Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Dar es Salaam?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dar es Salaam and Cape Town can help you decide which place is right for you.
Having grown from a fishing village, Dar es Salaam is now a major city and commercial port on Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast. While it is mainly used as a stopping point on the way to Zanzibar, it has a few unique treasures of its own such as the Kariakoo Market, National Museum, and the open-air Village Museum.
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 Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Dar es Salaam is $447, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $100. 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 Dar es Salaam and Cape Town in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Dar es Salaam 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.
Also for Dar es Salaam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Dar es Salaam 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.
For Cape Town, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dar es Salaam.
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Also in Cape Town, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dar es Salaam and Cape Town, we can see that Dar es Salaam is more expensive. And not only is Cape Town much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Dar es Salaam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dar es Salaam 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 Dar es Salaam Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 27% larger than the population of Dar es Salaam. When comparing the sizes of Dar es Salaam 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.
Cape Town has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Dar es Salaam experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Dar es Salaam and Cape Town. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Dar es Salaam year-round.
In the summer, Dar es Salaam is a little warmer than Cape Town. Typically, the summer temperatures in Dar es Salaam in July average around 25°C (77°F), and Cape Town averages at about 21°C (70°F)in January.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cape Town this time of the year. In Dar es Salaam, it's very sunny this time of the year. Dar es Salaam usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during summer. Dar es Salaam gets 224 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Dar es Salaam usually receives more rain than Cape Townin January. Dar es Salaam gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
The autumn brings many poeple to Dar es Salaam as well as Cape Town. Dar es Salaam attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In October, Dar es Salaam is generally a little warmer than Cape Townin April. Daily temperatures in Dar es Salaam average around 25°C (78°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Dar es Salaam this time of the year. In the autumn, Dar es Salaam often gets more sunshine than Cape Townin April. Dar es Salaam gets 275 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun.
Dar es Salaam usually gets more rain in October than Cape Townin April. Dar es Salaam gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
Both Cape Town and Dar es Salaam are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Dar es Salaam throughout the year.
Dar es Salaam is much warmer than Cape Town in the winter. The daily temperature in Dar es Salaam averages around 28°C (82°F) in January, and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F)in July.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam usually receives more sunshine than Cape Town during winter. Dar es Salaam gets 236 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Dar es Salaam usually receives around the same amount of rain as Cape Townin July. Dar es Salaam gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
Both Cape Town and Dar es Salaam during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Dar es Salaam because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the spring, Dar es Salaam is much warmer than Cape Town. Typically, the spring temperatures in Dar es Salaam in April average around 27°C (81°F), and Cape Town averages at about 16°C (61°F)in October.
In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the spring, Dar es Salaam often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin October. Dar es Salaam gets 155 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam usually gets more rain in April than Cape Townin October. Dar es Salaam gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
Dar es Salaam | Cape Town | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 28°C (82°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
Mar | 28°C (83°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 269 mm (10.6 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
May | 26°C (78°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
Jun | 24°C (76°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
Sep | 25°C (76°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
Oct | 25°C (78°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) |