Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Kampala?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kampala or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kampala or Cape Town? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Kampala or Cape Town?
Kampala
Kampala is the capital of Uganda in the South part of the country near Lake Victoria. It is the largest city in Uganda, with a population of over two million people. This city is very safe and the locals are known to be very kind and approachable.
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 Camping Tours in Uganda, The Best Safaris in Uganda, 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 dayKampala $69Cape Town $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $69, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $96. 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 Kampala and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKampala $59Cape Town $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKampala $118Cape Town $76
Compare Hotels in Kampala and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Kampala 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: Kampala Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kampala $2.48Cape Town $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kampala
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kampala are as follows:
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Taxi around town$3.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kampala
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kampala:
- Private Transfer from Entebbe Airport (EBB) Uganda to Kampala: $127
- Full-Day Kampala Trip with Lunch and Hotel Transfers: $200
- From 3-Day Murchison Falls Safari with Transfer: $2,200
- Entebbe Airport taxi. For a safe, affordable and reliable 24/7 airport transfer.: $45
- Entebbe Airport Transfers: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers To Hermanus: $214
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer to Camps Bay Cape Town: $17
- Airport transfers: $21
- 1 Day Explore Cape Town Like a Local with Private Guided Transfer: $144
- 1 Day Helderberg Valley Winelands Tour with Private Transfers: $225
- 1 Day Hemel en Aarde Whale Coast Wine Tour with Private Transfers: $198
- 1 Day Tastes of Stellenbosch Wine Tour with Private Transfers: $216
- 1 Day West Coast Wonders Tour with Private Transfers: $171
- 1 Day Wine Lover Wander Connoisseur Tour with Private Transfers: $174
- 1-3 Passenger Private Arrival & Departure Cape Town - Airport Transfers: $52
- 1.Cape Town Airport Transfer (&Private tour trips during yo Stay): $16
- 4-7 Passenger Private Cape Town - Airport Transfer: $64
Is it cheaper to fly into Kampala or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Kampala 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 dayKampala $8.33Cape Town $41
Typical Food Prices in Kampala
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Kampala:
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Lunch for 2$1.58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kampala
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kampala.
- Like a local cooking Tours: $26
- Cooking Class for Typical Ugandan Food in Kampala: $31
- Three-Hour Food Tour: $41
- Private Cooking Class with a Local Host: $47
- Momma Ida's Ugandan Cuisine Cooking Tour: $75
- Kampala City Walking Food Tour: $77
- Night-time Boda Boda Street Food Tour: $91
- uganda fun time (bed,breakfast, lunch and dinner ) : $154
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:
- Cape Malay Cooking with a Chef Founder: $27
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $39
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $41
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $54
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $54
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $57
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $58
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $60
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $60
- From CapeTown: African Dinner and Drumming Experience: $60
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $68
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $73
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kampala -Cape Town $23
Tours and Activities in Kampala
Here are a few actual costs in Kampala for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Equator Experience in Uganda: $128
- 1 Day Jinja source of the River Nile tour: $260
- 1 Day Kampala City Tour: $120
- 1 Day Kampala city tour: $162
- 1 Day Ngamba Island chimpanzee tour: $270
- 1 Day Uganda Cultural & Farm Experience: $460
- 1 day Jinja Day trip and Source of R. Nile tour: $261
- 1 day Mabamba (Shoebill) bird watching tour - Shoebill & canoe tour: $205
- 1 day Uganda Equator Experience : $200
- 1Day Jinja Tour & source of the Nile River Experience : $193
- 3 Hours Guided Cycling Tour Across Lake Victoria: $60
- 3 Hours Walking Tour in Kampala: $28
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: $3.11
- Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $3.48
- Kirstenbosch: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.99
- V&A Waterfront: Seal & Harbour Cruise: $4.00
- Hop-On Hop-Off Cape Town Canal Cruise: $4.01
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Down): $4.28
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Up): $4.28
- Meandering through Mouille Point: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.99
- Sea Point Promenade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Return Ticket : $5.15
- Intaka Island Kayak Tour: $5.18
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKampala -Cape Town $20
Sample the Local Flavors in Kampala
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Kampala:
- Entebbe and club,pub and bar crawl experiences: $35
- Kampala Pub Crawl | Uganda | 4 hours: $65
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: $6.96
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.43
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $19
- Drumstruck at Silvermist. Live African Drum Show & Wine tasting: $24
- Wine Tasting & Storytelling with SA Tapas add-on: $28
- Wine tasting tour : $36
- From 3 Regions Wine Tour with 3 Estates, 15 Wines: $37
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $37
- Cape Winelands and Wine Tasting Full Day Tour: $45
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $47
- Fullday Wine Tour: $49
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kampala and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Kampala much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Kampala would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kampala 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 Kampala.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kampala Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kampala or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Kampala. When comparing the sizes of Kampala 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.
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.