Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Cairo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Cairo 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 Cairo 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: Cairo or Cape Town?
Cairo
Cairo is the chaotic capital city of Egypt. With a population of more than 16 million, it is one of the largest cities in both Africa and the Middle East. As a traveler, you're likely to arrive and leave from here and you'll get your first orientation to the area during the chaotic and congestion filled taxi ride from the airport.
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 Egypt, The Best Historical Tours in Egypt, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
-
Cairo Prices
Egypt PricesCape Town Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCairo $32Cape Town $189
The average daily cost (per person) in Cairo is $32, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $189. 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 Cairo and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCairo $11Cape Town $88
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCairo $22Cape Town $176
Compare Hotels in Cairo and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Cairo 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: Cairo Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cairo $3.62Cape Town $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:
-
Metro Ride$0.08
-
Taxi Ride$0.30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
- private Airport Transfer from any destination in Cairo or Giza: $35
- one transfer from airport to Cairo Giza hotels or hotels to Cairo airport: $20
- Visit Mall of Egypt with Hotel Transfer: $47
- VIP Meet and assist with transfer from Cairo and SPX Airport: $12
- VIP Meet and Greet Private Hotel Transfer from Cairo Airport: $39
- VIP Meet and Greet Private Hotel Transfer From Cairo Airport: $20
- VIP Meet and Assist in Cairo Airport with Private Transfer to Cairo Hotels: $49
- VIP Meet and Assist at Cairo Airport with Private Hotel Transfer: $35
- VIP Ain Sokhna Red Sea Day Trip from Cairo with Private Transfer: $90
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cairo APT-HTL (CAI): $33
- Transfer your private departure from your hotel to Cairo Airport: $20
- Transfer from Hurghada to Luxor city by private Cars: $170
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 1-4 Passenger Arrival & Departure Cape Town - Airport Transfers: $61
- 1-4 Passenger Cape Town - Airport Transfer: $31
- AIRPORT Transfer to and from Cape Town City: $17
- Afternoon Tea and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens with Transfer: $156
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $49
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $20
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town): $61
- Airport Transfer from Cape Town International: $37
- Airport Transfer: Airport CPT to Cape Town by Luxury Car: $115
- Airport Transfers Cape Town: $62
- Airport Transfers to and from Cape Town International Airport: $37
- Airport and Hotel Transfer: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into Cairo or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Cairo 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 dayCairo $17Cape Town $81
Typical Food Prices in Cairo
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:
-
Juice$0.04
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.
- Dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer show on Nile river: $4.00
- Dinner Cruise in Nile River with Belly Dancer show From Cairo: $4.00
- Cairo Food Tour with Nile Felucca Ride: $6.30
- Cairo dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer show on Nile river: $7.00
- Quad Bike ATV ,Camel Ride ,Nile Dinner Cruise Belly dancer show: $7.00
- Giza Pyramids,Sphinx,Camel Ride,ATV Bike,Shopping, Dinner cruise: $7.00
- Cairo Food Tour – Discover Hidden Downtown Gems: $7.20
- Private Nile Cruise with Dinner and Folk Show from Cairo: $7.50
- Private Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Quad Bike, Camel Ride, Nile Dinner Cruise: $8.00
- Cairo Dinner Cruise in Nile River With Belly Dancer & Tanora show: $8.00
- 5 Star Dinner Nile Cruise in Cairo Night Tour: $8.00
- night-tour Nile dinner cruise with open buffet and belly dancer: $8.00
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
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $63
- Cape Town Dinner Experience with local family: $67
- Private Indonesian & Cape Malay Cultural Cooking Class: $75
- South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family: $82
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $85
- Cape Town African Taste-Safari & Live Entertainment Dinner Experience: $94
- Cape Town Historic Centre Food Tour with 15 Local Dishes and Wine: $97
- Private Cape Malay Cooking Class in Lorette’s Cape Town Home: $100
- Cape town Dinner Restaurant African Food With Live Music: $108
- Cape Malay/Creole Cooking Class and Local Shopping in Salt River: $112
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cairo $8.65Cape Town $26
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairo
Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Entry to Camel Market for Two$0.80
-
Egyptian Museum Entry for Two$6.16
Tours and Activities in Cairo
Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- “Cairo Private Tour: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & GEM Museum”: $160
- "Private Half-Day Tour to the Giza Pyramids Saqqara and Memphis: $25
- "The Great Pyramids & Grand Museum: Luxury Private Day Tour": $60
- (Egypt jewel) Day Tour To Giza Pyramids, Museum, Mosque &Felucca: $55
- 01 Day Tour to Alexandria from Cairo: $246
- 01 Day Tour to Pyramids , Museum and Khan Elkhalili: $217
- 01 Day Tour to Pyramids Of Giza Memphis And Sakkara: $86
- 1 Day Private Tour to Alexandria from Cairo: $100
