Which place is cheaper, Orlando or Cape Town?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cape Town or Orlando?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cape Town or Orlando? 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 Orlando?
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.
Orlando
Orlando is a haven for tourists from the entire United States and abroad. The most famous sight in Orlando, Walt Disney World, is not actually located in the city at all, but in nearby Lake Buena Vista. The area attracts over 50 million visitors a year and the city's sprawling development has created amenities and entertainment options for tourists of all ages.
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 United States of America, and The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCape Town $98Orlando $321
The average daily cost (per person) in Cape Town is $98, while the average daily cost in Orlando is $321. 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 Orlando in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCape Town $39Orlando $154
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCape Town $78Orlando $308
Compare Hotels in Cape Town and Orlando
Looking for a hotel in Cape Town or Orlando? 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 Orlando Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cape Town $17Orlando $66
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From 3-Day Safari and Coastal Tour with Transfer: $508
- From Group Transfer Only to Aquilla Game Reserve: $459
- Big 5 Aquila Safari Private Transfer with Park Fee From Cape Town: $300
- Jeep Dune Adventure Tour, Sandboarding & Transfer: $279
- Shark Cage Diving & Penguins Tour to Gansbaai with private transfers: $273
- Aquila Safari Game Drive, Lunch & Shared Transfers from Cape Town: $251
- Whale Watching In Hermanus with Private Transfer: $250
- Pvt Airport to Hout Bay Transfer: $243
- Full Day Private Chauffeur and Transfer Services in Cape Town: $240
- 1 Day Hemel en Aarde Whale Coast Wine Tour with Private Transfers: $204
- Cape Town:- Airport to Table View One way Transfer: $189
- Hermanus: Airport Transfer: $184
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Orlando
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Orlando are as follows:
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Parking$14
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Taxi Ride$45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Orlando
Also for Orlando, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Orlando APT-HTL (MCO): $96
- Transfer: Lake Buena Vista Area Hotels to Orlando Airport (MCO): $19
- Transfer service in Orlando. MCO: $75
- Transfer from Orlando International Airport to Central Florida: $115
- Sedan Transfer Orlando Airport to Disney Resort up to 4 Passengers: $150
- Sanford to Orlando Sanford Intl. Airport (SFB) - Departure Private Transfer: $39
- Sanford Intl. Airport (SFB) to Hotels near Universal - Arrival Private Transfer: $88
- Sanford Intl. Airport (SFB) to Hotel near Universal - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $175
- SUV Transfer To or From MCO to Universal and I-Drive: $145
- SUV Transfer TO or FROM MCO to Lake Buena Vista (Disney Hotels): $145
- SUV Port Transfer TO or FROM Orlando International Airport MCO: $187
- Roundtrip transfer Orlando Airport-Hotels in Disney and Universal: $96
Is it cheaper to fly into Cape Town or Orlando?
Prices for flights to both Orlando 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 $42Orlando $65
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
Typical Food Prices in Orlando
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Orlando:
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Lunch for Two at Epcot$29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Orlando
For Orlando, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- The Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show: $38
- The Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show in Orlando: $38
- Tastes of the World Food Tour in Winter Haven : $50
- Señor Frogs Lunch / Dinner Package: $50
- Dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe with Live Music: $58
- Downtown Murder Mystery Walking Dinner Tour: $66
- Sleuth's Mystery Dinner Show, Orlando: $69
- Polynesian Fire Luau with Dinner and Live Show: $75
- Pirates Dinner Adventure - Top Orlando Dinner Attraction: $78
- Teatro Martini Dinner Show in Orlando: $79
- Titanic First Class Dinner Gala Tickets (ORLANDO, FL): $84
- Food Tour of Local Orlando's Ivanhoe Village : $89
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cape Town $23Orlando $204
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 Point and Cape of Good Hope day tour Up to 10 persons: $66
- Cape Town - Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens and City Tour: $280
- Cape Town Woodstock Street Art Walking Tour: $30
- Day Tour in Robben Island, Bo-Kaap and Table Mountain : $166
- Mandela's Robben Island Museum Bo-Kaap Cape Town City Tour + Ferry ticket f/d: $166
- Penguins Private Tour- Cape of Good Hope & Cape Point Tour from Cape Town: $114
- Private Tour Cape of Good Hope with Penguins : $155
- Private Tour to Robben Island and Cape Point in Cape Town: $121
- South African Traditional Braai (BBQ) Experience & Winetasting : $138
- ( Cape Town Private Tour ) Hermanus Whale Watching Full Day : $251
- ( Cape town ) Private Winelands Tasting Full Day Tour: $173
- ( Cape town Private Tour ) Hermanus Shark Cage Diving : $252
Typical Entertainment Prices in Orlando
For Orlando, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Universal Studios for Two$110
Tours and Activities in Orlando
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Orlando.
