Which place is cheaper, Nassau or Cape Town?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cape Town or Nassau?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cape Town or Nassau? 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 Nassau?
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.
Nassau
There are few vacation destinations more famous than the Bahamian city of Nassau. This capital city is full of laid back locals, relaxed tourists and the iconic pastel pink government houses.
As the largest city in the Bahamas, Nassau can hold plenty of people. Not only are there hundreds of tourists on any given day, the city is also home to 260,000 people – that is 80 percent of the Bahamas' total population.
Founded around 1650, Nassau's location made it a great spot on the trade route. So great, in fact, that it also became a popular destination for pirates – including the infamous Blackbeard.
Pack light because it's going to be pretty steamy in Nassau. The climate is essentially identical to southern Florida. It is warm and humid all year with the occasional cold snap in the winter.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCape Town $98Nassau $189
The average daily cost (per person) in Cape Town is $98, while the average daily cost in Nassau 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 Cape Town and Nassau in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCape Town $39Nassau $109
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCape Town $78Nassau $218
Compare Hotels in Cape Town and Nassau
Looking for a hotel in Cape Town or Nassau? 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 Nassau Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cape Town $17Nassau $32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers: $11
- Private Airport Transfers in Cape Town- One way/Round Trips: $16
- Airport Transfer to Cape Town Cruise Terminal: $17
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer from Airport to Cape Town City Center (CBD): $17
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer to Claremont Cape Town : $17
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Cape Town City Center (CBD) to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Claremont to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Exclusive Cape Town Airport and Cruise Terminal Transfers: $18
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer to Camps Bay Cape Town: $18
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $18
- 24 hour Private Airport Shuttle and Transfer CBD: $19
- Private Transfer Cape Town Airport to or from From Cape Town: $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nassau
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Nassau are as follows:
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Water Taxi$8.02
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Taxi to Cable Beach$25
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Taxi from Airport$30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nassau
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nassau:
- Transfer Service in Nassau Bahamas: $68
- Shared Shuttle Transfer to NAS Airport - Departure: $34
- Shared Shuttle Transfer from NAS Airport - Arrival: $34
- Roundtrip Airport Transfer- Lincoln Town Car: $225
- Round-Trip Private Transfer: $300
- Round Trip Private Airport To Hotel Transfer in Nassau: $150
- Private Transfer in Nassau: $45
- Private Transfer from Nassau International Airport to Nassau City : $150
- Private Transfer from Nassau Airport (NAS) to Nassau Hotel or Cruise Port : $125
- Private Transfer from Hotel to Airport Nassau, Bahamas: $150
- Private Roundtrip Sedan Airport Transfer to Downtown Nassau: $143
- Private Roundtrip Sedan Airport Transfer to Cable Beach: $143
Is it cheaper to fly into Cape Town or Nassau?
Prices for flights to both Nassau 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 $42Nassau $53
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nassau
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nassau.
- Nassau Food Tour and Beach Break: $65
- Conch Salad Cooking Lesson and Tasting in Nassau: $80
- Sail Catamaran Sunset Dinner Cruise: $116
- Dinner and Dancing: $130
- Bahamian Cooking Class Lunch Experience by Tru Bahamian Food Tour: $140
- Island Food Tour: $140
- Gourmet dinner & sunset cruise on luxury catamaran: $375
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cape Town $23Nassau $37
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Nassau
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Nassau are as follows:
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Jet Ski$50
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4 Hr Kayak Tour$70
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1/2 Day Snorkel Trip$75
Tours and Activities in Nassau
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nassau are as follows:
- Bahamas Adventure: Pigs, Reef, Turtles, and Beach with Lunch: $299
- 3 Hour Island Tour: Swimming with Pigs, Turtles, and Snorkeling: $250
- 3-Hour Buggy Tour of New Providence (Inclusive of water & local deserts): $250
- 30 Minutes Jet Car Adventure in Bahamas: $260
- ATV Half Day City Tour in Guided Tour With Free Samples: $250
- ATV Island Tour with Beach Break, Lunch, and Pick-up/Drop-off: $199
- ATV tours by RSR: $230
- All New Weekend Tour with Seafood Snack Portuguese & Spanish : $7.00
- Atlantis Bridge Speed Boat Adventure: $100
- Atlantis Speed Boat Tours: $81
- Bahama Bonanza Cultural Tour: $80
- Bahamas Cabbage Beach Parasailing Adventure: $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCape Town $21Nassau $19
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Nassau
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Nassau are as follows:
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Cocktail$6.52
Sample the Local Flavors in Nassau
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Nassau:
- Rum Runners Pub Crawl: $140
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cape Town and Nassau, we can see that Nassau is more expensive. And not only is Cape Town much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cape Town is in Africa and Nassau is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Nassau would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nassau 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 Cape Town Expensive? and Is Nassau Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cape Town or Nassau?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Nassau. When comparing the sizes of Cape Town and Nassau, 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 Cape Town or Nassau?
Cape Town has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Nassau experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Cape Town or Nassau in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Cape Town as well as Nassau. The warm climate attracts visitors to Nassau throughout the year.
In January, Cape Town is generally cooler than Nassauin July. Daily temperatures in Cape Town average around 21°C (70°F), and Nassau fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Nassau. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cape Town this time of the year. In the summer, Cape Town often gets more sunshine than Nassauin July. Cape Town gets 338 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Nassau receives 273 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Nassau. Cape Town usually gets less rain in January than Nassauin July. Cape Town gets 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Nassau receives 151 mm (5.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyCape Town 21°C (70°F)Nassau 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Cape Town or Nassau in the Autumn?
Both Nassau and Cape Town are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Nassau because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Cape Town is cooler than Nassau in the autumn. The daily temperature in Cape Town averages around 18°C (64°F) in April, and Nassau fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in October.
It's quite sunny in Nassau. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. Cape Town usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Nassau during autumn. Cape Town gets 233 hours of sunny skies, while Nassau receives 223 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Nassau. In April, Cape Town usually receives less rain than Nassauin October. Cape Town gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Nassau receives 184 mm (7.2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberCape Town 18°C (64°F)Nassau 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Cape Town or Nassau in the Winter?
Both Nassau and Cape Town during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Nassau year-round.
In the winter, Cape Town is much colder than Nassau. Typically, the winter temperatures in Cape Town in July average around 13°C (55°F), and Nassau averages at about 21°C (70°F)in January.
In Nassau, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Cape Town often gets less sunshine than Nassauin January. Cape Town gets 193 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Nassau receives 220 hours of full sun.
Cape Town usually gets more rain in July than Nassauin January. Cape Town gets 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Nassau receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryCape Town 13°C (55°F)Nassau 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Cape Town or Nassau in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Cape Town and Nassau. Nassau attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In October, Cape Town is generally cooler than Nassauin April. Daily temperatures in Cape Town average around 16°C (61°F), and Nassau fluctuates around 23°C (74°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Nassau this time of the year. In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. Cape Town usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Nassau during spring. Cape Town gets 278 hours of sunny skies, while Nassau receives 276 hours of full sun in the spring.
In October, Cape Town usually receives less rain than Nassauin April. Cape Town gets 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Nassau receives 53 mm (2.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilCape Town 16°C (61°F)Nassau 23°C (74°F)
Typical Weather for Nassau and Cape Town
| Cape Town | Nassau | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Feb | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Mar | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Apr | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) |
| Jun | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 237 mm (9.3 in) |
| Jul | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 151 mm (5.9 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 211 mm (8.3 in) |
| Sep | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 171 mm (6.7 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 184 mm (7.2 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 60 mm (2.4 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.