Which place is cheaper, Austin or Johannesburg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Johannesburg or Austin?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Johannesburg and Austin 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: Johannesburg or Austin?
Johannesburg
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa with a population of over 3 million people. Most of the population is made up of South Africa's black residents, who predominately reside in the Soweto area. There are approximately half a million white residents and 300,000 residents of other descent. Half of the population live in the Soweto area as well as the nearby suburbs.
Austin
Located in the Texas Hill Country, Austin is the capital city of the state. It is a relatively small city with a compact downtown area and many sprawling suburbs stretching out along the interstate. Austin prides itself on its eclectic culture and alternative vibe which is epitomized by the city's unofficial slogan "Keep Austin Weird." The University of Texas at Austin is also located downtown. The school's large student population helps give the city a youthful feel with a lively nightlife and no shortage of activities on weekends. The city is also the self proclaimed live music capital of the country. As such, it has many music venues and bars, most of which are clustered around the 6th Street area downtown. There are also many free outdoor concerts, particularly during the summer months.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to South Africa, The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Walking Tours in United States of America, and The Best Tours Under $1000 in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJohannesburg $95Austin $142
The average daily cost (per person) in Johannesburg is $95, while the average daily cost in Austin is $142. 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 Johannesburg and Austin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohannesburg $55Austin $56
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohannesburg $110Austin $112
Compare Hotels in Johannesburg and Austin
Looking for a hotel in Johannesburg or Austin? 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: Johannesburg Hotel Prices and Austin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johannesburg $16Austin $47
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Johannesburg
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Johannesburg:
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Taxi Ride$3.24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johannesburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johannesburg:
- Transfers Between Lanseria Airport And Johannesburg : $42
- 1-3 Passenger Private Arrival & Departure JNB - Airport Transfers: $66
- 1-3 Passenger Private Johannesburg - Airport Transfer: $35
- Airport To Suncity Transfer And Return: $405
- Airport Transfers Johannesburg : $47
- Airport Transfers from Cradle of Humankind Muldesdrift to Jo'burg: $147
- Arrival Private Transfer JNB Airport to Johannesburg, Pretoria or SunCity by Van: $77
- Arrival Private Transfer: Tambo Airport JNB to Johannesburg in Business Car: $61
- Arrival Private Transfer: Tambo Airport JNB to Johannesburg in Luxury Van: $72
- Departure Private Transfer: Johannesburg to Tambo Airport JNB in Business Car: $61
- Departure Private Transfer: Johannesburg to Tambo Airport JNB in Luxury Van: $72
- From Johannesburg Airport: 1-Way Transfer with Pretoria Tour: $109
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Austin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Austin:
- Private Transfer Between Airport and Hotels: $80
- Austin-Bergstrom Airport (AUS) to Austin City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $96
- Austin Airport Group Pickup / Transfer up to 1 hour away.: $150
Is it cheaper to fly into Johannesburg or Austin?
Prices for flights to both Austin and Johannesburg 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 dayJohannesburg $17Austin $35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Johannesburg
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Johannesburg.
- Maboneng Street Art and Street Food Tour: $41
- A Private Traditional Cape Malay Cooking Class, with a MKR Finalist: $95
- JOBURG DINNERS : MABONENG CITY DINNER: $97
- Johannesburg Culture and food tour: $99
- Pan-African Cooking & Dinning Experience: $216
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Austin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Austin.
- Famous Texas BBQ & Food Tour in Austin: $89
- Famous Texas BBQ & Food Tour in Austin: $89
- Austin South Congress Walking Food Tour for Small Groups: $95
- Secret Food Tour: $98
- Austin Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $99
- Secret Food Tour of South Congress: $108
- The Brunch Bus: Food Tour with a Live Band on Board the Bus!: $125
- Private Guided Food Tour of Austin Neighborhoods: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Johannesburg $21Austin $28
Tours and Activities in Johannesburg
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johannesburg are as follows:
- Johannesburg Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus with Optional Soweto Tour: $16
- Jo'burg Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Apartheid Museum & Soweto: $16
- Architectural Walking Tour: $19
- Soweto: Hector Pieterson Memorial, to Orlando Towers Tour: $24
- Braamfontein Street Art Tour: $27
- Maboneng Street Art & Culture Tour: $27
- Soweto: Bike Tour with a Local Tour Guide: $30
- Colours of A Graffiti & Street Art Tour: $30
- (Meet the Artist)Art Gallery & Street Art tour with lunch: $30
- Half-Day Walking Tour in Soweto: $32
- A Day Of Soweto Food & Beer Tour: $32
Typical Entertainment Prices in Austin
Here are a few typical costs in Austin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Austin Duck Tour$31
Tours and Activities in Austin
Here are a few actual costs in Austin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Round Rock by Operation City Quest: $10
- Austin,TX: Murder Mystery Detective Experience: $15
- Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $15
- Austin Trails Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $21
- Downtown Austin Haunted History Tour: $24
- Family-Friendly Ghosts of Austin Tour: $25
- The Ghosts of Austin Walking Tour: $25
- Ha Ha Haunted Austin Walking Ghost Tour: $26
- Private 1 Hour Axe Throwing Experience in Texas: $27
- Haunted Austin Walking History Tour: $28
- City and Hill Country Non-Stop Tour in a Mercedes: $30
- Forest Mindfulness and Embodiment Experience: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohannesburg $4.73Austin $28
Sample the Local Flavors in Johannesburg
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Johannesburg:
- Wine Tasting Experience in Johannesburg: $8.23
- Wine Tasting and Cableway Half Day Tour: $115
- Experience Johannesburg Wine Tour Views and Luxury: $226
Sample the Local Flavors in Austin
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Austin:
- Austin Bar Hunt: Sixth Street Spree: Austin Bar Crawl: $12
- Austin Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $30
- Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $30
- Downtown Austin Live Music Pub Crawl: $35
- Downtown Live Music Pub Crawl: $35
- Austin Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $44
- From Texas Hill Country Brewery & Distillery Shuttle: $65
- Private Austin Brewery Tour by Pedicab with All-Inclusive Beer Flight Option: $70
- 4-Hour Austin Signature Brewery Tour: $100
- The Brew Bus: Austin Brewery Tour with Live Band: $125
- Half-Day Private Texas Hill Country Wine Tour from Austin: $143
- Brewery 5K Fun Run, BBQ, and Texas History Museum in Austin : $175
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johannesburg and Austin, we can see that Austin is more expensive. And not only is Johannesburg much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Johannesburg is in Africa and Austin is in North America, 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 Johannesburg would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Johannesburg 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 Austin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Austin than you might in Johannesburg.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Johannesburg Expensive? and Is Austin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johannesburg or Austin?
Johannesburg has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Austin. When comparing the sizes of Johannesburg and Austin, 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.
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.