- 2 HR Interactive Walking Ghost Tour in Downtown Orlando: $77
- Everglades Airboat Tour near Orlando Florida: $89
- 1 Hour Everglades Airboat Tour Central Florida: $69
- 1 Hour Historical Wildlife Tour of The Famous Chain of Lakes: $27
- 16 mile Heli Tour Over Disney Spring, Epcot, Hollywood Studios: $86
- 16 miles Private Helicopter Day Tour over Fun Spot: $65
- 2 Hour Historical Wildlife Tour of the Chain of Lakes: $42
- 2 Hour Investigative Walking Ghost Tour of Downtown Orlando: $50
- 23 mile Heli Tour, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom &more: $127
- 23 miles Day Flight Heli Coaster Adventure Ride: $128
- 25 Minutes Adventure Rooms in Max Action Arena ICON Park: $12
- 3- or 4-Park Magic Ticket at Walt Disney World Resort: $284
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCape Town $21Orlando $30
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Orlando
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Orlando:
- Orlando Virtual Bar Crawl & Scavenger Hunt: $12
- Orlando Haunts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $27
- Orlando Haunts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Pontoon Pub Crawl, 5 Lakeside Pubs and Restaurants Visit by Boat: $85
- Chef's Table and Wine Tasting Tour: $300
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cape Town and Orlando, we can see that Orlando 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 Orlando is in North 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 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 Orlando would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Orlando 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 Orlando Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cape Town or Orlando?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Orlando. When comparing the sizes of Cape Town and Orlando, 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 Orlando?
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 Orlando has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Cape Town or Orlando in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Cape Town and Orlando. Furthermore, the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Orlando this time of year.
In January, Cape Town is generally cooler than Orlandoin July. Daily temperatures in Cape Town average around 21°C (70°F), and Orlando fluctuates around 82°F (28°C).
Orlando receives a lot of rain in the summer. In January, Cape Town usually receives less rain than Orlandoin July. Cape Town gets 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Orlando receives 8.3 inches (211 mm) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyCape Town 21°C (70°F)Orlando 82°F (28°C)
Should I visit Cape Town or Orlando in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Cape Town as well as Orlando. Additionally, many travelers come to Orlando for the shopping scene.
Cape Town is cooler than Orlando in the autumn. The daily temperature in Cape Town averages around 18°C (64°F) in April, and Orlando fluctuates around 75°F (24°C)in October.
It's quite rainy in Orlando. Cape Town usually gets less rain in April than Orlandoin October. Cape Town gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Orlando receives 4.1 inches (103 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberCape Town 18°C (64°F)Orlando 75°F (24°C)
Should I visit Cape Town or Orlando in the Winter?
Both Orlando and Cape Town are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Also, many visitors come to Orlando in the winter for the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine.
In the winter, Cape Town is cooler than Orlando. Typically, the winter temperatures in Cape Town in July average around 13°C (55°F), and Orlando averages at about 59°F (15°C)in January.
In July, Cape Town usually receives more rain than Orlandoin January. Cape Town gets 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Orlando receives 2.3 inches (58 mm) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryCape Town 13°C (55°F)Orlando 59°F (15°C)
Should I visit Cape Town or Orlando in the Spring?
Both Orlando and Cape Town during the spring are popular places to visit.
In October, Cape Town is generally cooler than Orlandoin April. Daily temperatures in Cape Town average around 16°C (61°F), and Orlando fluctuates around 72°F (22°C).
Cape Town usually gets less rain in October than Orlandoin April. Cape Town gets 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Orlando receives 2.7 inches (69 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilCape Town 16°C (61°F)Orlando 72°F (22°C)
Typical Weather for Orlando and Cape Town
| Cape Town | Orlando | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 59°F (15°C) | 2.3 inches (58 mm) |
| Feb | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 62°F (16°C) | 3 inches (75 mm) |
| Mar | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 67°F (19°C) | 3.5 inches (88 mm) |
| Apr | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 72°F (22°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 77°F (25°C) | 3 inches (75 mm) |
| Jun | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 81°F (27°C) | 7.1 inches (181 mm) |
| Jul | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 82°F (28°C) | 8.3 inches (211 mm) |
| Aug | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 82°F (28°C) | 6.7 inches (171 mm) |
| Sep | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 81°F (27°C) | 7.2 inches (183 mm) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 75°F (24°C) | 4.1 inches (103 mm) |
| Nov | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 68°F (20°C) | 1.6 inches (40 mm) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) | 62°F (17°C) | 1.9 inches (48 mm) |
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.