Which place is cheaper, Brasilia or Cape Town?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cape Town or Brasilia?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cape Town or Brasilia? 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: Cape Town or Brasilia?
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.
Brasilia
The capital city of Brazil, Brasilia is a uniquely-planned city that was constructed in four years from 1956-1960 in the shape of a large bird or airplane. Renowned for its modern architecture, the city listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and attracts architecture aficionados worldwide.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Brazil, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCape Town $98Brasilia $83
The average daily cost (per person) in Cape Town is $98, while the average daily cost in Brasilia is $83. 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 Cape Town and Brasilia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCape Town $39Brasilia $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCape Town $78Brasilia $70
Compare Hotels in Cape Town and Brasilia
Looking for a hotel in Cape Town or Brasilia? 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 and Brasilia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cape Town $17Brasilia $22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer to Camps Bay Cape Town: $18
- Airport transfers: $22
- 1 Day Durbanville Valley Wine Tasting Tour with Private Transfers: $179
- 1 Day Explore Cape Town Like a Local with Private Guided Transfer: $149
- 1 Day Hemel en Aarde Whale Coast Wine Tour with Private Transfers: $204
- 1-3 Passenger Private Arrival & Departure Cape Town - Airport Transfers: $54
- AIRPORT Transfer to and from Cape Town City: $28
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $18
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town): $54
- Airport Transfer to Cape Town Cruise Terminal: $17
- Airport Transfer: Cape Town to Cape Town Airport CPT in Luxury Car: $88
- Airport Transfers: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into Cape Town or Brasilia?
Prices for flights to both Brasilia and Cape Town 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 dayCape Town $42Brasilia $32
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: $41
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $43
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $55
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $56
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $59
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $61
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $61
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $62
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $70
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $76
- South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family: $82
- Private Authentic Cape Malay Cooking Class in Manenberg with Locals: $92
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cape Town $23Brasilia $20
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $2.99
- District Six Museum Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket: $3.24
- Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $3.59
- Kirstenbosch: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.99
- Hop-On Hop-Off Cape Town Canal Cruise: $4.14
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Down): $4.38
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Up): $4.38
- Meandering through Mouille Point: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.99
- V&A Waterfront: Seal & Harbour Cruise: $5.00
- Sea Point Promenade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Return Ticket : $5.32
- Intaka Island Kayak Tour: $5.40
Tours and Activities in Brasilia
Here are a few actual costs in Brasilia for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Brasilia Tour: $51
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCape Town $21Brasilia $15
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: $7.17
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.66
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $24
- Wine Tasting & Storytelling with SA Tapas add-on: $28
- Sip 15 Wines on a 3-Region Wine Tour with Cheese: $38
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $38
- Three Region Wine Tour: $44
- Cape Winelands and Wine Tasting Full Day Tour: $47
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $49
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $51
- Fullday Wine Tour: $51
- From CapeTown: Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour: $52
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cape Town and Brasilia, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Brasilia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cape Town is in Africa and Brasilia is in South America, 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 Brasilia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Brasilia 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 Brasilia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cape Town Expensive? and Is Brasilia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cape Town or Brasilia?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 56% larger than the population of Brasilia. When comparing the sizes of Cape Town and Brasilia, 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.