Which place is cheaper, Portland or Cape Town?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Cape Town or Portland?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cape Town or Portland? 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 Portland?
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.
Portland
Referred to as "The City of Roses", Portland is the largest city in Oregon. It sits on the banks of the Columbia River and offers breathtaking views of Mount Hood when the weather allows. Portland is famous for its alternative vibe, live music scene, and popular microbreweries. It's also a mecca for environmentally conscious urban planning. The downtown area is quite compact and walkable. While the city itself may be smaller than you expect, it is still the largest metropolitan area between San Francisco and Seattle.
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 Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCape Town $98Portland $180
The average daily cost (per person) in Cape Town is $98, while the average daily cost in Portland is $180. 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 Portland in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCape Town $39Portland $97
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCape Town $78Portland $194
Compare Hotels in Cape Town and Portland
Looking for a hotel in Cape Town or Portland? 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 Portland Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cape Town $17Portland $28
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: $250
- 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: $18
- Transfer To Safari- Aquila From Cape Town Excluding Entry Fees Full Day: $159
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Simonstown to Cape Town Airport: $26
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Claremont to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Cape Town City Center (CBD) to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Shopping Mall Transfers: $22
- Shark Cage Diving: Full Day Tour Transfer: $97
- Shared Transfers to and from Safari Game Reserve (excluding entrance fees): $85
- Shared Transfer to Cape Agulhas - Where The Two Oceans Meet From Cape Town F/Day: $183
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Portland
Also for Portland, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Waterfall Express -PDX: Waterfall Trolley Tickets + Transfer: $60
- Tigard hotel or address to Portland Airport (PDX) - Departure Private Transfer: $75
- Private Transfer from Portland Airport (PDX) to Astoria Port: $88
- Portland downtown to Portland Airport (PDX) - Departure Private Transfer: $61
- Portland International Airport - Private transfer from/to Oregon City: $127
- Portland Airport (PDX) to Tigard hotel or address - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $151
- Portland Airport (PDX) to Lake Oswego - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $142
- Portland Airport (PDX) to Beaverton hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $75
- Lake Oswego to Portland Airport (PDX) - Departure Private Transfer: $71
Is it cheaper to fly into Cape Town or Portland?
Prices for flights to both Portland 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
-
Food Meals for one dayCape Town $42Portland $43
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
Typical Food Prices in Portland
For Portland, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Afternoon Drinks (for 2)$9.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Portland
For Portland, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Walking Pizza Tour: $75
- Secret Food Tour with Local Guide: $94
- Brunch on Mississippi Food Tour: $95
- Downtown Portland Food Tour : $99
- Downtown Food Tour: $102
- Mississippi Avenue Walking Food Tour: $105
- The Vibrant Kerns Hood Food Tour: $105
- The Bustling Buckman Hood Food Tour: $105
- Portland Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $109
- Mississippi Avenue Walking Food Tour: $110
- All-Inclusive Downtown Portland Food Tour: $119
- 2.5-hour Dinner Cruise on Willamette River: $127
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cape Town $23Portland $24
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 Portland
For Portland, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2-hour Champagne Brunch Cruise on Willamette River: $102
- 2-hour Lunch Cruise on Willamette River: $86
- 7 Wonders of the Gorge 3.5-hour Jetboat Cruise: $90
- 90 Minute Sailing Tour of Portland: $99
- Aerial adventure above Portland, Oregon: $189
- Afternoon Half-Day Multnomah Falls and Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Tour from Portland: $75
- Afternoon Multnomah Falls and Gorge Waterfalls Tour: $85
- Air Tour of Mount Hood and Columbia River Gorge: $289
- Air Tour of Multnomah Falls & Columbia Gorge from Portland: $159
- Airplane Flight Tour over Portland, Oregon: $99
- All Day Northern Oregon Wineries and Forest Bike Tour: $245
- Beautiful Air Tour of the Columbia River Gorge : $99
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayCape Town $21Portland $17
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 Portland
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Portland:
- Haunted Underground Shanghai Tunnel Tour with Brewery Tastings: $40
- Portland Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $40
- Weird Bar Crawl with Fanatical Local: $59
- Guided Bike Tour with Brewery Visits: $65
- Portland, Maine: Old Port Brewery & Pub Walking Tour: $89
- Portland, Maine: Local Brewery & Spirits Bus Tour: $99
- Afternoon Tour in Columbia Gorge Waterfall with Free Wine Tasting: $111
- Waterfalls, Mt Hood, and Wine Tour (Tasting Fees Included): $135
- Silver Falls Hike and Wine Tour: $179
- Willamette Valley Wine Tasting from Portland: $189
- Bed and Breakfast Wine Tour - Small Group, Joinable/Sharable: $198
- From Willamette Valley Full-Day Wine Tour: $210
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cape Town and Portland, we can see that Portland 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 Portland 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 Portland would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Portland 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 Portland Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cape Town or Portland?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Portland. When comparing the sizes of Cape Town and Portland, 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 Portland?