- 1 Day tour to Alexandria from Cairo: $30
- 1 Day tour to Giza pyramids Memphis city Dahshur and Saqqara pyramids: $15
- 1 Hour ATV Quad Bike Private Tour Around Giza Pyramids: $30
- 1 Hour Adventure In The Nile River By Nile Taxi In Cairo: $60
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: $4.05
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Down): $4.94
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Up): $4.96
- Half Hour Seal and Harbour Cruise from Cape Town: $4.98
- Kirstenbosch Gardens: An Audio Tour by Botany Expert: $5.00
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: Amble along the amazing False Bay Coast on an audio tour: $5.20
- 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
- Cape Town live guided Urban Safari: Inner City Tour: $5.63
- Cape Town Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $5.70
- Hop-On Hop-Off Cape Town Canal Cruise: $5.94
- Cape Town 30-minute V&A Harbour Cruise: $5.94
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayCairo $1.41Cape Town $23
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairo
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cairo:
- Pub Crawl and Speakeasy Bar Tour with 2 Free Drinks: $70
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: $38
- 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: $48
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $56
- Uncork the Cape : Stellenboch Half Day Wine Tour: $56
- From CapeTown: Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour: $58
- Full-Day Stellenbosch Wine Tasting Tour: $60
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cairo and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Cairo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cairo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cairo 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 Cairo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cairo Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cairo or Cape Town?
Cairo has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Cape Town. When comparing the sizes of Cairo 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 Cairo or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Cairo experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Cairo or Cape Town in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Cairo as well as Cape Town. Cairo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the summer, Cairo is a little warmer than Cape Town. Typically, the summer temperatures in Cairo in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Cape Town averages at about 21°C (70°F)in January.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cairo this time of the year. In the summer, Cairo often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Cape Townin January. Cairo gets 350 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun.
Cairo usually gets less rain in July than Cape Townin January. Cairo gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryCairo 28°C (82°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Cairo or Cape Town in the Autumn?
Both Cape Town and Cairo are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cairo throughout the year.
In October, Cairo is generally a little warmer than Cape Townin April. Daily temperatures in Cairo average around 23°C (73°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
It's quite sunny in Cape Town. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cairo. Cairo usually receives more sunshine than Cape Town during autumn. Cairo gets 290 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Cairo usually receives less rain than Cape Townin April. Cairo gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilCairo 23°C (73°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Cairo or Cape Town in the Winter?
Both Cape Town and Cairo during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Cairo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Cairo is a little warmer than Cape Town in the winter. The daily temperature in Cairo averages around 14°C (57°F) in January, and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F)in July.
It's quite sunny in Cairo. In the winter, Cairo often gets more sunshine than Cape Townin July. Cairo gets 221 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun.
Cairo usually gets less rain in January than Cape Townin July. Cairo gets 15 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyCairo 14°C (57°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Cairo or Cape Town in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Cairo and Cape Town. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cairo year-round.
In the spring, Cairo is a little warmer than Cape Town. Typically, the spring temperatures in Cairo in April average around 21°C (70°F), and Cape Town averages at about 16°C (61°F)in October.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cape Town this time of the year. In Cairo, it's very sunny this time of the year. Cairo usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Cape Town during spring. Cairo gets 276 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Cairo usually receives less rain than Cape Townin October. Cairo gets 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberCairo 21°C (70°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Cairo
| Cairo | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 14°C (57°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 14°C (57°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 17°C (63°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 21°C (70°F) | 7 mm (0.3 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 25°C (77°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 26°C (79°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (66°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 15°C (59°F) | 3 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.