A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Kampala vs. Cape Town for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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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.

Which city is cheaper, Cape Town or Kampala?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $56, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $71. 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Kampala and Cape Town in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kampala $48
    Cape Town $30
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kampala $96
    Cape Town $60
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.

Hotels in Kampala


Hotels in Cape Town


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kampala $2.03
    Cape Town $14
Typical Local Transportation prices in Kampala

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kampala are as follows:


  • Taxi around town
    $4.05

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kampala

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kampala:

  • Private Transfer from Kampala to Entebbe Airport (EBB) Uganda: $146

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town

Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • AIRPORT Transfer to Cape town city CBD: $18
  • Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $26
  • Airport Transfer from Cape Town City (CBD) to Airport: $13
  • Airport Transfer in Cape Town: $34
  • Airport Transfers: $57
  • Airport Transfers To Hermanus: $137
  • Airport transfers and tours: $22
  • Arrival Private Transfer: Cape Town Airport CPT to Cape Town by Business Car: $114
  • Arrival Private Transfer: Cape Town Cruise Port to Cape Town by Business Car: $69
  • Arrival Private Transfer: Cape Town Cruise Port to Cape Town by Minivan: $73
  • Cape Point Tours,Airport transfers,wine testing, garden route tours and safari: $168
  • Cape Town Airport 1-Way Private Transfers: $49

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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Kampala $6.82
    Cape Town $34
Typical Food prices in Kampala

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Kampala:


  • Lunch for 2
    $1.62

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kampala

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kampala.

  • Cooking class for typical Ugandan food: $31
  • Private Cooking Class with a Local Host: $47
  • Cooking Class With a Local (Kampala, Jinja, Entebbe - 4 Hours): $56
  • Kampala City Walking Food Tour: $77
  • Night-time Boda Boda Street Food Tour: $91
  • Fishing Village Food Tour & Luwombo Stop: $102
  • Amazing Race - Food Tour: $103
  • Kampala cooking tour: $133
  • Half-day Kampala City Tour and Traditional Dance Show with Dinner (7-Hours): $147
  • Kampala food tour: $205

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:

  • Private Virtual Cooking Class Live from Cape Town: $23
  • Cape Malay Cooking with a Chef Founder: $34
  • African Cooking with a Chef Founder: $34
  • Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $53
  • Withlocals The 10 Tastings: Cape Town Private Food Tour: $54
  • Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $57
  • Your Tailored Cape Town Private Food Tour: $65
  • Private Authentic Cape Malay Cooking Class in Manenberg with Locals: $67
  • The Cape Town Essentials Food Tour: $67
  • African Dinner and Drumming Experience: $70
  • African cooking experience: $91
  • Private South African Cape Malay Cooking Class: $98

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kampala -
    Cape Town -

Tours and Activities in Kampala

Here are a few actual costs in Kampala for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 08 days Classic Uganda Primate Tour: $3,528
  • 1 Day Art Tour: $80
  • 1 Day Greater Kampala City Tour: $308
  • 1 Day Jinja and Source of the Nile Tour: $308
  • 1 Day Jinja source of the Nile tour: $232
  • 1 Day Kampala City Boda Boda (motocycle) Tour: $100
  • 1 Day Kampala City Tour: $120
  • 1 Day Kampala City Tour: $120
  • 1 Day Kampala City Tour with Zumba and Salsa: $218
  • 1 Day Kampala city tour: $144
  • 1 Day Kampala city tour: $130
  • 1 Day Uganda Equator Tour.: $188

Tours and Activities in Cape Town

For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • District Six Museum Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket: $3.07
  • Hop-On Hop-Off Cape Town Canal Cruise: $4.02
  • Cape Town 30-minute V&A Harbour Cruise: $4.02
  • Slavery in the Cape: Rediscover Cape Town's slave history on an audio tour: $5.00
  • Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: Amble along the amazing False Bay Coast on an audio tour: $5.00
  • Cape Town's original shoreline: Rediscover its history on an audio tour: $5.00
  • Cape Town on Foot: An audio tour from the city's Castle to the Slave Lodge: $5.00
  • Kalk Bay: Take in the sea breeze and eclectic shops on this audio tour: $5.00
  • Sea Point Promenade Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap: $5.13
  • Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens Self-guided Audio Tour by VoiceMap: $5.13
  • The Village in the City: An Audio Walking Tour of Bo-Kaap: $5.13
  • Muizenberg Like a Local: Explore this quirky village with an audio walking tour: $5.20

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kampala -
    Cape Town -

Sample the Local Flavors in Kampala

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Kampala:

  • Pub Crawl Kampala (6 Hours): $20
  • Kampala Pub Crawl: $60

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:

  • Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $10
  • Cape Town's Only Craft Rum Tasting and Distillery Tour: $15
  • Wine Tasting & Storytelling with SA Tapas add-on: $34
  • The Fringe Secret Bar Crawl: $34
  • Franschhoek and Stellenbosch Wine Tour from Cape Town: $39
  • Cape Point Full Day Tour With Wine Tasting: $41
  • Cape Town Pub Crawl: $44
  • Cape Winelands and Wine Tasting Full Day Tour: $57
  • Nightlife Experience Pub Crawl: $58
  • Vintage Kombi Wine Tour & Local BBQ: $77
  • Cape Point/Boulders Beach/Wine Tasting- Best Of Cape Town In A Day: $86
  • Tour to Cape Town Peninsula with Wine Tasting: $94

About these numbers

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.

Related Articles for Kampala
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Kampala vs. Cape Town Travel Comparison

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