Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Helsinki?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Helsinki 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 Helsinki 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: Helsinki or Cape Town?
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital of Finland and dates back to 1550. Helsinki is an international metropolis with a diverse population, but also a small town vibe. The city itself has a population of just over 600,000 but the metropolitan area, including Espoo and Vantaa, has a population of more than 1.3 million. There are many outdoor bars and cafes that take advantage of the warmer summer months. During this time there are long days, and the population floods into the street after a long and cold winter, so visiting during the summer is a fun and lively experience.
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 Budget Tours to Finland, The Best Tours for Seniors to Finland, 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 dayHelsinki €139Cape Town €91
The average daily cost (per person) in Helsinki is €139, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is €91. 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 Helsinki and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHelsinki €73Cape Town €36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHelsinki €146Cape Town €72
Compare Hotels in Helsinki and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Helsinki 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: Helsinki Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Helsinki €22Cape Town €16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Helsinki
Also for Helsinki, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Vantaa Airport(HEL) to Helsinki hotels-RoundTrip Private Transfer: $83
- VIP Transfer Helsinki-Vantaa Airport to city in a Porsche Taycan: $137
- VIP Transfer HELSINKI: $147
- VIP Airport transfers in Helsinki region: $152
- Private transfer from Helsinki Airport with Meet & Greet: $129
- Private Transfer: Helsinki City to Cruise Port in Luxury Van: $93
- Private Transfer: Helsinki Airport HEL to Helsinki in Luxury Van: $104
- Private Transfer: Cruise Port to Helsinki in Business Car: $92
- Private Transfer: Airport HEL to Helsinki in Business Car: $97
- Private Transfer from Helsinki Cruise Terminal to Helsinki hotels: $32
- PRIVATE Helsinki VIP Transfer: $147
- Private City Highlights Tour with Transfer: $743
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: $250
- 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: $18
- Transfer To Safari- Aquila From Cape Town Excluding Entry Fees Full Day: $159
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Simonstown to Cape Town Airport: $26
- 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: $22
- Shark Cage Diving: Full Day Tour Transfer: $97
- Shared Transfers to and from Safari Game Reserve (excluding entrance fees): $85
- Shared Transfer to Cape Agulhas - Where The Two Oceans Meet From Cape Town F/Day: $183
Is it cheaper to fly into Helsinki or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Helsinki 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 dayHelsinki €34Cape Town €39
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Helsinki
For Helsinki, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- FOOD Tour with Rooftop Bar Visit in Helsinki: $107
- FOOD Tour with Roof Top Bar in Helsinki: $108
- Helsinki Food Tour Including Tastings: $164
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.Helsinki €27Cape Town €21
Tours and Activities in Helsinki
For Helsinki, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Helsinki Highlights Tour: the Top Sightseeing Spots: $142
- 2-Hours Private Modern Boat Tour in Helsinki Archipelago: $284
- 3 Hours Helsinki Stopover Tour from Airport: $98
- A Finntastic Walking Tour in Helsinki: $21
- A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Helsinki's Historical Highlights: $7.99
- All-in-One Helsinki Shore Excursion for Cruise Ships: $1,049
- CITY Tour with Food Tasting in Helsinki: $107
- CITY Tour with Food Tasting in Helsinki: $163
- City Sightseeing Helsinki Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $37
- Cozy Guided City Tour: Helsinki & Porvoo: $97
- E-Bike rental / Self-Guided tour to Seurasaari: $52
- First Time in Helsinki Tour: $334
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
- Cape Agulhas Full Day Private Tour: $192
- Cape Point Full Day Tour: $192
- Cape Point Private Tour withTable Mountain and Penguin Colony : $257
- 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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHelsinki €16Cape Town €19
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 Helsinki and Cape Town, we can see that Helsinki is more expensive. And not only is Cape Town much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Helsinki is in Europe 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 Helsinki would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Helsinki 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 Helsinki Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Helsinki or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Helsinki. When comparing the sizes of Helsinki 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 Helsinki or Cape Town?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Cape Town is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Helsinki has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Helsinki or Cape Town in the Summer?
Both Cape Town and Helsinki are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Helsinki for the family-friendly experiences.
Helsinki is cooler than Cape Town in the summer. The daily temperature in Helsinki averages around 17°C (62°F) in July, and Cape Town fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in January.
It's quite sunny in Cape Town. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Helsinki. Helsinki usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during summer. Helsinki gets 275 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Helsinki usually receives more rain than Cape Townin January. Helsinki gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryHelsinki 17°C (62°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Helsinki or Cape Town in the Autumn?
Both Cape Town and Helsinki during the autumn are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Helsinki in the autumn for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Helsinki is much colder than Cape Town. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Helsinki in October average around 6°C (42°F), and Cape Town averages at about 18°C (64°F)in April.
In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, Helsinki often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin April. Helsinki gets 90 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun.
Helsinki usually gets more rain in October than Cape Townin April. Helsinki gets 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilHelsinki 6°C (42°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Helsinki or Cape Town in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Helsinki and Cape Town. Most visitors come to Helsinki for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.
Helsinki can be very cold during winter. In January, Helsinki is generally much colder than Cape Townin July. Daily temperatures in Helsinki average around -6°C (21°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
Helsinki usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during winter. Helsinki gets 39 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Helsinki usually receives less rain than Cape Townin July. Helsinki gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyHelsinki -6°C (21°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Helsinki or Cape Town in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Helsinki as well as Cape Town. The spring months attract visitors to Helsinki because of the natural beauty.
The weather in Helsinki can be very cold. Helsinki is much colder than Cape Town in the spring. The daily temperature in Helsinki averages around 3°C (37°F) in April, and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F)in October.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. In the spring, Helsinki often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin October. Helsinki gets 183 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun.
Helsinki usually gets more rain in April than Cape Townin October. Helsinki gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberHelsinki 3°C (37°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Helsinki
| Helsinki | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -6°C (21°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | -7°C (20°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | -3°C (27°F) | 34 mm (1.4 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 3°C (37°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 9°C (49°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 15°C (59°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 17°C (62°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 16°C (60°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 11°C (51°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 6°C (42°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 1°C (33°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | -4°C (26°F) | 58 mm (2.3 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.