Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Dubai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Dubai or Cape Town?
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 Dubai and Cape Town can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dubai or Cape Town?
Dubai
Ever wonder what it would be like to see the lifestyles of the rich and famous up close. There's no more upscale destination than Dubai. It's by far and away the spot for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining and the most luxurious of luxury. As the most modern and progressive of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates, this area has experienced an unbelievable economic boom and tourism spike. It's a desert city with an amazing infrastructure.
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 3-Day Tours from Dubai, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United Arab Emirates, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDubai $248Cape Town $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubai is $248, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $98. 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 Dubai and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubai $170Cape Town $39
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubai $340Cape Town $78
Compare Hotels in Dubai and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Dubai 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: Dubai Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dubai $13Cape Town $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubai:
-
Taxi Ride$12
-
Airport Taxi$12
-
Sea Taxi$0.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubai
Also for Dubai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Yellow Boat Tour Dubai with Private Transfers: $95
- Yellow Boat Tour Dubai With Private Transfers: $102
- Yellow Boat Ride in Dubai with Private Transfers: $110
- Xline Dubai Marina Zipline Experience With Transfers Option: $243
- Xline Dubai Marina Zipline Experience Dubai with Transfers Option: $247
- Wild Wadi tickets with Transfers: $100
- Wild Wadi Waterpark tickets with Private transfer: $154
- Wild Wadi Waterpark Entrance Ticket -Dubai with Transfers Option: $99
- Wild Wadi Waterpark Dubai Ticket With Private Transfer: $125
- Wild Wadi WaterPark Ticket with Optional Transfers and Meal: $78
- Wild Wadi Water Park Ticket with Transfer from Dubai: $131
- Wild Wadi Dubai water park Ticket with 1 way transfer in Dubai: $110
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From 3-Day Safari and Coastal Tour with Transfer: $508
- From Group Transfer Only to Aquilla Game Reserve: $459
- Big 5 Aquila Safari Private Transfer with Park Fee From Cape Town: $300
- Jeep Dune Adventure Tour, Sandboarding & Transfer: $279
- Shark Cage Diving & Penguins Tour to Gansbaai with private transfers: $274
- Cape Town Morning or Afternoon Safari including private transfer: $254
- Aquila Safari Game Drive, Lunch & Shared Transfers from Cape Town: $252
- Whale Watching In Hermanus with Private Transfer: $250
- Pvt Airport to Hout Bay Transfer: $243
- Full Day Private Chauffeur and Transfer Services in Cape Town: $240
- 1 Day Helderberg Valley Winelands Tour with Private Transfers: $232
- Hermanus Wine Tour (Full Day Including Cape Town Transfers): $230
Is it cheaper to fly into Dubai or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Dubai 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
-
Food Meals for one dayDubai $56Cape Town $42
Typical Food Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubai:
-
French bread$0.95
-
Sumo salad in Dubai Mall + Juice$10
-
Lemon Mint Tea$4.36
-
Coffee & Cake$6.53
-
Smoothie$5.45
-
Shawarma$1.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Premium Dinner Cruise Al-Seef: $12
- Dhow Cruise Dinner Dubai Creek with Buffet Dinner: $14
- Dhow Dinner Cruise with International Buffet in Dubai: $14
- Dubai:Desert Safari BBQ dinner, Dune bashing,Camel&Sandboarding: $14
- Scenic Dhow Cruise with Buffet Dinner and Live Shows: $14
- Romantic Sightseeing Dhow Cruise Dinner: $15
- 2-Hour Evening Dhow Cruise and Dinner: $15
- Romantic Dhow Cruise Dinner in Dubai Creek: $17
- Dubai Creek Dhow Cruise Dinner: $18
- Desert Safari with Dinner and Live Show: $18
- Dhow Dinner Cruise with International Buffet: $18
- Romantic Dhow Cruise Dinner: $19
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:
- Dinner At Mandela's - Cultural Township Dinner Experience: $28
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $41
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $43
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $55
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $56
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $59
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $61
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $61
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $62
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $71
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $76
- Private Cooking Class and Meal in Local Wynberg Cape Town Home: $80
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubai $19Cape Town $23
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Visit to the Dubai Museum$0.82
Tours and Activities in Dubai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubai.
