Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Beijing?
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 Beijing 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 Beijing 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: Beijing or Cape Town?
Beijing
Beijing is the capital of China and, with 21.5 million people, it is the second most populated city in the world after Shanghai. It is a city that keeps pockets of its history hidden in old neighborhoods or back alleys, despite the constant change and modernization that goes on around it. As the capital city of China, there is plenty of history and culture. You can still get yourself lost in one of the last remaining hutongs, which are old neighborhoods that remain untouched by the city's modernization. The alleys that weave between the old homes are lined with drying clothes, corner markets, and people going about their daily lives the way they have for centuries. Surrounding these hutongs you'll find modern buildings and a booming economy, all threatening to destroying these last bits of Beijing's history. Beijing offers a glimpse into a microcosm that represents the entire country of China. Make sure you give yourself enough time in China to truly experience Beijing. You can pass a lot of time soaking up life in the city, which remains as diverse as the country it resides within.
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 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Beijing Prices
China PricesCape Town Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBeijing $91Cape Town $174
The average daily cost (per person) in Beijing is $91, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $174. 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 Beijing and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBeijing $40Cape Town $81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBeijing $80Cape Town $162
Compare Hotels in Beijing and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Beijing 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: Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Beijing $7.80Cape Town $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Beijing
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Beijing:
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Taxi$4.76
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Train from Airport for Two$6.98
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Taxi to Hotel$8.37
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2 Metro Passes$2.23
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Metro$0.56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beijing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Beijing:
- [Airport Transfer] Beijing Capital Airport ⇔ Beijing City Transfer (one way) ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $25
- Visit Great Wall With Beijing Capital Airport Round-Way Transfer : $233
- VIP Mutianyu Great Wall Tour: Expert Guide & Private Transfer: $87
- Universal Beijing Resort Private Transfer one way, City/Airport: $45
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Beijing HTL-APT (PEK): $41
- Transfers to Jinshanling Great Wall with professional driver: $95
- Transfer: Beijing City Center to Beijing Airport (PEK): $42
- Transfer: Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) to Beijing City: $39
- Transfer to Daxing International Airport : $60
- Transfer from Daxing International Airport : $60
- Transfer from Beijing Capital International Airport : $35
- Tianjin Port Private transfers to Beijing Hotel&optionals: $217
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport transfers: $23
- 1-3 Passenger Private Arrival & Departure Cape Town - Airport Transfers: $56
- 1-3 Passenger Private Cape Town - Airport Transfer: $29
- 4-7 Passenger Private Cape Town - Airport Transfer: $40
- AIRPORT Transfer to and from Cape Town City: $29
- Airport Shuttle Transfer from Airport to Cape Town City Center : $18
- Airport Transfer: $57
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $45
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $19
- Airport Transfer: Airport CPT to Cape Town by Luxury Car: $118
- Airport Transfer: Cape Town to Cape Town Airport CPT in Luxury Car: $106
- Airport Transfers: $61
Is it cheaper to fly into Beijing or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Beijing 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 dayBeijing $34Cape Town $75
Typical Food Prices in Beijing
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Beijing:
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Popcorn$0.84
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Hot Pot Dinner$6.98
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Dumpling Breakfast for Two$2.79
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Watermelon$1.95
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Peking Duck Dinner for 2$17
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Two Popsicles$0.84
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beijing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Beijing.
- Online Cooking Class Orange Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Handmade Noodles by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Kungpao Chicken: $20
- Hutong Breakfast Food Tour: $45
- Beijing Acrobatic Show Tickets w/ Optional Dinner or Transfer: $48
- 3.5-Hour Walking Food Tour: A Bite of History at Beijing Niujie Street: $49
- Temple of Heaven Private Tour w/Option Show &Dinner: $54
- China's Favourite Street Food Cooking Workshop: $55
- Authentic Local Food Tour in Center Beijing: $70
- Acrobatic Show with Peking Duck Dinner Private Tour: $72
- Hidden Gems Guided Food Tour with Beer and Tastings: $75
- Beijing Hutong Dinner and Beer Walking Private Tour: $75
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: $29
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $42
- Malay Cooking Class and Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $44
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $57
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $61
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $64
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $64
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $70
- From CapeTown: African Dinner and Drumming Experience: $71
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $72
- Cape Malay/Creole Cooking Class and Local Shopping in Salt River: $75
- Cape Malay Dinner at SPYCED: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Beijing $24Cape Town $24
Typical Entertainment Prices in Beijing
Here are a few typical costs in Beijing for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Summer Palace for Two$8.37
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Two Opera Tickets$59
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Temple of Heaven Park Entrance (for 2)$9.77
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Forbidden City (for 2)$17
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Forbidden City Tickets$17
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Audio Guides at Forbidden City$11
Tours and Activities in Beijing
Here are a few actual costs in Beijing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 4-Hour Beijing Layover Tour to Hutong from Daxing Airport: $145
- All Inclusive Private Tour: Juyongguan Greatwall, Sacred Road, MingTombs : $180
- Beijing 2 Summer Palace Private Garden Tour: $140
