Which place is cheaper, Diani or Cape Town?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cape Town or Diani?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cape Town or Diani? 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 Diani?
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.
Diani
Diani is a major beach resort town on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is located 30 kilometers south of Mombasa and the beach has been voted Africa’s leading beach destination several times. With a flawless, long stretch of white-sand beach hugged by lush forest and kissed by surfable waves, it’s no wonder Diani Beach is so popular. This resort town scores points with a diverse crowd: party people, families, honeymooners, backpackers and water-sports enthusiasts. But Diani also has some of the best accommodation in Kenya, from budget party hostels to funky kitesurfing lodges and intimate honeymoon spots. Most places are spread along the beach road, hidden behind a line of forest. When lazing in a hammock gets tiring, visit the coral mosques with their archways that overlook the open ocean, venture into the sacred forests where guides hug trees that speak in their ancestors' voices, or take in the monkey sanctuary – all are good ways to experience more of the coast than the considerable charms of sun and sand.
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 Luxury Tours to Kenya, and The Best Budget Tours to Kenya.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCape Town $96Diani $55
The average daily cost (per person) in Cape Town is $96, while the average daily cost in Diani is $55. 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 Diani in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCape Town $38Diani $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCape Town $76Diani $48
Compare Hotels in Cape Town and Diani
Looking for a hotel in Cape Town or Diani? 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 Diani Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cape Town $17Diani $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Whale Watching In Hermanus with Private Transfer: $242
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cape Town HTL-APT(CPT): $44
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cape Town APT-HTL(CPT): $44
- Transport Shuttle Transfer from Constantia to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Transfer To Safari- Aquila From Cape Town Excluding Entry Fees Full Day: $155
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Simonstown to Cape Town Airport: $25
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Cape Town City Center (CBD) to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Shopping Mall Transfers: $21
- Shark Cage Diving: Full Day Tour Transfer: $84
- Robben Island tour Return transfers PLUS famous stops before or after tour: $158
- Return Transfer to Aquila Safari The Big 5 From Cape Town Excluding Entry Fees: $147
- Private Transfer: Cape Town to International Airport (CPT): $47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Diani
Also for Diani, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer: Mombasa SGR Train Station to Diani Hotels: $71
- From Mombasa Airport: Diani transfer in a minivan (5 pax): $63
Is it cheaper to fly into Cape Town or Diani?
Prices for flights to both Diani 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 $41Diani $20
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:
- Dinner At Mandela's - Cultural Township Dinner Experience: $27
- African Cooking with a Chef Founder: $27
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $39
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $41
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $54
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $57
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $58
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $60
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $73
- South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family: $82
- Cape Town Food tour with locals: $100
- The Cape Town Essentials Food Tour: $106
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cape Town $23Diani $15
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 Agulhas Full Day Private Tour: $187
- Cape Point Full Day Tour: $187
- Cape Point Private Tour withTable Mountain and Penguin Colony : $249
- Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope day tour Up to 10 persons: $64
- CapeWinelands Private Tour to Stellenbosch,Franschhoek and Paarl: $94
- Day Tour in Robben Island, Bo-Kaap and Table Mountain : $160
- Private Tour Cape of Good Hope with Penguins : $109
- South African Traditional Braai (BBQ) Experience & Winetasting : $134
- ( Cape Town Private Tour Full-Day ) Robben Island and Cape Peninsula Penguins : $256
- ( Cape town ) Private Winelands Tasting Full Day Tour: $167
- ( Cape town Private Tour ) Hermanus Shark Cage Diving : $244
- (Cape Town Private Tour ) Whale Watching Combo on Boat : $213
Tours and Activities in Diani
For Diani, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 day Shimba Hills Tour: $185
- 3 nights Vipingo Golf Safari & Flight Tour: $1,575
- 7 Days Safari Kenya Classic with Beach Tour Package: $4,595
- Day & Night Life Tour At Diani: $40
- Diani Beach: 2-Hour Glass Bottom-Boat Cruise: $22
- Diani Beach: Children's Homes Visit And Donation Tour.: $36
- Diani Beach: Kaya Kinondo cultural and nature experience: $30
- Diani Beach: Kongo River Sunset Experience in a canoe: $30
- Diani Beach: Village tour on a bike with hotel pick-up: $57
- Giriama Cultural Dance Show and Local Village Tour: $25
- Sunset Canoe Tour along the River with Mangroves: $28
- Duruma Traditional Wedding Demo, Village Tour and Dance Show: $49
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCape Town $20Diani $9.04
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: $9.36
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $19
- Wine Tasting & Storytelling with SA Tapas add-on: $27
- From 3 Regions Wine Tour with 3 Estates, 15 Wines: $37
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $37
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $47
- Fullday Wine Tour: $49
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $50
- Stellenbosch Wine Tour half day from Cape Town: $52
- Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour with Wine Tram: $61
- Wine Tasting Private Tour through Durbanville Winelands: $64
- Cape Town Tour with wine tasting.Full day peninsula tour.: $65
Sample the Local Flavors in Diani
Also in Diani, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Diani,Mombasa Nightlife And Pub Crawling Guided Tour.: $43
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cape Town and Diani, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Diani much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Diani would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Diani 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 Diani.
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 Diani Expensive?.
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.