- 60 Minutes Dubai Yellow Boat Marina Tour: $78
- Abu Dhabi City Tour Including Ferrari World Ticket : $170
- Bur Dubai Abra Tour and Boat Ride with Museum of Illusions : $135
- Burj Khalifa Observation deck Dubai Admission Ticket : $71
- Classical Dubai Highlights City Tour : $44
- DXB Tour and Aquaventure water park & lost Chambers PRIVATE tour: $215
- Dubai (Marina Luxury Yacht) Tour with BF : $95
- Dubai (Marina Luxury Yacht) Tour with Breakfast: $105
- Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo Explorer Tickets: $95
- Dubai City Tour : Half Day: $45
- Dubai City Tour(Full Day) with Burj Khalifa Ticket 'At the Top' : $225
- Dubai Frame Entry Ticket: $22
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: $137
- Bespoke Tour : Cape Point , Table Mountain & Penguin Colony : $257
- Cape Agulhas Full Day Private Tour: $192
- Cape Point Full Day Tour: $192
- Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope day tour Up to 10 persons: $66
- Cape Town - Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens and City Tour: $280
- Cape Town Woodstock Street Art Walking Tour: $30
- CapeWinelands Private Tour to Stellenbosch,Franschhoek and Paarl: $96
- Day Tour in Robben Island, Bo-Kaap and Table Mountain : $166
- Long Walk to Freedom in Robben Island including Ticket & Afrogem: $156
- Mandela's Robben Island Museum Bo-Kaap Cape Town City Tour + Ferry ticket f/d: $165
- Penguins Private Tour- Cape of Good Hope & Cape Point Tour from Cape Town: $114
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubai $23Cape Town $21
Typical Alcohol Prices in Dubai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Dubai:
-
A Couple Drinks$25
Sample the Local Flavors in Dubai
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dubai:
- Pub Crawl Nightlife Tours: $66
- Pub Crawl Nightlife Tour: $67
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: $7.13
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.60
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $24
- Drumstruck at Silvermist. Live African Drum Show & Wine tasting: $25
- Sip 15 Wines on a 3-Region Wine Tour with Cheese: $38
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $38
- Three Region Wine Tour: $44
- Cape Winelands and Wine Tasting Full Day Tour: $47
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $49
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $51
- Fullday Wine Tour: $51
- Stellenbosch Wine Tour half day from Cape Town: $54
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dubai and Cape Town, we can see that Dubai is more expensive. And not only is Cape Town much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dubai is in Middle East and Cape Town is in Africa, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Dubai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dubai 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 Dubai Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dubai or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Dubai. When comparing the sizes of Dubai 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.
When is the best time to visit Dubai or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Dubai experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Dubai or Cape Town in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Dubai and Cape Town. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Dubai year-round.
Dubai can become quite hot in the summer. In July, Dubai is generally much warmer than Cape Townin January. Daily temperatures in Dubai average around 35°C (95°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
In July, Dubai usually receives less rain than Cape Townin January. Dubai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the summer. June to August in Dubai is the dry season.
-
Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryDubai 35°C (95°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Dubai or Cape Town in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Dubai as well as Cape Town. Dubai attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Dubai is much warmer than Cape Town in the autumn. The daily temperature in Dubai averages around 29°C (84°F) in October, and Cape Town fluctuates around 18°C (64°F)in April.
Dubai usually gets less rain in October than Cape Townin April. Dubai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilDubai 29°C (84°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Dubai or Cape Town in the Winter?
Both Cape Town and Dubai are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Dubai throughout the year.
In the winter, Dubai is much warmer than Cape Town. Typically, the winter temperatures in Dubai in January average around 19°C (66°F), and Cape Town averages at about 13°C (55°F)in July.
In January, Dubai usually receives less rain than Cape Townin July. Dubai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain each month for the winter. The rainy season in Dubai is January to March.
-
Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyDubai 19°C (66°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Dubai or Cape Town in the Spring?
Both Cape Town and Dubai during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Dubai because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In April, Dubai is generally much warmer than Cape Townin October. Daily temperatures in Dubai average around 26°C (79°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).
Dubai usually gets less rain in April than Cape Townin October. Dubai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year. June to August is the dry season in Dubai.
-
Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberDubai 26°C (79°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Dubai
| Dubai | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 19°C (66°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 23°C (73°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 31°C (88°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 33°C (91°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 35°C (95°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 36°C (97°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 33°C (91°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 29°C (84°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 25°C (77°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 21°C (70°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) |
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.