- Beijing Art Tour: Seeing Fantastic Ming Murals at Fa Hai Temple : $220
- Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall with English Driver : $121
- Beijing Private Tour of Ming Tombs, Summer Palace, Bird's Nest and Water Cube: $297
- China Art Museum and 798 Art Zone Private Tour: $137
- China National Museum Ticket Pre-booking and Tiananmen Square : $9.50
- Forbidden City Private Walking Tour with Optional Sights: $15
- Forbidden City Tour : $99
- Full Day Private Tour Incredible Beijing City Highlights: $179
- Happy Private tour.The Great Wall and Forbidden city of Beijing.: $168
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cape Peninsula Sightseeing Small Group Tour from Cape Town: $2.58
- Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $3.71
- 30 Minute Harbour Boat Cruise with Seal Watching: $3.89
- Half Hour Seal and Harbour Cruise from Cape Town: $4.00
- District Six Museum Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket: $4.00
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Down): $4.53
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Up): $4.55
- Cape Town 30-minute V&A Harbour Cruise: $4.88
- Hop-On Hop-Off Cape Town Canal Cruise: $4.88
- Long March to Freedom Guided Tour: $5.00
- 30 Minute Seal-Watching Harbour Cruise: $5.00
- Sea Point Promenade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBeijing $12Cape Town $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Beijing
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Beijing:
- Private Tour-Drum Tower, Hutong Food Taste and Local Brewery Beer: $150
- Tipsy Travel: Beijing Local Food and Bar Crawl night in Hutong: $158
- 5-Hour Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour from Beijing: $178
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:
- Stellenbosch Small Group Wine Tasting Tour From Cape Town: $2.58
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $13
- Craft Gin Tasting Experience and Distillery Tour: $14
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $25
- Drumstruck at Silvermist. Live African Drum Show & Wine tasting: $28
- Hop-On Bus & Wine Tasting at Groot Constantia: $28
- Cape Town Hop- On Hop -Off Tour and Groot Constantia Wine Tasting: $28
- Urban Wine Tasting: $29
- Wine Tasting & Storytelling with SA Tapas add-on: $29
- Cape Town Hostel Pub Crawl & LinkUps: $30
- Stellenbosch and Paarl Half-Day Wine Tour: $37
- Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Babylonstoren Wine Tour: $37
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Beijing and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Beijing much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Beijing is in Asia 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 Beijing would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Beijing 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 Beijing.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Beijing Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Beijing or Cape Town?
Beijing has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Cape Town. When comparing the sizes of Beijing 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 Beijing or Cape Town?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Cape Town is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Beijing has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Beijing or Cape Town in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Beijing as well as Cape Town. Many travelers come to Beijing for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Beijing is generally a little warmer than Cape Townin January. Daily temperatures in Beijing average around 27°C (80°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Beijing this time of the year. In the summer, Beijing often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin January. Beijing gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun.
Beijing receives a lot of rain in the summer. Beijing usually gets more rain in July than Cape Townin January. Beijing gets 176 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryBeijing 27°C (80°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Beijing or Cape Town in the Autumn?
Both Cape Town and Beijing are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Beijing in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Beijing is cooler than Cape Town in the autumn. The daily temperature in Beijing averages around 14°C (56°F) in October, and Cape Town fluctuates around 18°C (64°F)in April.
It's quite sunny in Cape Town. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Beijing. Beijing usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Cape Town during autumn. Beijing gets 227 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Beijing usually receives less rain than Cape Townin April. Beijing gets 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilBeijing 14°C (56°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Beijing or Cape Town in the Winter?
Both Cape Town and Beijing during the winter are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Beijing for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.
Beijing can be very cold during winter. In the winter, Beijing is much colder than Cape Town. Typically, the winter temperatures in Beijing in January average around -4°C (26°F), and Cape Town averages at about 13°C (55°F)in July.
It's quite sunny in Beijing. In the winter, Beijing often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Cape Townin July. Beijing gets 201 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun.
Beijing usually gets less rain in January than Cape Townin July. Beijing gets 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyBeijing -4°C (26°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Beijing or Cape Town in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Beijing and Cape Town. The spring months attract visitors to Beijing because of the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In April, Beijing is generally cooler than Cape Townin October. Daily temperatures in Beijing average around 14°C (57°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cape Town this time of the year. In Beijing, it's very sunny this time of the year. Beijing usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during spring. Beijing gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Beijing usually receives less rain than Cape Townin October. Beijing gets 26 mm (1 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberBeijing 14°C (57°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Beijing
| Beijing | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -4°C (26°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | -1°C (30°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 6°C (42°F) | 9 mm (0.4 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 14°C (57°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 20°C (68°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (76°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (80°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 25°C (78°F) | 182 mm (7.2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 20°C (69°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 14°C (56°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (41°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | -1°C (29°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) |
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.