar Crawl in Athens, Greece: $25
  • Small-Group Rooftop & Offbeat Night Gems Pub Crawl: $36
  • Greek Wine Tasting Experience with a Sommelier: $41
  • Old Town Acropolis Wine Tasting: $51
  • Wine Tasting with a Sommelier under the Acropolis: $57
  • Athens Small-Group Walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $74
  • Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour with Appetizers: $77


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Pretoria, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Pretoria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens is in Europe and Pretoria 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 Pretoria would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pretoria 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 Athens would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Athens than you might in Pretoria.

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


Which is Bigger, Athens or Pretoria?

Pretoria has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Athens. When comparing the sizes of Athens and Pretoria, 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.