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 Portland has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Cape Town or Portland in the Summer?
Both Portland and Cape Town are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to Portland for the hiking, the small town charm, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In January, Cape Town is generally around the same temperature as Portlandin July. Daily temperatures in Cape Town average around 21°C (70°F), and Portland fluctuates around 68°F (20°C).
It's quite sunny in Portland. 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 Portland during summer. Cape Town gets 338 hours of sunny skies, while Portland receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.
In January, Cape Town usually receives less rain than Portlandin July. Cape Town gets 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Portland receives 0.7 inches (18 mm) of rain each month for the summer.
-
Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyCape Town 21°C (70°F)Portland 68°F (20°C)
Should I visit Cape Town or Portland in the Autumn?
Both Portland and Cape Town during the autumn are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the autumn months attract visitors to Portland because of the hiking trails, the shopping scene, the music scene, the small town atmosphere, and the natural beauty of the area.
Cape Town is a little warmer than Portland in the autumn. The daily temperature in Cape Town averages around 18°C (64°F) in April, and Portland fluctuates around 55°F (13°C)in October.
It's quite sunny in Cape Town. In the autumn, Cape Town often gets more sunshine than Portlandin October. Cape Town gets 233 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Portland receives 155 hours of full sun.
Cape Town usually gets less rain in April than Portlandin October. Cape Town gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Portland receives 2.6 inches (67 mm) of rain this time of the year.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberCape Town 18°C (64°F)Portland 55°F (13°C)
Should I visit Cape Town or Portland in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Cape Town and Portland. Furthermore, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Portland this time of year.
It's quite cold in Portland in the winter. In the winter, Cape Town is much warmer than Portland. Typically, the winter temperatures in Cape Town in July average around 13°C (55°F), and Portland averages at about 40°F (4°C)in January.
Cape Town usually receives more sunshine than Portland during winter. Cape Town gets 193 hours of sunny skies, while Portland receives 86 hours of full sun in the winter.
Portland receives a lot of rain in the winter. In July, Cape Town usually receives less rain than Portlandin January. Cape Town gets 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Portland receives 5.2 inches (132 mm) of rain each month for the winter.
-
Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryCape Town 13°C (55°F)Portland 40°F (4°C)
Should I visit Cape Town or Portland in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Cape Town as well as Portland. Additionally, many travelers come to Portland for the small town charm and the natural beauty.
In October, Cape Town is generally much warmer than Portlandin April. Daily temperatures in Cape Town average around 16°C (61°F), and Portland fluctuates around 51°F (11°C).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Portland. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cape Town this time of the year. In the spring, Cape Town often gets more sunshine than Portlandin April. Cape Town gets 278 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Portland receives 231 hours of full sun.
Cape Town usually gets less rain in October than Portlandin April. Cape Town gets 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Portland receives 2.4 inches (61 mm) of rain this time of the year.
-
Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilCape Town 16°C (61°F)Portland 51°F (11°C)
Typical Weather for Portland and Cape Town
| Cape Town | Portland | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 40°F (4°C) | 5.2 inches (132 mm) |
| Feb | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 44°F (7°C) | 3.9 inches (98 mm) |
| Mar | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 47°F (9°C) | 3.6 inches (92 mm) |
| Apr | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 51°F (11°C) | 2.4 inches (61 mm) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 57°F (14°C) | 2 inches (51 mm) |
| Jun | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 64°F (18°C) | 1.5 inches (39 mm) |
| Jul | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 68°F (20°C) | 0.7 inches (18 mm) |
| Aug | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 69°F (20°C) | 1 inches (25 mm) |
| Sep | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 63°F (17°C) | 1.7 inches (44 mm) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 55°F (13°C) | 2.6 inches (67 mm) |
| Nov | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 46°F (8°C) | 5.4 inches (136 mm) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) | 40°F (5°C) | 6.1 inches (156 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.