Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Dakar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Dakar or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Dakar or Cape Town, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Dakar or Cape Town?
Dakar
Located in West Africa, Dakar is the capital city of Senegal and an Atlantic port on the Cap-Vert peninsula. Main attractions include the city's markets, the Dakar Grand Mosque, Goree Island, the IFAN Museum, the African Renaissance Monument, beaches, and the Senegal Zoo.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Senegal, The Best Luxury Tours to Senegal, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Dakar Prices
Senegal PricesCape Town Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDakar $82Cape Town $191
The average daily cost (per person) in Dakar is $82, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $191. 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 Dakar and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDakar $35Cape Town $89
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDakar $70Cape Town $178
Compare Hotels in Dakar and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Dakar or Cape Town? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dakar $5.80Cape Town $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dakar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dakar:
- Transfer - DSS Airport Saint-Louis (One way): $284
- Transfer - DSS Airport Dakar (One way): $71
- Private Transfer, Airport, Hotels, Dakar, Saly and Surrounding Areas: $72
- Private Transfer from Dakar to Blaise Diagne Airport (DSS): $210
- Private Transfer from Blaise Diagne Airport (DSS) to Dakar: $213
- Private Transfer DSS AIBD Airport - Riu Baobab Hotel (two ways): $101
- Private Transfer DSS AIBD Airport - Dakar (two directions): $101
- Dakar hotels to Blaise Diagne Intl Airport (DSS) - Departure Private Transfer: $73
- DSS Airport to Saly Private Transfer: $65
- DSS Airport Transfer Saly (One way): $71
- DSS Airport Transfer Dakar (Return): $130
- DSS Airport Riu Baobab Hotel Premium Private Transfer: $76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 1-4 Passenger Arrival & Departure Cape Town - Airport Transfers: $62
- 1-4 Passenger Cape Town - Airport Transfer: $31
- AIRPORT Transfer to and from Cape Town City: $17
- Afternoon Tea and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens with Transfer: $156
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $49
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $20
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town): $61
- Airport Transfer from Cape Town International: $38
- Airport Transfer: Airport CPT to Cape Town by Luxury Car: $117
- Airport Transfer: Cape Town to Cape Town Airport CPT in Luxury Car: $105
- Airport Transfers to and from Cape Town International Airport: $38
- Airport and Hotel Transfer: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into Dakar or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Dakar 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 dayDakar $37Cape Town $82
Typical Food Prices in Dakar
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Dakar:
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Breakfast$4.44
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dakar
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Dakar.
- Authentic Jollof Cooking Class: $99
- Senegalese Street Food Tour in Dakar: $115
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:
- From African Dinner and Drumming Experience: $62
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $63
- Private Indonesian & Cape Malay Cultural Cooking Class: $75
- South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family: $82
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $86
- Sunset At Signal and Dinner Privat: $88
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $97
- Cape Town Historic Centre Food Tour with 15 Local Dishes and Wine: $97
- Half Day Cape Town African Dinner Restaurant with Live Music Show: $100
- Private Cape Malay Cooking Class in Lorette’s Cape Town Home: $100
- Cape Town Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $102
- Cape Malay/Creole Cooking Class and Local Shopping in Salt River: $113
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dakar $15Cape Town $26
Tours and Activities in Dakar
Here are a few actual costs in Dakar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 days tour Pink lake- desert of Lompoul 2 people minimum: $260
- Dakar City Tour – Markets, Highlights & Local Guide: $142
- Dakar City Tour and Goree Island: $162
- Dakar City Tour and Goree island (from 3 people): $142
- Dakar Senegalese Culture and History 4 Hour Tour: $120
- Dakar in 3h: Full tour by traditional fast coach: $36
- Pink Lake and Turtle Village Half-Day Tour: $200
- Private City Tour: $117
- Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide: $33
- Private custom tour with a local guide: $33
- prepare the thieboudienne for the ultimate local experience: $55
- private tour "move, eat, act like a local": $82
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $4.06
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Up): $4.96
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Down): $4.96
- Kirstenbosch Gardens: An Audio Tour by Botany Expert: $5.00
- Half Hour Seal and Harbour Cruise from Cape Town: $5.00
- Sea Point Promenade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: Amble along the amazing False Bay Coast on an audio tour: $5.20
- The Village in the City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Bo-Kaap: $5.34
- Cape Town's original shoreline: a self-guided audio tour: $5.40
- Slavery in the Cape: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Cape Town's Slave History: $5.40
- Cape Town live guided Urban Safari: Inner City Tour: $5.62
- Cape Town Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $5.81
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDakar $9.73Cape Town $23
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:
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $14
- Craft Gin Tasting Experience and Distillery Tour: $15
- Urban Wine Tasting: $31
- Cape Town Hop- On Hop -Off Tour and Groot Constantia Wine Tasting: $34
- Indigenous Food and Wine Tasting: $38
- Cape Point, Penguins & Wine Tasting In Constantia Full Day Tour: $47
- Cape Town Hostel Pub Crawl & LinkUps: $53
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $56
- Uncork the Cape : Stellenboch Half Day Wine Tour: $56
- From CapeTown: Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour: $58
- Full-Day Stellenbosch Wine Tasting Tour: $60
- Wine Tasting, Lion Park and Giraffe House Tour: $65
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dakar and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Dakar much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Dakar would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dakar 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 Dakar.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dakar Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dakar or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 39% larger than the population of Dakar. When comparing the sizes of Dakar and Cape Town, 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 Dakar or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Dakar experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Dakar or Cape Town in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Dakar as well as Cape Town. Dakar attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the summer, Dakar is a little warmer than Cape Town. Typically, the summer temperatures in Dakar in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Cape Town averages at about 21°C (70°F)in January.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Dakar this time of the year. In the summer, Dakar often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin January. Dakar gets 218 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun.
Dakar usually gets more rain in July than Cape Townin January. Dakar gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryDakar 28°C (82°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Dakar or Cape Town in the Autumn?
Both Cape Town and Dakar are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Dakar throughout the year.
In October, Dakar is generally much warmer than Cape Townin April. Daily temperatures in Dakar average around 28°C (82°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
It's quite sunny in Cape Town. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Dakar. Dakar usually receives more sunshine than Cape Town during autumn. Dakar gets 260 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Dakar usually receives less rain than Cape Townin April. Dakar gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilDakar 28°C (82°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Dakar or Cape Town in the Winter?
Both Cape Town and Dakar during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Dakar because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Dakar is much warmer than Cape Town in the winter. The daily temperature in Dakar averages around 22°C (72°F) in January, and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F)in July.
It's quite sunny in Dakar. In the winter, Dakar often gets more sunshine than Cape Townin July. Dakar gets 232 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun.
Dakar usually gets less rain in January than Cape Townin July. Dakar gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyDakar 22°C (72°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Dakar or Cape Town in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Dakar and Cape Town. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Dakar year-round.
In the spring, Dakar is a little warmer than Cape Town. Typically, the spring temperatures in Dakar in April average around 21°C (70°F), and Cape Town averages at about 16°C (61°F)in October.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cape Town this time of the year. In Dakar, it's very sunny this time of the year. Dakar usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Cape Town during spring. Dakar gets 275 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Dakar usually receives less rain than Cape Townin October. Dakar gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberDakar 21°C (70°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Dakar
| Dakar | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 22°C (72°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 22°C (72°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 23°C (73°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 26°C (79°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 24°C (75°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 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.