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

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.


Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Kampala?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $77, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $127. 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
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kampala $60
    Cape Town $38
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kampala $120
    Cape 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.

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 $2.54
    Cape Town $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kampala

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


  • Taxi around town
    $4.06

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kampala

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kampala:

  • Private Transfer from Kampala to Entebbe Airport (EBB) Uganda: $70
  • Private Transfer from Entebbe Airport (EBB) Uganda to Kampala: $70
  • Guided City Tour with Private Transfers: $145
  • Full-Day Kampala Trip with Lunch and Hotel Transfers: $200
  • Entebbe kampala airport transfers: $100
  • Entebbe Kampala Airport Transfer: $45
  • Entebbe Airport pickup (Entebbe - Kampala) reliable 24/7 transfer: $48
  • Airport Transfer from Entebbe to Kampala: $30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town

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

  • Cape Town International Airport Private Affordable Transfers: $53
  • Airport transfers: $22
  • 1-3 Passenger Private Arrival & Departure Cape Town - Airport Transfers: $54
  • 1.Cape Town Airport Transfer (&Private tour trips during yo Stay): $19
  • 4-7 Passenger Private Cape Town - Airport Transfer: $50
  • Airport Transfer: $39
  • Airport Transfer ( Cape Town): $39
  • Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $18
  • Airport Transfer (Cape Town): $55
  • Airport Transfer: Cape Town to Cape Town Airport CPT in Luxury Car: $94
  • Airport Transfers: $11
  • Airport Transfers: $61

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 $15
    Cape Town $72
Typical Food Prices in Kampala

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


  • Lunch for 2
    $1.63

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
  • Private Cooking Class with a Local Host: $47
  • Cooking Class With a Local (Kampala, Jinja, Entebbe - 4 Hours): $56
  • Three-Hour Food Tour: $71
  • Momma Ida's Ugandan Cuisine Cooking Tour: $75
  • 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
  • uganda fun time (bed,breakfast, lunch and dinner ) : $154
  • 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:

  • Cape Malay Cooking with a Chef Founder: $29
  • Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $41
  • Malay Cooking Class and Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $43
  • Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $56
  • Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $60
  • Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $62
  • Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $62
  • From CapeTown: African Dinner and Drumming Experience: $68
  • African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $70
  • African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $75
  • South African Cooking in Cape Town with Local Chef Richard: $76
  • South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family: $82

Entertainment
  • 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:

  • Discover the Magic of Uganda's Equator on a 1-Day Tour: $136
  • Equator Tour: $100
  • Jinja and source of the Nile Experience : $260
  • ½-Day Mabamba Swamp Shoebill Tour : $130
  • 1 Day Jinja & Source of the Nile River tour (female guided): $231
  • 1 Day Jinja source of the Nile tour: $290
  • 1 Day Jinja tour and the source of River Nile: $150
  • 1 Day Kampala City Tour: $120
  • 1 Day Ngamba Island chimpanzee tour: $290
  • 1 Day Uganda Equator Tour.: $130
  • 1 day Mabamba (Shoebill) bird watching tour - Shoebill & canoe tour: $205
  • 1 day Uganda Equator Experience : $200

Tours and Activities in Cape Town

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

  • Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $3.62
  • 30 Minute Harbour Boat Cruise with Seal Watching: $3.80
  • Half Hour Seal and Harbour Cruise from Cape Town: $3.90
  • District Six Museum Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket: $4.00
  • V&A Waterfront: Seal & Harbour Cruise: $4.00
  • Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Up): $4.42
  • Long March to Freedom Guided Tour: $5.00
  • Sea Point Promenade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
  • Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens: A Self-guided Audio Tour: $5.34
  • Maritime Meander: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Cape Town: $5.55
  • Hout Bay: Duiker Island Seal Colony Cruise: $5.97
  • Harbor Cruise: $6.25

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kampala -
    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
  • Kampala Bar Crawl, Beer Tasting and Street Food (6 Hours): $71

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: $9.74
  • African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $20
  • Indigenous food and Wine Tasting: $21
  • Drumstruck at Silvermist. Live African Drum Show & Wine tasting: $27
  • Stellenbosch and Paarl Half-Day Wine Tour: $36
  • From 3 Regions Wine Tour with 3 Estates, 15 Wines: $41
  • Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $42
  • half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $47
  • Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $49
  • Fullday Wine Tour: $52
  • From CapeTown: Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour: $52
  • Aquila Reserve Safari with Lunch and Wine Tasting: $55


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.