Which place is cheaper, Pretoria or Kampala?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kampala or Pretoria?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kampala or Pretoria? 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 Pretoria?
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.
Pretoria
Located in Gauteng Province, Pretoria is the administrative capital city of South Africa, making it home to many government buildings and three universities. It is actually one of three capital cities, being home to the executive branch, with Cape Town as the legislative capital and Bloemfontein as the judicial capital. Within South Africa, Pretoria is also known as the "Jacaranda City" due to the thousands of jacaranda trees lining its streets, parks, and gardens.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in Uganda, The Best Safaris in Uganda, The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKampala $69Pretoria $49
The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $69, while the average daily cost in Pretoria is $49. 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 Pretoria in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKampala $59Pretoria $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKampala $118Pretoria $50
Compare Hotels in Kampala and Pretoria
Looking for a hotel in Kampala or Pretoria? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kampala $2.48Pretoria $12
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: $128
- 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 Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Gauteng, South Africa: Airport transfers, shuttle services: $27
- Sun City Private Transfer: $250
Is it cheaper to fly into Kampala or Pretoria?
Prices for flights to both Pretoria 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 $8.33Pretoria $15
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
- Amazing Race - Food Tour: $103
- uganda fun time (bed,breakfast, lunch and dinner ) : $154
- Kampala food tour: $205
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Feisty Food Tour : $73
- Pan African Cooking Class & Organic food experience: $195
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kampala -Pretoria $14
Tours and Activities in Kampala
Here are a few actual costs in Kampala for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Equator Tour: $100
- 1 Day Jinja source of the Nile tour: $290
- 1 Day Kampala City Tour: $150
- 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
- 1Day Jinja Tour & source of the Nile River Experience : $193
- 2 Days Birding Tour in Entebbe: $246
- 3 Hours Guided Cycling Tour Across Lake Victoria: $60
- 6 Hour Kampala Small Group Guided Walking Tour: $60
- 6 Hours Walking Tour in Kampala : $47
- 7 Hours Guided Cycling Tour to Sezibwa Waterfalls: $74
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Private 1 hour Cruise on Hartebeespoort Dam: $30
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg, every FRIDAY afternoon: $50
- Private local authentic soweto Moto taxi experience : $53
- Soweto and Johannesburg Tours: $54
- Soweto Township Tour from Pretoria, Centurion & Midrand every FRIDAY morning: $56
- Day Tour in Soweto : $57
- Pretoria Tour-Voortrekker Monument, Town, Union Buildings: $59
- Taste of Africa Food tasting Experience & Optional Beer Tasting: $60
- Johannesburg exploration tour(Jo-burg/Soweto & Apartheid museum): $65
- Johannesburg & Apartheid Museum Tour : $68
- Johannesburg City Tour(Half-day): $68
- Ultimate Johannesburg full-day with Apartheid Museum tour: $68
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKampala -Pretoria $31
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kampala and Pretoria, we can see that Kampala is more expensive. And not only is Pretoria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Pretoria would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pretoria 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 Kampala would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kampala than you might in Pretoria.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kampala Expensive? and Is Pretoria Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kampala or Pretoria?
Pretoria has a larger population, and is about 20% larger than the population of Kampala. When comparing the sizes of Kampala and Pretoria, 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.