Which place is cheaper, Johannesburg or Kampala?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kampala or Johannesburg?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kampala or Johannesburg? 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 Johannesburg?
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.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in Uganda, The Best Safaris in Uganda, The Best Adventure Tours to South Africa, and The Best Eco Tours in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKampala $69Johannesburg $94
The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $69, while the average daily cost in Johannesburg is $94. 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 Johannesburg in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKampala $59Johannesburg $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKampala $118Johannesburg $108
Compare Hotels in Kampala and Johannesburg
Looking for a hotel in Kampala or Johannesburg? 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 Johannesburg Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kampala $2.48Johannesburg $16
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:
- Entebbe Airport taxi. For a safe, affordable and reliable 24/7 airport transfer.: $45
- Entebbe Airport Transfers: $80
- 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
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$3.19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johannesburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johannesburg:
- Airport To Suncity Transfer And Return: $398
- Apartheid Museum Private Transfers: $43
- Arrival Private Transfer: Tambo Airport JNB to Johannesburg in Luxury Van: $71
- Comfort Private Airport Transfer: OR Tambo Airport (JNB): $38
- Departure Private Transfer Johanesburg Pretoria or SunCity to JNB Airport by Van: $73
- Departure Private Transfer: Johannesburg to Tambo Airport JNB in Luxury Van: $71
- Executive Airport Transfers - OR Tambo to Sandton : $175
- From Johannesburg Airport: 1-Way Transfer with Pretoria Tour: $107
- Johannesburg Airport (JNB) to Johannesburg Round-Trip Transfer: $70
- Johannesburg Airport (JNB): Transfer to Johannesburg hotels: $193
- Johannesburg Airport (JNB): Transfer to Pretoria hotels: $276
- Johannesburg Airport JNB to Johannesburg Hotels Arrival Transfer: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Kampala or Johannesburg?
Prices for flights to both Johannesburg 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 $8.33Johannesburg $17
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
- Fishing Village Food Tour & Luwombo Stop: $102
- Half-day Kampala City Tour and Traditional Dance Show with Dinner (7-Hours): $147
- uganda fun time (bed,breakfast, lunch and dinner ) : $154
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: $40
- Unique street food tour from at least 6 different cultures!: $48
- Taste of Africa Food Tour: $50
- A Private Traditional Cape Malay Cooking Class, with a MKR Finalist: $95
- Johannesburg Culture and food tour: $97
- Pan-African Cooking & Dinning Experience: $191
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kampala -Johannesburg $21
Tours and Activities in Kampala
Here are a few actual costs in Kampala for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Walking Tour in Kampala : $15
- Uganda Community Tour: $15
- African Fabric Market Tour : $18
- Amazing Tour Experience with a local: $20
- Kampala Half-Day Walking Tour with Local Female Guides: $20
- 3-Hour Walking Tour with Optional Gaddafi Mosque: $24
- Kampala:Guided walking tour: $25
- Entebbe Walking Tour (3 Hours) with Zoo and Botanical Gardens Options: $25
- Tombs, King’s palace and Gaddafi mosque walk tours: $26
- Steve Kampala Walking tours: $27
- Free Female Guided Walking Tours Kampala (3 Hours): $30
- Kampala Guided walking Tour: $30
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
- Jo'burg Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Apartheid Museum & Soweto: $16
- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus with Optional Soweto Tour: $16
- Architectural Walking Tour: $19
- Soweto: Hector Pieterson Memorial, to Orlando Towers Tour: $24
- Braamfontein Street Art & Hidden Gems Tour: $24
- Maboneng Street Art & Culture Tour: $27
- Ponte Experience: $27
- Colours of A Graffiti & Street Art Tour: $29
- Soweto: Bike Tour with a Local Tour Guide: $29
- Johannesburg Street Art & Museum Walking or E-scooter Tour : $30
- A Day Of Soweto Food & Beer Tour: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKampala -Johannesburg $4.65
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 Johannesburg
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Johannesburg:
- Wine Tasting Experience in Johannesburg: $8.08
- Experience Johannesburg Wine Tour Views and Luxury: $224
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kampala and Johannesburg, we can see that Johannesburg 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 Johannesburg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Johannesburg 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 Johannesburg Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kampala or Johannesburg?
Johannesburg has a larger population, and is about 50% larger than the population of Kampala. When comparing the sizes of Kampala and Johannesburg, 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.