Which place is cheaper, Johannesburg or Dar es Salaam?
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 Dar es Salaam or Johannesburg?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
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 Johannesburg can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dar es Salaam or Johannesburg?
Dar es Salaam
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.
Johannesburg
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa with a population of over 3 million people. Most of the population is made up of South Africa's black residents, who predominately reside in the Soweto area. There are approximately half a million white residents and 300,000 residents of other descent. Half of the population live in the Soweto area as well as the nearby suburbs.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Adventure Tours to South Africa, and The Best Eco Tours in South Africa.
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Dar es Salaam Prices
Tanzania PricesJohannesburg Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDar es Salaam $462Johannesburg $121
The average daily cost (per person) in Dar es Salaam is $462, while the average daily cost in Johannesburg is $121. 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 Johannesburg in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDar es Salaam $424Johannesburg $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDar es Salaam $848Johannesburg $122
Compare Hotels in Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg
Looking for a hotel in Dar es Salaam or Johannesburg? 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: Dar es Salaam Hotel Prices and Johannesburg Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dar es Salaam $13Johannesburg $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dar es Salaam
Also for Dar es Salaam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Zanzibar Airport Shared Taxi Transfer to Any Hotel: $10
- Julius Nyerere Airport (DAR) Private Transfer to Dar es Salaam: $50
- Half-Day City Tour with Transfers: $59
- Dar es Salaam Airport Transfers Comfortable Ride to Your Hotel: $60
- Dar es salaam Airport Transfer (Private & Group): $60
- Private Transfer from Dar El Salaam to Julius Nyerere Airport (DAR): $104
- Private Layover Tour with Airport Transfer: $120
- Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with Transfers.: $120
- Transfer from dar es salaam to morogoro: $203
- Private VIP Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with two way transfers: $249
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Johannesburg
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Johannesburg:
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Taxi Ride$3.65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johannesburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johannesburg:
- Pilanesberg Transfer from Johannesburg and Pretoria: $249
- Suncity Transfer: $218
- Private Transfer from Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport (JNB) to Pretoria hotels: $175
- JHB: Lesedi Cultural Village Tour TRANSFER&ENTRANCE INCLUDED: $159
- Private Transfers from Airport to Hotel/Game Lodge: $159
- Kwa Maritane Transfer and Game Drive Package: $156
- Pilanesberg Shared Transfer and 3 Hour Safari: $146
- Johannesburg Quad Biking & Return Transfer: Haartebeespoort: $145
- Abseiling & Return Transfer Included Lanseria: $145
- Go Karting & Transfer to Lanseria Included: $145
- Private executive transfer to sun city or airport/hotels: $134
- Private Transfer from Johannesburg O.R.Tambo Airport(JNB) to Johannesburg hotels: $123
Is it cheaper to fly into Dar es Salaam or Johannesburg?
Prices for flights to both Johannesburg 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayDar es Salaam $31Johannesburg $33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Johannesburg
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Johannesburg.
- Unique street food tour from at least 6 different cultures!: $78
- Zulu Food Cooking & Dining Experience with a local Chef: $85
- Pan-African Cooking & Dinning Experience: $96
- Johannesburg Culture and Food Tour: $98
- Johannesburg Culture and food tour: $113
- Lesedi Cultural Village Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $125
- Lesedi Cultural Village with lunch or dinner cultural food: $133
- Pan African Cooking Class & Dinning Experience: $137
- Soweto Township Tour With African food tour: $145
- Rooftop Bar, Dinner and Clubbing (Amapiano): $217
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dar es Salaam -Johannesburg $24
Tours and Activities in Dar es Salaam
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dar es Salaam.
- Dar es Salaam City Tour: Experience & Insights Tanzanian culture: $36
- Beach Day Tour with Resort Access: $65
- Private Mbudya Island Retreat Adventure from Dar Es Salaam: $81
- Private Tour to Jozani Forest Reserve Half-Day Guided Tour from Zanzibar: $90
- Dar es Salaam City Tour - Everyday: $97
- Full Day Private Tour in Dar es Salaam City: $104
- Zanzibar Spice Tour: $109
- Stone Town & Spice Tour: $110
- Bagamoyo Tour: $120
- The Best/Top Rated Cultural City Tour in Dar es Salaam: $125
- Dar es Salaam City Tour - Visit all attractive places: $130
- Jozani forest, Salaam Cave & The Rock Restaurant Tour in Zanzibar: $139
Tours and Activities in Johannesburg
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johannesburg are as follows:
- 1-Day Lion & Safari Park Guided Experience from Johannesburg: $211
- 2 Day Kruger Glamping Budget Adventure: $487
- 2-Day Kruger National Park Safari Tour from Johannesburg: $1,010
- 5 Days 4 Nights Safari Tour In Madikwe And Pilanersbeg: $2,402
- 6 Days Johannesburg and Kruger National Park Tour: $1,737
- Aerial cableway Hartebeespoort Halfday tour: $162
- African Food Tasting Tour: $75
- Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria: $209
- Apartheid Museum & Soweto Tour: $133
- Apartheid Museum & Soweto Tour with Hotel Pickup: $85
- Apartheid Museum Tour: $58
- Apartheid Museum Tour from Johannesburg: $98
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDar es Salaam $7.48Johannesburg $5.32
Sample the Local Flavors in Johannesburg
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Johannesburg:
- Wine Tasting Experience in Johannesburg: $9.34
- Wine Tasting: $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg, we can see that Dar es Salaam is more expensive. And not only is Johannesburg much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Johannesburg would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Johannesburg 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 Johannesburg.
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 Johannesburg Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dar es Salaam or Johannesburg?
Dar es Salaam has a larger population, and is about 33% larger than the population of Johannesburg. When comparing the sizes of Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg, 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.