Which place is cheaper, Pretoria 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 Pretoria?
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 Pretoria can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dar es Salaam or Pretoria?
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.
Pretoria
Located in Gauteng Province, Pretoria is the administrative capital city of South Africa, making it home to many government buildings and three universities. It is actually one of three capital cities, being home to the executive branch, with Cape Town as the legislative capital and Bloemfontein as the judicial capital. Within South Africa, Pretoria is also known as the "Jacaranda City" due to the thousands of jacaranda trees lining its streets, parks, and gardens.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa.
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Dar es Salaam Prices
Tanzania PricesPretoria Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDar es Salaam $462Pretoria $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Dar es Salaam is $462, while the average daily cost in Pretoria is $62. 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 Pretoria in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDar es Salaam $424Pretoria $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDar es Salaam $848Pretoria $52
Compare Hotels in Dar es Salaam and Pretoria
Looking for a hotel in Dar es Salaam or Pretoria? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dar es Salaam $13Pretoria $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dar es Salaam
Also for Dar es Salaam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer/Airport pick up and drop off: $192
- Transfer from dar es salaam to morogoro: $203
- Private Transfer from Dar es Salaam to Dar es Salaam Airport by luxury car: $167
- Private Transfer from Dar es Salaam Airport DAR to Dar es Salaam by Luxury Car: $167
- Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with Transfers.: $120
- Daressalaam: Airport & Hotel Transfers: $79
- Dar es salaam-Morogoro-Dar es salaam transfer with comfortable car: $192
- Dar es salaam-Morogoro-Dar es salaam transfer by luxury car.: $200
- 1 Day Mikumi Safari (SGR VIP Train Transfer): $380
- 1 Day Mikumi Safari (SGR VIP Train Transfer): $356
- 1 Day Mikumi Safari (SGR VIP Train Transfer): $400
- Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar: Airport Transfer to the Hotel: $70
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sun City & Pilanesberg Transfers: $250
- Pretoria to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport (JNB) - Departure Private Transfer: $161
- One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $91
- Airport transfers,door to door shuttle: $48
- Airport transfers, door to door .private transfers: $39
- Private Transfer from JHB Airport to Hotels and Around Sandton: $37
- Private Airport Transfers to Sandton & Joburg CBD: $28
Is it cheaper to fly into Dar es Salaam or Pretoria?
Prices for flights to both Pretoria 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 $31Pretoria $26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dar es Salaam
For Dar es Salaam, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Taste of Tanzania Cooking Class and Food Tour: $20
- Tanzania: traditional Swahili cooking class: $45
- Private Swahili Cooking Class: $115
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Feisty Food Tour : $77
- Lesedi Cultural Experience + Lunch or Dinner: $108
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dar es Salaam -Pretoria $15
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 (Full Day With Private Guide And Car): $155
- Dar Es Salaam city tour with private car: $180
- ½-Day Dar City Cycling Tour: $150
- 1 Night Mikumi Adventure safari From Dar es Salaam: $390
- 1-Day experience safari to Mikumi from Dar-es-Salaam by car: $320
- 2 Days 1 Night Amazing Maasai Tour & Mikumi National Park: $400
- 2 Days Saadani National park tour Package for 2024 and 2025: $715
- 2-Days 1-Night safari adventure from Dar-es-Salaam to Mikumi: $380
- 2-Days adventure to Mikumi by luxury train from Dar-es-Salam: $380
- 2-Days safari adventure to Mikumi N. Park from Dar-es-Salaam: $380
- 3 Days 2 nights safari Mikumi adventure: $550
- 3 Days Camping Experience Safari: mikumi national Park: $449
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cullinan diamond Mine Day Tour (surface tour): $88
- Horse Riding and Quad Biking Experience: $165
- Pretoria City Tour and Cullinan Mine Tour from Johannesburg : $194
- Pretoria Tour - Voortrekker Monument, Union Buildings, Pretoria : $74
- Soweto and Apartheid Museum Day Tour private from Johannesburg Private: $97
- 2 Hours Bicycle Tour in Soweto(Johannesburg): $94
- 5 Hour Lesedi Cultural Village Tour: $107
- Adventure Day Trip to Sun City from Johannesburg: $142
- Apartheid History of South Africa (Full day Experience with lunch: $105
- Apartheid Museum Guided Tour : $57
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg from Pretoria, every FRIDAY afternoon: $53
- Apartheid Museum and Soweto Tour in Johannesburg : $84
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDar es Salaam $7.48Pretoria $32
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dar es Salaam and Pretoria, we can see that Dar es Salaam is more expensive. And not only is Pretoria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Pretoria would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pretoria 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 Pretoria.
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 Pretoria Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dar es Salaam or Pretoria?
Dar es Salaam has a larger population, and is about 67% larger than the population of Pretoria. When comparing the sizes of Dar es Salaam and Pretoria, 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.