Which place is cheaper, Hermanus or Durban?
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 Durban or Hermanus?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Durban and Hermanus. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Durban or Hermanus?
Durban
The third largest city in South Africa, Durban sits on the east coast of the country in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The city also has the country's most active port. The city's comfortable weather and vast beaches make it one of the country's major tourist centers. There's a population of about 3.5 million in the entire metropolitan area that spreads over 2,295 square kilometers.
Hermanus
Hermanus is located on the southern coast of the Western Cape region of South Africa, situated right on the Atlantic Ocean. The area is famous for being the summer home to the Southern Right Whales who migrate there from the Antarctic every September. Hermanus offers incredible natural scenery and great opportunities for adventure seekers. The best time to visit is during their winter and spring, which runs from April through October. This is the driest time of year, meaning wildlife is easier to spot and the heat is much more bearable!
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Overlanding Trips in South Africa, The Best Adventure Tours to South Africa, The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa.
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Durban Prices
South Africa PricesHermanus Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDurban $64Hermanus $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Durban is $64, while the average daily cost in Hermanus 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 Durban and Hermanus in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDurban $25Hermanus $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDurban $50Hermanus $50
Compare Hotels in Durban and Hermanus
Looking for a hotel in Durban or Hermanus? 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: Durban Hotel Prices and Hermanus Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Durban $13Hermanus $8.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Durban
Also for Durban, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Durban airport to Durban city transfer: $39
- Private Transfers - Minibus - Durban Arrivals and Departures: $44
- 1-3 Passenger Private Durban - Airport Transfer: $46
- Durban Cruise Ship Transfers : $47
- Private Sedan Transfers - Durban King Shaka: $47
- Durban Airport (DUR) to Durban - Arrival Private Transfer: $53
- Departure Private Transfer Durban to Durban Airport DUR by Sedan: $81
- Durban King Airport (DUR) to Durban - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $107
- Private transfers from King Shaka Airport: $108
Is it cheaper to fly into Durban or Hermanus?
Prices for flights to both Hermanus and Durban 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 dayDurban $28Hermanus $67
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Durban $16Hermanus -
Tours and Activities in Durban
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Durban.
- 30-Minute Harbor Boat Cruise: $5.89
- Durban Point Waterfront: Luxury Canal Boat Cruise: $8.29
- Luxury Canal Boat Cruise - Fun Things Durban Ushaka: $8.51
- 1-Hour Boat Cruise from Wilson's Wharf: $8.56
- Pontoon Boat Harbor Cruise: $10
- Luxury Harbour Ocean Boat Cruise: $11
- Magical Gondola Night Boat Cruise in Durban: $11
- Durban Half-Day City Tour - Golden Mile, Botanical Gardens: $49
- Local Markets and Culture Guided Walking Tour: $59
- Culture Walking Tour of Durban: $60
- Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Tour: $78
- From Full Day Annual Royal Reed Dance Tour: $80
Tours and Activities in Hermanus
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hermanus are as follows:
- Cape Town: Hermanus Land Based Whale Watching Tour: $139
- Half-Day Private Tour to Cape Peninsula with Local Guide: $290
- Hermanus Food and Culture Tour: $118
- Hermanus Land based Whale Tour with Dave de Beer: $77
- Boat Based Whale Watching Experience: $82
- Morning Fatbike Dune Tour: $69
- Shark Cage Diving - Adventure Meets Conservation!: $137
- Sunset Fatbike Dune Experience : $69
- Whale Watching Walking Tours (Land-Based) - from JUNE 2025: $55
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDurban $13Hermanus -
Sample the Local Flavors in Hermanus
Also in Hermanus, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Vineyard Safari and Wine Tasting in Hermanus with Guide : $25
- Whale Watching Boat Trip and Wine tasting ,Penguin: $124
- Hemel-en-Aarde Wine Tour: $129
- Private Family Vineyard Safari and Wine Tasting: $149
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Durban and Hermanus, we can see that Hermanus is more expensive. And not only is Durban much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Durban would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Durban 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 Hermanus would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hermanus than you might in Durban.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Durban Expensive? and Is Hermanus Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Durban or Hermanus?
Durban has a larger population, and is about 120 times larger than the population of Hermanus. When comparing the sizes of Durban and Hermanus, 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 Durban or Hermanus?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.
Should I visit Durban or Hermanus in the Summer?
Both Hermanus and Durban during the summer are popular places to visit.
Durban is a little warmer than Hermanus in the summer. The daily temperature in Durban averages around 25°C (76°F) in January, and Hermanus fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
In Hermanus, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Durban often gets less sunshine than Hermanus. Durban gets 184 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Hermanus receives 338 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Durban. Durban usually gets more rain in January than Hermanus. Durban gets 134 mm (5.3 in) of rain, while Hermanus receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JanuaryDurban 25°C (76°F)Hermanus 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Durban or Hermanus in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Durban and Hermanus.
In the autumn, Durban is a little warmer than Hermanus. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Durban in April average around 22°C (71°F), and Hermanus averages at about 18°C (64°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Hermanus this time of the year. In Durban, it's very sunny this time of the year. Durban usually receives less sunshine than Hermanus during autumn. Durban gets 206 hours of sunny skies, while Hermanus receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In April, Durban usually receives more rain than Hermanus. Durban gets 73 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Hermanus receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures AprilDurban 22°C (71°F)Hermanus 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Durban or Hermanus in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Durban as well as Hermanus.
In July, Durban is generally a little warmer than Hermanus. Daily temperatures in Durban average around 17°C (62°F), and Hermanus fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Durban this time of the year. In the winter, Durban often gets more sunshine than Hermanus. Durban gets 230 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Hermanus receives 193 hours of full sun.
Durban usually gets less rain in July than Hermanus. Durban gets 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Hermanus receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JulyDurban 17°C (62°F)Hermanus 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Durban or Hermanus in the Spring?
Both Hermanus and Durban are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
Durban is a little warmer than Hermanus in the spring. The daily temperature in Durban averages around 21°C (69°F) in October, and Hermanus fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).
It's quite sunny in Hermanus. Durban usually receives less sunshine than Hermanus during spring. Durban gets 169 hours of sunny skies, while Hermanus receives 278 hours of full sun in the spring.
In October, Durban usually receives more rain than Hermanus. Durban gets 98 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Hermanus receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures OctoberDurban 21°C (69°F)Hermanus 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Hermanus and Durban
| Durban | Hermanus | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (76°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 25°C (76°F) | 113 mm (4.4 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 24°C (75°F) | 126 mm (5 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 22°C (71°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 19°C (67°F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 17°C (62°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 17°C (62°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 18°C (64°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 19°C (67°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 21°C (69°F) | 98 mm (3.9 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 22°C (71°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 24°C (74°F) | 102 mm (4 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.