Which place is cheaper, San Diego or Johannesburg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Johannesburg or San Diego?
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 San Diego 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 San Diego?
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.
San Diego
For many visitors and locals alike, San Diego is a paradise. Located in southern California, not far from Los Angeles, it has the perfect climate, wonderful beaches, and a culturally rich environment. It's surrounded by beautiful landscape and has a strong focus on wildlife conservation and eco-friendly living. Home to about 1.3 million residents, it is California's second largest city. It also has many universities, a large tech industry, and a thriving economy. Despite its size, many people perceive San Diego as a slower, more relaxed city with a pleasant vibe away from the chaos of a large city.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to South Africa, The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America, and The Best Contiki Tours to United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJohannesburg $95San Diego $202
The average daily cost (per person) in Johannesburg is $95, while the average daily cost in San Diego is $202. 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 San Diego in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohannesburg $55San Diego $115
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohannesburg $110San Diego $230
Compare Hotels in Johannesburg and San Diego
Looking for a hotel in Johannesburg or San Diego? 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 San Diego Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johannesburg $16San Diego $24
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:
- Airport To Suncity Transfer And Return: $405
- Private Arrival Transfer: Johannesburg Airport to Mpumalanga: $281
- Johannesburg Airport (JNB): Transfer to Pretoria hotels: $279
- Private Transfer from Johannesburg To Pilanesberg: $221
- Private Land Rover transfer to Sun City from Johannesburg and PTA: $196
- Johannesburg Airport (JNB): Transfer to Johannesburg hotels: $195
- Suncity Transfer: $193
- Executive Airport Transfers - OR Tambo to Sandton : $179
- Private Transfer from Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport (JNB) to Pretoria hotels: $164
- Transfers Between OR Tambo and Pilanesburg : $159
- Private Transfer, Airports to Cradle of Humankind & Muldersdrift : $146
- Private executive transfer to sun city or airport/hotels : $119
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Diego
Also for San Diego, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- San Diego International Airport (SAN) Private Arrival Transfer: $40
- Transfer in private vehicle from San Diego Airport (SAN) to San Diego Downtown: $47
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in San Diego HTL-APT(SAN): $47
- Private Departure Transfer to San Diego Airport SAN: $50
- Tijuana to Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) – Departure Private Transfer: $55
- Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) to Tijuana hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Private Arrival Transfer from San Diego Airport SAN: $56
- San Diego Airport (SAN) to San Marcos, CA - Arrival Private Transfer: $65
- Transfer in private minivan from San Diego Downtown to San Diego Airport (SAN): $68
- Transfer in private minivan from San Diego Airport (SAN) to San Diego Downtown: $68
- San Diego Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to San Diego: $70
- San Diego Airport - Private Round Trip Transfer: $70
Is it cheaper to fly into Johannesburg or San Diego?
Prices for flights to both San Diego 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 $17San Diego $45
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
- JOBURG DINNERS : MABONENG CITY DINNER: $97
- Johannesburg Culture and food tour: $99
- Pan-African Cooking & Dinning Experience: $216
Typical Food Prices in San Diego
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to San Diego:
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Mexican Lunch for Two$27
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Breakfast at Starbucks$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Diego
For San Diego, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pizza and Gelato Tour in San Diego: $80
- Old Town Tequila and Tacos Walking Food Tour: $85
- San Diego Vegan Food Tour: $85
- Gaslamp Quarter Food Tour: $89
- Gaslamp Quarter Downtown San Diego Food Tour: $89
- San Diego Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $95
- San Diego, Seaport Village: Waterfront Walking Food Tour: $99
- Seaport Village Food Tour in San Diego : $99
- Guided Secret Food Tour: $103
- Scenic Buffet Dinner Cruise: $108
- San Diego Dinner Cruise: $116
- Gourmet Dinner Cruise: $118
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Johannesburg $21San Diego $48
Tours and Activities in Johannesburg
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johannesburg are as follows:
- Private Full Day Johannesburg Historical Tour : $193
- Soweto half day tour including Mandela House.Private transport: $72
- (Meet the Artist)Art Gallery & Street Art tour with lunch: $30
- 10 Days Overland Tour-Johannesburg and Cape Town: $2,701
- 15 Days Johannesburg, Kruger National Park – Cape Town Tour: $4,052
- 3 Day Kruger National Park Tour from Johannesburg: $807
- 3 Days 2 Nights Panorama Tour & Kruger National park Safari: $832
- 4-Days Overnight Experience in The Panorama Route & Safari: $1,735
- 6 Days Johannesburg and Kruger National Park Tour: $1,621
- 6 Days of The Best of Johannesburg Experience: $972
- 9 day Kruger Park Safari & Cape Town Luxury Coach Tour: $1,972
- A Day Of Soweto Food & Beer Tour: $32
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Diego
For San Diego, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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San Diego Zoo$15
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Sea World Parking$12
Tours and Activities in San Diego
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Diego.
- Pies & Pickaxes: A Historic Walking Tour of Julian, CA: $4.49
- Waterfront Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $7.31
- Sights of San Diego Harbor: a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $7.99
- A Seaside Stroll: La Jolla's Hidden Treasures Self-Guided Tour: $9.99
- Historical Walking Tour of San Diego: $10
- Beaches & Bluffs San Diego's Ultimate Coastal Driving Tour: $12
- San Diego Natural History Museum Ticket: $12
- Haunted Historic Whaley House - Self-Guided Tour: $14
- Apple Pies & Desert Skies: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $15
- Explore Balboa in a Private Tour of San Diego Hidden Gems: $20
- San Diego's Historic Treasures and Old Town Tour: $20
- Private Walking Tour and Gaslamp Adventure in San Diego: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohannesburg $4.73San Diego $21
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: $8.28
Sample the Local Flavors in San Diego
Also in San Diego, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- San Diego Bar Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- History Tour Pub Crawl of Famous Gaslamp Quarter: $30
- Brewery Tour with Tastings and Food Pairings: $85
- Vino! Vino! Little Italy Wine Tasting Walking Tour: $125
- Little Italy Wine Tasting Walking Tour: $125
- Private Wine Tasting Tour in Valle de Guadalupe: $133
- Cruise & Booze Brewery tours : $149
- Baja Tour Guide wine tour: $169
- Sidecar Wine Tasting Tour: $199
- Brewery and Tap Room Sidecar Tour: $199
- California Sunset Brewery Tour: $199
- Brewery and Beer Tasting Tour in San Diego: $215
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johannesburg and San Diego, we can see that San Diego 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 San Diego 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 San Diego would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Diego 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 San Diego Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johannesburg or San Diego?
Johannesburg has a larger population, and is about 66% larger than the population of San Diego. When comparing the sizes of Johannesburg and San Diego, 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.