Which place is cheaper, Dublin or Johannesburg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Johannesburg or Dublin?
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 Dublin 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 Dublin?
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.
Dublin
Dublin is the vibrant and fun capital city of Ireland and home to over a third of the country's population. There are almost 2 million people in the metropolitan area. It's also the most common entry point into the country for visitors. Once you arrive, its a good idea to head over to the main tourist office in St. Andrew's Church off Grafton Street. They can give you maps and information to make sure your trip is efficient and fun. Many people enjoy seeing what remains of the Georgian architecture throughout the city. Much of the city is also modernist in style with many blocks made up of offices.
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 Ireland, and The Best Luxury Tours to Ireland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJohannesburg $95Dublin $154
The average daily cost (per person) in Johannesburg is $95, while the average daily cost in Dublin is $154. 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 Dublin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohannesburg $55Dublin $73
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohannesburg $110Dublin $146
Compare Hotels in Johannesburg and Dublin
Looking for a hotel in Johannesburg or Dublin? 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 Dublin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johannesburg $16Dublin $21
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dublin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Dublin:
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Rental Car for a Day$16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dublin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dublin:
- One-Way Bus Transfer from/to Dublin Airport: $10
- Belfast | Coach transfer from / to Dublin: $13
- Airport Transfer and Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Ticket: $37
- Private Transfer from Dun Laoghaire Port to Dublin Airport (DUB): $46
- Private Transfer from Dublin city to Dun Laoghaire Cruise Port: $46
- Private Transfer from Dublin Airport (DUB) to Dun Laoghaire Port: $46
- Private Dublin Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to Airport: $61
- From Dublin Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Dublin: $74
- 4 to 8 People Private Transfer from Dublin Airport to City Centre: $76
- Private Sedan (4 seats) Transfer from Dublin Airport to Dublin City Center: $95
- Private Sedan(4 seats) Transfer from Dublin City Center to Dublin Airport: $95
- Private Transfer: Dublin to Dublin Airport DUB in Business Car: $103
Is it cheaper to fly into Johannesburg or Dublin?
Prices for flights to both Dublin 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 $17Dublin $53
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
Typical Food Prices in Dublin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Dublin:
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Lunch Lynam's Pub$4.23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dublin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Dublin.
- Discover the Flavors of Dublin on a Guided Street Food Tour: $30
- Dublin 3-Course Dinner and Live Shows at The Irish House Party: $31
- No Diet Club - Best Food Tour in Dublin !: $59
- Dublin Irish Night Show, Dance and Traditional 3-Course Dinner: $60
- NO DIET CLUB - Best Food Tour in Dublin !: $62
- Grand Canal Cruise with Dinner: $72
- Delicious Walking Food Tour: $81
- Delicious Dublin Food Tour: $82
- Dublin Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $87
- Howth Coastal Craft Beer and Seafood Tour: $96
- Bread, Beer & Bia: Irish Cooking Class & Dinner in Dublin: $99
- Irish Craic & Cuisine: Cooking Class & Dinner in Central Dublin: $106
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Johannesburg $21Dublin $27
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 Dublin
Here are a few typical costs in Dublin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Wild Wicklow Tour$28
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Guinness Brewery for Two$29
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St Pauls Cathedral$4.82
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Dublin Writer's Museum$6.75
Tours and Activities in Dublin
Here are a few actual costs in Dublin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Self Guided Tours Dublin With 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.26
- Dublin Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $4.37
- Retracing Viking Origins on a Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.63
- Dublin city tour: audio guide in your smartphone: $5.38
- Dublin city tour: audio guide for smartphone in French: $5.38
- Self Guided City Audio Tour in Dublin: $5.46
- Temple Bar Self-Guided Must-See Highlights Tour: $6.35
- City Highlights Self-guided Walking Tour: $6.35
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $6.46
- Escape Game and Tour: $6.46
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohannesburg $4.73Dublin $18
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 Dublin
Also in Dublin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Authentic Brewery Tour: $11
- Generation Pub Crawl: $15
- Dublin Epic Pub Crawl: Experience Dublin's pubs and nightlife: $15
- "Dublin Delight Pub Expedition" Pub Crawl: $16
- The Dublin Liberties Distillery: Tour with Whiskey Tasting: $18
- The Dublin Liberties Distillery - Guided Tour and Whiskey Tasting: $19
- Teeling Whiskey Distillery Tour & Tasting: $22
- Exclusive Brewery Tour and Tasting at Kildare Brewing Co, Sallins: $22
- Skip the Line: Teeling Whiskey Distillery Tour and Tasting in Dublin Ticket: $22
- The Black Experience Pub Tour: $22
- City Pub Crawl Experience: $24
- Pearse Lyons Whiskey Distillery Experience: $24
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johannesburg and Dublin, we can see that Dublin 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 Dublin is in Europe, 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 Dublin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dublin 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 Dublin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johannesburg or Dublin?
Johannesburg has a larger population, and is about 98% larger than the population of Dublin. When comparing the sizes of Johannesburg and Dublin, 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.