Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Bern?
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 Bern or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Bern or Cape Town? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Bern or Cape Town?
Bern
The capital city of Switzerland, Bern, is a surprisingly small city with a population of only about 130,000. It's located on a peninsula that is created by the turns of the River Aare. The city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it has a wonderfully preserved old town area. There are about four miles worth of quaint walkways that are lined with clock towers and fountains.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Switzerland, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Switzerland, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Bern Prices
Switzerland PricesCape Town Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBern $304Cape Town $132
The average daily cost (per person) in Bern is $304, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $132. 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 Bern and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBern $167Cape Town $40
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBern $334Cape Town $80
Compare Hotels in Bern and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Bern 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: Bern Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bern $34Cape Town $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bern
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bern:
- Private Transfer from Bern Airport to Hotel: $190
- Private Transfer From Bern to Zurich, English Speaking Driver: $222
- Private Direct Transfer From Bern to Basel: $187
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers: $11
- Transfer from Cape Town International Airport to Cape Town Areas: $17
- Airport Shuttle Transfer from Airport to Cape Town City Center : $18
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Camps Bay to Cape Town Airport: $18
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer from Airport to Constantia: $18
- 24 hour Private Airport Shuttle and Transfer: $19
- 1.Cape Town Airport Transfer (&Private tour trips during yo Stay): $20
- Private Airport Transfers: $21
- Cape Town Airport Transfers: $23
- Cape Town Airport Transfers to Camps Bay: $23
- Airport transfers: $23
- Cape Town Airport Transfers to hotels and Return Transfers, Wi-Fi: $23
Is it cheaper to fly into Bern or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Bern 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 dayBern $107Cape Town $74
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:
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $42
- Malay Cooking Class and Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $44
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $58
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $61
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $64
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $71
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $75
- Cape Malay Dinner at SPYCED: $90
- Sunset Dinner at an Oceanfront Restaurant Near Cape Town: $97
- Cape Town Private Food Tour with a Local: 100% Personalized : $98
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $99
- Cape Town Shore Excursion - Cape Malay Cooking with Port Transfer: $106
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bern $35Cape Town $24
Tours and Activities in Bern
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bern are as follows:
- 007 Elegance:Exclusive Private Tour to Schilthorn from Bern: $650
- Alpine Heights: Small Group Tour to Jungfraujoch from Bern: $614
- Bern : Highlights & Hidden Gems Walking Tour: $79
- Bern : Private Walking Tour with a Local Guide (Private tour): $56
- Bern Exploration Game and City Tour on your Phone: $9.60
- Bern Highlights Small-Group Walking Tour with a Local: $159
- Bern Highlights and Hidden Gems Walking Tour With A Guide: $80
- Bern Historical UNESCO Old Town Private Tour: $167
- Bern Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $59
- Bern Old City Walking Tour: $297
- Bern Old Town - Private Historic Walking Tour: $528
- Bern Private Walking Tour: $331
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Culinary Walking Tour with Food Tastings: $0.06
- Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $3.69
- 30 Minute Harbour Boat Cruise with Seal Watching: $3.88
- District Six Museum Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket: $4.00
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Down): $4.48
- Cape Town 30-minute V&A Harbour Cruise: $4.83
- Hop-On Hop-Off Cape Town Canal Cruise: $4.83
- V&A Waterfront: Seal & Harbour Cruise: $5.00
- Sea Point Promenade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens: A Self-guided Audio Tour: $5.34
- The Village in the City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Bo-Kaap: $5.34
- Slavery in the Cape: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Cape Town's Slave History: $5.40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBern $28Cape Town $21
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:
- Distillery Tour, rum and gin tasting: $7.38
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.94
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $25
- From 3 Regions Wine Tour with 3 Estates, 15 Wines: $42
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $43
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $47
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $50
- Fullday Wine Tour: $53
- From CapeTown: Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour: $53
- Aquila Reserve Safari with Lunch and Wine Tasting: $56
- Stellenbosch Wine Tour half day from Cape Town: $60
- Wine Tour Premium Winelands Experience: $62
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bern and Cape Town, we can see that Bern is more expensive. And not only is Cape Town much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bern is in Europe 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 Cape Town would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cape Town 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 Bern would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bern than you might in Cape Town.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bern Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bern or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Bern 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 Bern 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 Bern has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Bern or Cape Town in the Summer?
Both Cape Town and Bern during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Bern because of the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Bern is around the same temperature as Cape Town. Typically, the summer temperatures in Bern in July average around 21°C (70°F), and Cape Town averages at about 21°C (70°F)in January.
In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Bern. In the summer, Bern often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin January. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun.
Bern usually gets more rain in July than Cape Townin January. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 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 JanuaryBern 21°C (70°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Bern or Cape Town in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Bern and Cape Town. The shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Bern this time of year.
In October, Bern is generally cooler than Cape Townin April. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 13°C (55°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cape Town this time of the year. Bern usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during autumn. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Bern usually receives more rain than Cape Townin April. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 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 AprilBern 13°C (55°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Bern or Cape Town in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Bern as well as Cape Town. Many travelers come to Bern for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Bern. Bern is much colder than Cape Town in the winter. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 3°C (37°F) in January, and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F)in July.
In the winter, Bern often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin July. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun.
Bern usually gets less rain in January than Cape Townin July. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 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 JulyBern 3°C (37°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Bern or Cape Town in the Spring?
Both Cape Town and Bern are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Bern in the spring for the natural beauty.
In the spring, Bern is cooler than Cape Town. Typically, the spring temperatures in Bern in April average around 11°C (52°F), and Cape Town averages at about 16°C (61°F)in October.
It's quite sunny in Cape Town. Bern usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during spring. Bern gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Bern usually receives more rain than Cape Townin October. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 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 OctoberBern 11°C (52°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Bern
| Bern | Cape Town | |||
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| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (37°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 4°C (40°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 8°C (46°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 11°C (52°F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 15°C (60°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 19°C (65°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 21°C (70°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 20°C (69°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (64°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 13°C (55°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (38°F) | 55 mm (2.2 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.