Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Drakensberg?
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 Drakensberg or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Drakensberg or Cape Town? 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: Drakensberg or Cape Town?
Drakensberg
Drakensberg, whose name derives from the Dutch and means "mountains of the dragons," is a mountainous region which encompasses a vast amount of South Africa's interior, extending into neighboring countries as well. It hugs the eastern border of Lesotho, attracting visitors for hiking, backpacking, and admiring the natural wonders of the landscape.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cape Town, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cape Town, The Best 2-Week Tours from Johannesburg, and The Best Wildlife Tours to South Africa.
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Drakensberg Prices
South Africa PricesCape Town Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDrakensberg $116Cape Town $189
The average daily cost (per person) in Drakensberg is $116, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $189. 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 Drakensberg and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDrakensberg $43Cape Town $88
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDrakensberg $86Cape Town $176
Compare Hotels in Drakensberg and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Drakensberg 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.Drakensberg $78Cape Town $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Van for 1-7 Passenger Cape Town - Airport Transfer: $50
- Unguided Hermanus Wine Tour (Full Day Incl Cape Town Transfers): $174
- Transfer from Cape Town International Airport to Cape Town Areas: $22
- Township Tour by Lwafika Tours and Transfers in Cape Town: $75
- Table Mountain Tour with Round Trip Transfers: $61
- Table Mountain Tour with Cable Car Tickets and Transfers: $125
- Table Mountain Tour Tickets and Transfers: $99
- Table Mountain Half-Day Tour – Cable Car Ticket & Transfers: $96
- Table Mountain Guided with Cable Car Tickets & Hotel Transfers: $116
- Table Mountain Cable Car Tour with Tickets & Hotel Transfers: $78
- Shopping Mall Transfers-Hassle-Free Ride: $38
- Shark Diving Full Day Guided Return Transfer to Gansbaai from Cape Town: $181
Is it cheaper to fly into Drakensberg or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Drakensberg 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 dayDrakensberg $32Cape Town $81
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:
- African Cooking with a Chef Founder: $32
- From African Dinner and Drumming Experience: $62
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $63
- Cape Town Dinner Experience with local family: $67
- 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: $85
- Cape Town African Taste-Safari & Live Entertainment Dinner Experience: $94
- Cape Town Historic Centre Food Tour with 15 Local Dishes and Wine: $97
- Private Cape Malay Cooking Class in Lorette’s Cape Town Home: $100
- Cape town Dinner Restaurant African Food With Live Music: $108
- Cape Malay/Creole Cooking Class and Local Shopping in Salt River: $112
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Drakensberg $9.81Cape Town $26
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- #1 Boulders Penguins & Cape Point Full Day Tour From Cape Town: $39
- ( Cape town ) Private Winelands Tasting Full Day Tour: $255
- 1 Hour Coastal Catamaran Cruise from Cape Town: $26
- 1 Hour Small Group Quad Bike Adventure in Cape Town: $42
- 1-Hour Table Mountain Abseiling Experience: $68
- 10 Day South Africa Tour Johannesburg to Cape Town: $2,657
- 10 Day Ultra Budget South Africa Tour: $1,809
- 100 % Catch Rate Cape Town Wild Tours: $81
- 12 Day South Africa Tour Johannesburg to Cape Town: $2,854
- 2 Day Cape Escape: Whale Coast, Penguins & Zipline Adventure: $288
- 2 hours sandboarding experience in Capetown: $25
- 2-Day Cape Town Big 6 Pre-Booked Attraction Tickets: $202
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDrakensberg $4.25Cape 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 Wine Tour: 3 Wineries — Babylonstoren, Fairview & Spier: $48
- Wine Tour at Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl: $48
- 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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Drakensberg and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Drakensberg much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Drakensberg would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Drakensberg 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 Drakensberg.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Drakensberg Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
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.