Which place is cheaper, Pittsburgh or Cape Town?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cape Town or Pittsburgh?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cape Town or Pittsburgh? 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 Pittsburgh?
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.
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is a city in western Pennsylvania at the junction of 3 rivers. Set between the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, and a mountain ridge called Mt Washington, Pittsburgh has a unique character that is evident from the moment you arrive. Juxtaposed with the rumbling freight trains and the iconic bridges are the Bladerunner-esque self-driving Uber vehicles, scanning the roads with spinning Lidar scanners. Its Gilded Age sites, including the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, speak to its history as an early-20th-century industrial capital. In the North Shore neighborhood are the modern Andy Warhol Museum, Heinz Field football stadium, and PNC Park baseball stadium. Experiencing periods of boom and bust since its founding, the city is in a boom now, and it's a fun place to visit, with top-notch museums, great gardens and parks, and amazing food.
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 from Anchorage, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCape Town $98Pittsburgh $181
The average daily cost (per person) in Cape Town is $98, while the average daily cost in Pittsburgh is $181. 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 Pittsburgh in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCape Town $39Pittsburgh $106
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCape Town $78Pittsburgh $212
Compare Hotels in Cape Town and Pittsburgh
Looking for a hotel in Cape Town or Pittsburgh? 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 Pittsburgh Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cape Town $17Pittsburgh $22
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: $274
- Cape Town Morning or Afternoon Safari including private transfer: $254
- Aquila Safari Game Drive, Lunch & Shared Transfers from Cape Town: $252
- 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 Helderberg Valley Winelands Tour with Private Transfers: $232
- Hermanus Wine Tour (Full Day Including Cape Town Transfers): $230
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pittsburgh
Also for Pittsburgh, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Pittsburgh City to Pittsburgh Airport (PIT) - Departure Private Transfer: $48
- Pittsburgh Airport (PIT) to Pittsburgh hotel/address - Arrival Private Transfer: $48
- Pittsburgh Airport (PIT) to Pittsburgh City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $97
Is it cheaper to fly into Cape Town or Pittsburgh?
Prices for flights to both Pittsburgh 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 $42Pittsburgh $54
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: $28
- 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: $71
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $76
- Private Cooking Class and Meal in Local Wynberg Cape Town Home: $80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pittsburgh
For Pittsburgh, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pittsburgh's Strip District Food Tour: $70
- Pittsburgh's Strip District Food Tour: $70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cape Town $23Pittsburgh $38
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3 Wineries Private Tour in Stellenbosch, Paarl Tasting Included: $137
- Cape Agulhas Full Day Private Tour: $192
- Cape Point Full Day Tour: $192
- Cape Point Private Tour withTable Mountain and Penguin Colony : $257
- 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
- CapeWinelands Private Tour to Stellenbosch,Franschhoek and Paarl: $96
- Day Tour in Robben Island, Bo-Kaap and Table Mountain : $166
- Long Walk to Freedom in Robben Island including Ticket & Afrogem: $156
- Mandela's Robben Island Museum Bo-Kaap Cape Town City Tour + Ferry ticket f/d: $165
- Penguins Private Tour- Cape of Good Hope & Cape Point Tour from Cape Town: $114
Tours and Activities in Pittsburgh
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Pittsburgh.
- Best of the Burgh Walking Tour of Pittsburgh: $33
- Bike the Burgh Tour: $50
- Black & Ghost Tour: $33
- Discover Oakland Tour: $33
- Eastbound Pennsylvania Turnpike: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $6.22
- Entrance Ticket to AT BLAQK House Collections: $7.00
- Essential Pittsburgh Experience - The One Tour to Take: $75
- HOP ON-HOP OFF TOUR PASS- All Day Sightseeing Tour Pass: $40
- JUST THE TOUR - Double Decker bus sightseeing tour of Pittsburgh.: $35
- New! Art & Artists Tour: $33
- New! Bikes & Brews Tour: $75
- Pittsburg 101 Tour: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCape Town $21Pittsburgh $33
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: $7.13
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.60
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $24
- Drumstruck at Silvermist. Live African Drum Show & Wine tasting: $25
- 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
- Stellenbosch Wine Tour half day from Cape Town: $54
Sample the Local Flavors in Pittsburgh
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Pittsburgh:
- Pittsburgh Bar Hunt: Party Through Pittsburgh Bar Crawl: $13
- Wigle Whiskey Rebellion Distillery Tour: $22
- New! Bites & Brews: Pittsburgh Brewery Walk: $50
- Bike and Brewery Tour: $69
- Pittsburgh Signature Guided Brewery Tour: $105
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cape Town and Pittsburgh, we can see that Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cape Town or Pittsburgh?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Pittsburgh. When comparing the sizes of Cape Town and Pittsburgh, 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.