Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Hanoi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Hanoi or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Hanoi and Cape Town can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Hanoi or Cape Town?
Hanoi
Hanoi is the chaotic capital of Vietnam, and it serves as a great introduction to the country for many travelers. It's the second largest city in the country after Saigon and is an interesting combination of East meets West. There's traditional Vietnamese culture with subtle influences brought by the French. The city continues to grow and change rapidly and it's easy to get lost amidst the chaos.
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 Adventure Tours to Vietnam, The Best Eco Tours in Vietnam, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHanoi $48Cape Town $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Hanoi is $48, 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 Hanoi and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHanoi $25Cape Town $39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHanoi $50Cape Town $78
Compare Hotels in Hanoi and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Hanoi 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: Hanoi Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hanoi $6.79Cape Town $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hanoi
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Hanoi:
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Taxi to Bus Station$1.18
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Shuttle Bus From Airport (for Two)$3.15
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Local Bus Ride (for Two)$0.39
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Short Taxi Ride$1.34
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Short Motorbike Ride (10 Minutes)$0.79
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hanoi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hanoi:
- Wonderbay Luxury 1 Day Cruise from Hanoi with Expressway Transfer: $75
- Wonder Bay Cruise 1 Day Trip Transfer from Hanoi by Expressway: $80
- VIP LUXURY Sapa 2D1N -TRANSFER BY LUX LIMOUSINE CAR (Stay at 5* hotel): $189
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Ha Noi HTL-APT (HAN): $14
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Ha Noi APT-HTL (HAN): $14
- Transfer between Hanoi and Sapa : $14
- Transfer Hanoi to Halong Super Limousine Morning Bus: $33
- The Best Sapa Tour 2D1N Stay At 3* Hotel -Transfer by Sleep BUS : $159
- The Best Sapa Tour 2D1N At 3 Star Hotel by sleeping BUS TRANSFER : $129
- The Best 2D1N HALONG BAY- All Inclusive,Overnight on Boat By Expressway Transfer: $125
- Symphony Cruise- Luxury Day Trip From Hanoi With Express Transfer: $105
- Small Group Hoa Lu Tam Coc Day Tour with Limousine Transfer : $45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer to Camps Bay Cape Town: $18
- Airport transfers: $22
- 1 Day Durbanville Valley Wine Tasting Tour with Private Transfers: $178
- 1 Day Explore Cape Town Like a Local with Private Guided Transfer: $149
- 1 Day Helderberg Valley Winelands Tour with Private Transfers: $232
- 1 Day Hemel en Aarde Whale Coast Wine Tour with Private Transfers: $205
- 1 Day Tastes of Stellenbosch Wine Tour with Private Transfers: $220
- 1 Day West Coast Wonders Tour with Private Transfers: $177
- 1 Day Wine Lover Wander Connoisseur Tour with Private Transfers: $180
- 1-3 Passenger Private Arrival & Departure Cape Town - Airport Transfers: $54
- 1.Cape Town Airport Transfer (&Private tour trips during yo Stay): $17
- AIRPORT Transfer to and from Cape Town City: $27
Is it cheaper to fly into Hanoi or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Hanoi 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 dayHanoi $13Cape Town $42
Typical Food Prices in Hanoi
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Hanoi:
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High End Dinner (for Two)$11
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$4.33
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Bowl of Pho$0.79
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Italian Dinner (for Food)$6.10
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hanoi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hanoi.
