Which place is cheaper, Sao Paulo or Cape Town?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cape Town or Sao Paulo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cape Town or Sao Paulo? 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 Sao Paulo?
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.
Sao Paulo
With a population of around 11 million, and 20 million in the metropolitan area, Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil. It's also one of the wealthiest cities in the southern hemisphere, although you don't have to look far to see the income disparities and inequalities that exist. The city is diverse and culturally rich, with excellent food, music, and entertainment.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Brazil, and The Best Adventure Tours to Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCape Town $98Sao Paulo $53
The average daily cost (per person) in Cape Town is $98, while the average daily cost in Sao Paulo is $53. 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 Sao Paulo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCape Town $39Sao Paulo $30
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCape Town $78Sao Paulo $60
Compare Hotels in Cape Town and Sao Paulo
Looking for a hotel in Cape Town or Sao Paulo? 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 Sao Paulo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cape Town $17Sao Paulo $5.96
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 Sao Paulo
Also for Sao Paulo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- airport transfer: $113
- Viracopos Airport VCP to Poços de Caldas Thermal Arrival Transfer: $80
- Viracopos Airport (VCP) to São Pedro Thermal Arrival Transfer: $38
- Viracopos Airport (VCP) to Águas de Lindoia-RoundTrip Transfer: $77
- Viracopos Airport (VCP) to Águas de Lindoia-Arrival Transfer: $38
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in São Paulo HTL-APT(GRU): $61
- Transfer from São Paulo to Port of Santos: $139
- Transfer GRU airport Guarulhos <> Sao Paulo / Hotel / CGH airport: $64
- Transfer CGH Airport Congonhas <> Sao Paulo city / Hotel: $36
- Sao Paulo to Campinas Viracopos Airport (VCP) - Private Transfer: $38
- Sao Paulo hotels to Campinas Airport (VCP) - Departure Transfer: $38
- Sao Paulo Airport to Beach Resorts - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $176
Is it cheaper to fly into Cape Town or Sao Paulo?
Prices for flights to both Sao Paulo 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 $42Sao Paulo $15
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 Sao Paulo
For Sao Paulo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Traditional Brazilian or Paulistano Cooking Class with a Chef: $130
- Authentic Brazilian Cooking Experience in SP: Feijoada & Moqueca: $189
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cape Town $23Sao Paulo $4.08
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 Sao Paulo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sao Paulo.
- 2 Hours Private São Paulo Museum of Modern Art Tour: $240
- 3 Beaches Hiking Santo Amaro Island - Paradise Route Tour from São Paulo: $125
- 3H CITY TOUR (pick up / delivery within Sao Paulo city limits): $151
- 4-Hour Private Tour in Sao Paulo: $300
- 4-hour Sum-up Private Tour Of São Paulo Including Its Major Attractions : $134
- 4WD One Day Tour visiting Water Fall and the Big Stone from Sao Paulo: $260
- 5 Hour City Tour in São Paulo: $91
- 5-hour Pelé Private Tour: The King of Football : $162
- 5-hour Private Street Art Tour Of São Paulo – The Coolest Urban Art Scenes: $174
- 5-hour Private Tour Of São Paulo With Its Main Sights – Optional Airport Pickup: $162
- 5-hour private tour in São Paulo (departures from hotels and airport): $155
- 5h City Tour (pick up & delivery within SaoPaulo city): $249
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCape Town $21Sao Paulo $3.55
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 Sao Paulo
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sao Paulo:
- São Paulo Nightlife: Pub Crawl in the City that Never Sleeps!: $49
- Half Day Private Wine Tour from São Roque: $54
- Wine Tour in São Roque by car - tour with local guides: $98
- 4 Hours Pub Crawl in Vila Madalena: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cape Town and Sao Paulo, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Sao Paulo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cape Town is in Africa and Sao Paulo is in South 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 Sao Paulo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sao Paulo 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 Sao Paulo.
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 Sao Paulo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cape Town or Sao Paulo?
Sao Paulo has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Cape Town. When comparing the sizes of Cape Town and Sao Paulo, 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 Sao Paulo?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.
Should I visit Cape Town or Sao Paulo in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Cape Town and Sao Paulo.
In the summer, Cape Town is cooler than Sao Paulo. Typically, the summer temperatures in Cape Town in January average around 21°C (70°F), and Sao Paulo averages at about 25°C (77°F).
Sao Paulo receives a lot of rain in the summer. In January, Cape Town usually receives less rain than Sao Paulo. Cape Town gets 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Sao Paulo receives 170 mm (6.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JanuaryCape Town 21°C (70°F)Sao Paulo 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Cape Town or Sao Paulo in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Cape Town as well as Sao Paulo.
In April, Cape Town is generally cooler than Sao Paulo. Daily temperatures in Cape Town average around 18°C (64°F), and Sao Paulo fluctuates around 22°C (72°F).
Cape Town usually gets less rain in April than Sao Paulo. Cape Town gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Sao Paulo receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures AprilCape Town 18°C (64°F)Sao Paulo 22°C (72°F)
Should I visit Cape Town or Sao Paulo in the Winter?
Both Sao Paulo and Cape Town are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.
Cape Town is much colder than Sao Paulo in the winter. The daily temperature in Cape Town averages around 13°C (55°F) in July, and Sao Paulo fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).
In July, Cape Town usually receives more rain than Sao Paulo. Cape Town gets 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Sao Paulo receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JulyCape Town 13°C (55°F)Sao Paulo 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit Cape Town or Sao Paulo in the Spring?
Both Sao Paulo and Cape Town during the spring are popular places to visit.
In the spring, Cape Town is cooler than Sao Paulo. Typically, the spring temperatures in Cape Town in October average around 16°C (61°F), and Sao Paulo averages at about 21°C (70°F).
Cape Town usually gets less rain in October than Sao Paulo. Cape Town gets 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Sao Paulo receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures OctoberCape Town 16°C (61°F)Sao Paulo 21°C (70°F)
Typical Weather for Sao Paulo and Cape Town
| Cape Town | Sao Paulo | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 170 mm (6.7 in) |
| Feb | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 170 mm (6.7 in) |
| Mar | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Apr | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Jun | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Jul | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Sep | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 150 mm (5.9 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.