Which place is cheaper, Johannesburg or Kruger National Park?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kruger National Park or Johannesburg?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Kruger National Park and Johannesburg can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Kruger National Park or Johannesburg?
Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park, in northeast South Africa hugs the border of Mozambique in the east, Zimbabwe in the north, and the Crocodile River to the south. Covering nearly 20,000 square kilometers, it hosts a variety of habitats with a thriving population of wildlife and indigenous plant species, making it a safari destination like no other.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in South Africa, The Best 10-Day Tours in South Africa, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in South Africa, and The Best 2-Week Tours in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKruger National Park $83Johannesburg $97
The average daily cost (per person) in Kruger National Park is $83, while the average daily cost in Johannesburg is $97. 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 Kruger National Park and Johannesburg in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKruger National Park $49Johannesburg $56
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKruger National Park $98Johannesburg $112
Compare Hotels in Kruger National Park and Johannesburg
Looking for a hotel in Kruger National Park 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: Kruger National Park Hotel Prices and Johannesburg Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kruger National Park $25Johannesburg $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kruger National Park
Also for Kruger National Park, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shuttle Transfer from Greater Kruger to Gauteng: $61
- Transfer - Skukuza Airport to Southern Sabi Sand Reserve: $187
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$3.30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johannesburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johannesburg:
- Wheel Chair Accessible Airport Transfers Around Johannesburg: $49
- Transfers Between OR Tambo and Pilanesburg : $198
- Suncity Transfer: $195
- South Africa Airport Transfer, Johannesburg Guided day Tour: $134
- Private Transfer: Tambo Airport JNB to Johannesburg in Luxury Van: $76
- Private Transfer: Tambo Airport JNB to Johannesburg in Luxury Car: $104
- Private Transfer: Johannesburg to Tambo Airport JNB in Sedan Car: $65
- Private Transfer, Airports to Cradle of Humankind & Muldersdrift : $148
- Private Transfer from Johannesburg O.R.Tambo Airport(JNB) to Johannesburg hotels: $116
- Private Roundtrip Transfer from Johannesburg Intl Airport: $98
- Private Land Rover transfer to Sun City from Johannesburg and PTA: $198
- Private Airport Transfers in Johannesburg : $55
Is it cheaper to fly into Kruger National Park or Johannesburg?
Prices for flights to both Johannesburg and Kruger National Park 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 dayKruger National Park $16Johannesburg $17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kruger National Park
For Kruger National Park, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Sabie Game Reserve Sunset Safari Tour with Dinner: $139
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: $50
- Unique street food tour from at least 6 different cultures!: $70
- Zulu Food Cooking & Dining Experience with a local Chef: $75
- Pan-African Cooking & Dinning Experience: $79
- Johannesburg Culture and food tour: $101
- Lesedi Cultural Village with lunch or dinner cultural food: $101
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kruger National Park $22Johannesburg $21
Tours and Activities in Kruger National Park
For Kruger National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Kruger Safari Tour - Morning Half Day: $53
- 90-minute Elephant Watching Experience in Hoedspruit : $74
- Full Day Kruger National Park Tour: $98
- Private 4x4 Safari Tour in Kruger National Park: $111
- Private Full Day Kruger National Park Safari Tour from Hoedspruit: $181
- Kruger National Park Sunrise Half-Day Safari Tour: $181
- 3-Day Safari Tour and Treehouse Stay: $706
Tours and Activities in Johannesburg
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johannesburg are as follows:
- Half-Day Safari Tour of the Magaliesberg Mountains by Zipline: $123
- Private Full Day Johannesburg Historical Tour : $195
- Rhino and Lion Park Safari Tour : $98
- (Meet the Artist)Art Gallery & Street Art tour with lunch: $53
- 10 Days Overland Tour-Johannesburg and Cape Town: $2,736
- 15 Days Johannesburg, Kruger National Park – Cape Town Tour: $4,104
- 3 Day Kruger National Park Private Tour from Johannesburg: $870
- 3 Days 2 Nights Panorama Tour & Kruger National park Safari: $843
- 4-Days Overnight Experience in The Panorama Route & Safari: $1,757
- 6 Days Johannesburg and Kruger National Park Tour: $1,641
- 6 Days of The Best of Johannesburg Experience: $886
- A Day Of Soweto Food & Beer Tour: $41
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKruger National Park $4.24Johannesburg $4.82
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: $8.38
- Wine Tasting: $11
- Experience Johannesburg Wine Tour Views and Luxury: $228
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kruger National Park and Johannesburg, we can see that Johannesburg is more expensive. And not only is Kruger National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Kruger National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kruger National Park 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 Kruger National Park.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kruger National Park Expensive? and Is Johannesburg Expensive?.
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.