Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Drakensberg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDrakensberg $90Cape Town $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Drakensberg is $90, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $96. 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 $37Cape Town $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDrakensberg $74Cape Town $76
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 $68Cape Town $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Whale Watching In Hermanus with Private Transfer: $242
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cape Town HTL-APT(CPT): $44
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cape Town APT-HTL(CPT): $44
- Transport Shuttle Transfer from Constantia to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Transfer To Safari- Aquila From Cape Town Excluding Entry Fees Full Day: $156
- Township Tour by Lwafika Tours and Transfers in Cape Town: $32
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Simonstown to Cape Town Airport: $25
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Claremont to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Cape Town City Center (CBD) to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Shopping Mall Transfers: $21
- Shark Diving Full Day Guided Return Transfer to Gansbaai from Cape Town: $140
- Shark Cage Diving: Full Day Tour Transfer: $84
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 $16Cape Town $41
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:
- Cape Malay Cooking with a Chef Founder: $27
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $39
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $41
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $54
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $54
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $57
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $58
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $60
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $60
- From CapeTown: African Dinner and Drumming Experience: $60
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $68
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $73
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Drakensberg $8.58Cape Town $23
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3 Wineries Private Tour in Stellenbosch, Paarl Tasting Included: $114
- Cape Agulhas Full Day Private Tour: $187
- Cape Point Private Tour withTable Mountain and Penguin Colony : $249
- Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope day tour Up to 10 persons: $65
- Day Tour in Robben Island, Bo-Kaap and Table Mountain : $161
- Long Walk to Freedom in Robben Island including Ticket & Afrogem: $152
- Mandela's Robben Island Museum Bo-Kaap Cape Town City Tour + Ferry ticket f/d: $162
- Penguins Private Tour- Cape of Good Hope & Cape Point Tour from Cape Town: $111
- Private Cape Peninsula Tour : $111
- Private Tour Cape of Good Hope with Penguins : $109
- Private Tour to Robben Island and Cape Point in Cape Town: $119
- South African Traditional Braai (BBQ) Experience & Winetasting : $135
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDrakensberg $3.72Cape Town $20
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:
- Distillery Tour, rum and gin tasting: $6.96
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.43
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $19
- Drumstruck at Silvermist. Live African Drum Show & Wine tasting: $24
- Wine Tasting & Storytelling with SA Tapas add-on: $28
- Wine tasting tour : $36
- From 3 Regions Wine Tour with 3 Estates, 15 Wines: $37
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $37
- Cape Winelands and Wine Tasting Full Day Tour: $45
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $47
- Fullday Wine Tour: $49
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $50
When comparing the travel costs between Drakensberg and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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.