Which place is cheaper, Pretoria or Lake Nakuru?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Lake Nakuru or Pretoria?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Lake Nakuru and Pretoria. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Lake Nakuru or Pretoria?
Lake Nakuru
Lake Nakuru is one of Kenya's 23 National Parks, also qualifying as one of the two Premium Parks in the country. Located in central Kenya, about 90 miles west of Nairobi, the area encompasses a large lake as well as the surrounding wooded grasslands. A naturalist's paradise, Lake Nakuru is home to wildlife like flamingos, other water birds, and the black and white rhinoceros.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, 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 dayLake Nakuru $116Pretoria $54
The average daily cost (per person) in Lake Nakuru is $116, while the average daily cost in Pretoria is $54. 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 Lake Nakuru and Pretoria in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLake Nakuru $45Pretoria $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLake Nakuru $90Pretoria $54
Compare Hotels in Lake Nakuru and Pretoria
Looking for a hotel in Lake Nakuru 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lake Nakuru $41Pretoria $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sun City & Pilanesberg Transfers: $250
- Shuttle and Transfers to Johannesburg and Pretoria: $47
- Private Oneway Transfer from Johannesburg to Johannesburg Airport: $33
- Private Airport Transfers to Sandton & Joburg CBD: $29
- Pretoria to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport (JNB) - Departure Private Transfer: $57
- One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $94
Is it cheaper to fly into Lake Nakuru or Pretoria?
Prices for flights to both Pretoria and Lake Nakuru 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 dayLake Nakuru $41Pretoria $16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Lesedi Cultural Experience + Lunch or Dinner: $112
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lake Nakuru $36Pretoria $16
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cullinan diamond Mine Day Tour (surface tour): $91
- Pretoria City Tour and Cullinan Mine Tour from Johannesburg : $200
- Pretoria Tour - Voortrekker Monument, Union Buildings, Pretoria : $77
- Soweto and Apartheid Museum Day Tour private from Johannesburg Private: $100
- 2 days Lesedi Cultural & Soweto & apartheid & Johannesburg tour: $236
- 5 Hour Lesedi Cultural Village Tour: $111
- Aerial Cableway Private Tour from Johannesburg : $88
- Apartheid Museum Guided Tour : $59
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg, every FRIDAY afternoon: $55
- Artistic Half Day Tour of Johannesburg : $92
- Bicycle or Tuk Tuk Soweto Guided Experience : $99
- Boat Cruise and Aerial Cable in Johannesburg: $171
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLake Nakuru $7.63Pretoria $34
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lake Nakuru and Pretoria, we can see that Lake Nakuru 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 Lake Nakuru would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lake Nakuru 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 Lake Nakuru Expensive? and Is Pretoria 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.