- Private Traditional Vietnamese Food Cooking Class in Hanoi : $5.00
- Hanoi free food tour - Old Quarter food walking tour: $5.00
- Street Food Tour (Group/Individual): $5.11
- (Group/Individual) HANOI STREET FOOD TOUR : $5.13
- Hanoi Street Food Tour Visit Train Street Add Old Quarter: $19
- Hanoi Walking Street Food Tour: $20
- Street Food Tour By Walking: $21
- Walking Street Food Tour Small Group with Local Guide: $22
- Hanoi Street Food Tour: $22
- Hanoi street food tour small group tour: $22
- Hanoi Street Food Tour: $23
- Mad Monkey Hoi An Cooking Class & Bamboo Boats: $23
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hanoi $8.38Cape Town $23
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hanoi
Here are a few typical costs in Hanoi for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Puppet Theater$1.57
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The Hanoi Hilton Entrance$1.57
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National History Museum$1.57
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Puppet Theater Ticket$2.75
Tours and Activities in Hanoi
Here are a few actual costs in Hanoi for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Luxury Arcady Cruise Tour from Hanoi by Express Limousine: $75
- 2 Day Golden Bay Cruise Explore Halong Bay from Hanoi: $220
- 2 Day Oasis Bay Cruise Explore Halong Bay from Hanoi: $228
- 2 Day Private Guided Tour in Pu Luong Nature Hanoi: $169
- 4 Days 3 Nights Ha Giang Loop Tour from Hanoi by Sleeper Bus: $235
- 4 Hours and 30 Minutes Historical Hanoi Army Jeep Tour: $58
- 5 Days Motorbike Tour in Ha Giang Loop From Hanoi: $265
- Beautiful Female Riders Vespa Red River Countryside Tour 5 Hours: $65
- Explore Hoa Lu, Tam Coc and Ninh Binh in a Day Tour from Hanoi: $85
- From Halong Bay by Scenic Seaplane and Luxury Day Cruise: $230
- Full Day Tour To Trang An Complex & Bai Dinh Temple: $97
- Full Day Tour in Hanoi City: $35
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $2.99
- District Six Museum Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket: $3.24
- Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $3.60
- Kirstenbosch: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.99
- Cape Town 30-minute V&A Harbour Cruise: $4.15
- Hop-On Hop-Off Cape Town Canal Cruise: $4.15
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Down): $4.35
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Up): $4.35
- Meandering through Mouille Point: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.99
- V&A Waterfront: Seal & Harbour Cruise: $5.00
- Sea Point Promenade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: Amble along the amazing False Bay Coast on an audio tour: $5.20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHanoi $7.58Cape Town $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Hanoi
Also in Hanoi, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Hanoi Beer and Brewery Tour: $48
- Half-Day Guided Tour Australian Beef with Wine Tasting & Rickshaw in Hanoi: $106
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 Hanoi and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Hanoi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Hanoi is in Asia 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 Hanoi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hanoi 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 Hanoi.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hanoi Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hanoi or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Hanoi. When comparing the sizes of Hanoi 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 Hanoi or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Hanoi experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Hanoi or Cape Town in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Hanoi as well as Cape Town. Hanoi attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Hanoi is a little warmer than Cape Town in the summer. The daily temperature in Hanoi averages around 29°C (84°F) in July, and Cape Town fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in January.
Hanoi receives a lot of rain in the summer. Hanoi usually gets more rain in July than Cape Townin January. Hanoi gets 210 mm (8.3 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year. May to September in Hanoi is the rainy season.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryHanoi 29°C (84°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Hanoi or Cape Town in the Autumn?
Both Cape Town and Hanoi are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Hanoi throughout the year.
In the autumn, Hanoi is a little warmer than Cape Town. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Hanoi in October average around 25°C (77°F), and Cape Town averages at about 18°C (64°F)in April.
It's quite rainy in Hanoi. In October, Hanoi usually receives more rain than Cape Townin April. Hanoi gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn. The dry season in Hanoi is November to April.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilHanoi 25°C (77°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Hanoi or Cape Town in the Winter?
Both Cape Town and Hanoi during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Hanoi because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In January, Hanoi is generally a little warmer than Cape Townin July. Daily temperatures in Hanoi average around 17°C (63°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
Hanoi usually gets less rain in January than Cape Townin July. Hanoi gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyHanoi 17°C (63°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Hanoi or Cape Town in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Hanoi and Cape Town. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Hanoi year-round.
Hanoi is a little warmer than Cape Town in the spring. The daily temperature in Hanoi averages around 24°C (75°F) in April, and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F)in October.
Hanoi gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Hanoi usually receives more rain than Cape Townin October. Hanoi gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the spring. November to April in Hanoi is the dry season. Also, May to September is the rainy season in Hanoi.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberHanoi 24°C (75°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Hanoi
| Hanoi | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 17°C (63°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 21°C (70°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 24°C (75°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 29°C (84°F) | 190 mm (7.5 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 29°C (84°F) | 210 mm (8.3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (84°F) | 200 mm (7.9 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 22°C (72°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 18°C (64°F) | 30 mm (1.2 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.