Which place is cheaper, Pretoria or Kampala?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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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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Kampala Prices
Uganda PricesPretoria Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKampala $78Pretoria $60
The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $78, while the average daily cost in Pretoria is $60. 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 $61Pretoria $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKampala $122Pretoria $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 $2.56Pretoria $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$4.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kampala
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kampala:
- Private Transfer from Kampala to Entebbe Airport (EBB) Uganda: $79
- Private Transfer from Entebbe Airport (EBB) Uganda to Kampala: $79
- Guided City Tour with Private Transfers: $150
- Full-Day Kampala Trip with Lunch and Hotel Transfers: $200
- Full Day Kampala Religious Private Tour with Transfers: $150
- Entebbe Kampala Airport Transfer: $55
- Entebbe Airport pickup (Entebbe - Kampala) reliable 24/7 transfer: $48
- Entebbe Airport Transfers: $80
- Airport Transfer from Entebbe to Kampala: $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport transfers, door to door .private transfers: $38
- One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $88
- Pretoria to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport (JNB) - Departure Private Transfer: $42
- Private Airport Transfers to Sandton & Joburg CBD: $27
- Private Oneway Transfer from Johannesburg to Johannesburg Airport: $35
- Private Transfer from JHB Airport to Hotels and Around Sandton: $36
- Shuttle and Transfers to Johannesburg and Pretoria: $52
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 $15Pretoria $25
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$1.64
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
- Half-day Kampala City Tour and Traditional Dance Show with Dinner (7-Hours): $147
- 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 : $74
- Lesedi Cultural Experience + Lunch or Dinner: $104
- Pan African Cooking Class & Organic food experience: $197
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 (Airpals Safaris tour): $100
- 1 Day Jinja & Source of the Nile River tour (female guided): $230
- 1 Day Jinja and the source of River Nile (Airpals Safaris Tour): $150
- 1 Day Kampala City Tour: $150
- 1 Day Kampala city tour: $162
- 1 Day Lake Mburo National Park safari, Game drive and Cruise: $394
- 1 Day Ngamba Island chimpanzee tour: $290
- 1 Day Shoebill Stork and Birding Experience : $190
- 1 Day Uganda Equator Tour.: $130
- 1 day kampala tour: $205
- 1-Day Uganda Rhino Trekking Tour Experience: $239
- 1/2 Mabamba Swamp Shoebill Tour : $130
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Harties Cableway Experience Ticket: $16
- History Bicycle Tour of Soweto: $39
- Soweto Quad Bike and Tuk Tuk Tours : $42
- Rietvlei Nature Reserve half-day tour from Pretoria, every TUESDAY: $47
- Johannesburg: Downtown Walking Tour Including Ponte City building: $49
- Private local authentic soweto Moto taxi experience : $54
- Half day Soweto Tour : $54
- Apartheid Museum Guided Tour : $55
- Johannesburg Walking Tours: $55
- Pretoria Capital City Tour from Pretoria, every TUESDAY: $57
- Pretoria Tour-Voortrekker Monument, Town, Union Buildings: $59
- Soweto Pub-Crawl Tour: $60
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
- Kampala Bar Crawl, Beer Tasting and Street Food (6 Hours): $71
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.