Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or London?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit London or Cape Town?
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 London and Cape Town can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: London or Cape Town?
London
The capital of the United Kingdom is a thriving multicultural metropolis. Steeped in iconic landmarks, world-class museums and royal parks, London is energetic, majestic, ambitious and one of the world's greatest cities. London is a cultural and fashion capital, a great place to go out, an amazing place to eat and one of those cities that is constantly changing with new and exciting things sprouting up almost every day. History and tradition greet you at every turn in the UK's capital. London is also a city with an edgy underbelly, delighting in neon pink dive bars, cheeky graffiti and mind-blowing street food. When you need a break from the action, pop into a pub or relax in one of the city's many parks. Blow through the city on a double-decker bus, and take a pinch-me-I'm-in-London walk through the West End. As one of the most visited cities in the world, London is busy, vibrant and very tourist friendly. The only problem with London is that it's very expensive; it can eat away at your budget if you aren't careful. Luckily, there are also tons of free or cheap things to do in London that can fill your time.
Cape Town
Picture your travel bucket list. Is Cape Town on it? Yes, most people dream of visiting the "Mother City" of South Africa. As one of the most iconic places in the world, Cape Town is a world-class cosmopolitan city full of bustling nightlife, historical backdrops and a large gay community.
Cape Town is the most southern city in Africa with seasons turned upside down. In the southern hemisphere they experience the summer from December to February. During these months days can be hot and dry so be sure to gather in the shade and wear plenty of sunscreen. The winter from June to August is full of rainy days and cold nights.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United Kingdom, The Best 3-Day Tours in United Kingdom, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLondon £190Cape Town £78
The average daily cost (per person) in London is £190, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is £78. 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 London and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLondon £123Cape Town £31
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLondon £246Cape Town £62
Compare Hotels in London and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in London or Cape Town? 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: London Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.London £26Cape Town £14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in London
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in London:
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Taxi Ride£15
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Heathrow Express£18
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Luggage Storage£8.00
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London Map£1.29
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Oyster Card£36
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Train to Gatwick Airport (2)£22
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Oyster Card£27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in London
Also for London, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Windsor Castle to/from Central London | Private Transfers: $69
- Windsor Castle - Private Transfer - Pickup & Return: $292
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour London The Making of Harry Potter with return transfers: $126
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour with Bus Transfers: $149
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in London HTL - APT (LGW,STN): $135
- Transfer in private car from Central London - London Airport (LGW): $96
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from London City Center- to Gatwick Airport (LGW): $115
- Transfer in Private MPV from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Central London: $115
- Transfer from London City Airport To Central London: $197
- Transfer from Heathrow Airport LHR to Central London by Sedan: $92
- Transfer from Central London To Heathrow Airport: $212
- Transfer London to Southampton Cruise Terminal (extra luggage): $89
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From 3-Day Safari and Coastal Tour with Transfer: $508
- From Group Transfer Only to Aquilla Game Reserve: $459
- Big 5 Aquila Safari Private Transfer with Park Fee From Cape Town: $300
- Jeep Dune Adventure Tour, Sandboarding & Transfer: $279
- Shark Cage Diving & Penguins Tour to Gansbaai with private transfers: $274
- Cape Town Morning or Afternoon Safari including private transfer: $254
- Aquila Safari Game Drive, Lunch & Shared Transfers from Cape Town: $252
- Whale Watching In Hermanus with Private Transfer: $250
- Pvt Airport to Hout Bay Transfer: $243
- Full Day Private Chauffeur and Transfer Services in Cape Town: $240
- 1 Day Helderberg Valley Winelands Tour with Private Transfers: $232
- Hermanus Wine Tour (Full Day Including Cape Town Transfers): $230
Is it cheaper to fly into London or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and London 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 dayLondon £34Cape Town £33
Typical Food Prices in London
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to London:
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Lunch at Starbucks£13
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Tea£6.00
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Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason£39
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Morning Tea£6.35
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Pastry£5.00
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Sushi Dinner for One£18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in London
For London, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Borough Market Self-guided food tour: $5.76
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $35
- Picadilly Circus: Hard Rock Cafe Set Menu Lunch or Dinner: $36
- Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $38
- Traveling Spoon Nepalese Momos Private Online Cooking Class: $40
- Pizza Making Cookery Class: $53
- No Diet Club - Best food Tour in East London: $68
- African & Caribbean Food Tour in Multi-Cultural Brixton: $74
- Borough Bites, The London Food Tour: $74
- Borough Market Flavors of London Food Tour: $74
- Plant Power - Vegan Food Tour: $88
- Traditional English Walking Food Tour With London Food Tours: $95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner At Mandela's - Cultural Township Dinner Experience: $28
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $41
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $43
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $55
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $56
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $59
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $61
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $61
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $62
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $71
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $76
- Private Cooking Class and Meal in Local Wynberg Cape Town Home: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.London £33Cape Town £18
Typical Entertainment Prices in London
For London, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Two Tickets to a Concert£83
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London Symphony Orchestra£34
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London Pass£47
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Comedy Show£8.00
Tours and Activities in London
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for London.
- An Evening in London. Panoramic night Tour by Executive Luxury Vehicle: $229
- Boogie Shoes Christmas Silent Disco Walking Tours London : $32
- Boogie Shoes Silent Disco Walking Tour Camden: $64
- Boogie Shoes Silent Disco Walking Tours Christmas Special: $32
- David Bowie "Golden Years" Walking Tour of Brixton & Soho: $32
- Little Venice and Camden Walking Tour: $95
- London Covent Garden: Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $7.27
- Madame Tussauds London Admission Ticket: $45
- Self-Guided Audio Tour Medieval Legends, ghosts and fire: $10
- Silent Disco Walking Tours West End Boogie Shoes: $44
- The London Dungeon Admission Ticket: $37
- 'Downton Abbey' TV Locations and Blenheim Palace Tour from London: $221
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3 Wineries Private Tour in Stellenbosch, Paarl Tasting Included: $137
- Cape Agulhas Full Day Private Tour: $192
- Cape Point Full Day Tour: $192
- Cape Point Private Tour withTable Mountain and Penguin Colony : $257
- Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope day tour Up to 10 persons: $66
- Cape Town - Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens and City Tour: $280
- Cape Town Woodstock Street Art Walking Tour: $30
- CapeWinelands Private Tour to Stellenbosch,Franschhoek and Paarl: $96
- Day Tour in Robben Island, Bo-Kaap and Table Mountain : $166
- Long Walk to Freedom in Robben Island including Ticket & Afrogem: $156
- Mandela's Robben Island Museum Bo-Kaap Cape Town City Tour + Ferry ticket f/d: $165
- Penguins Private Tour- Cape of Good Hope & Cape Point Tour from Cape Town: $114
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLondon £15Cape Town £17
Sample the Local Flavors in London
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in London:
- Self Guided Audio Tour in London Old Pub Crawl: $7.63
- Fun London Pub Crawl Treasure Hunt with 20% off ALL drinks!: $13
- 2-Hour Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $20
- Haunted London Pub Walking Tour: $20
- 1 Big Night Out Weekday Pub Crawl: $24
- Craft Brewery Tour with Tasting of 4 Beers: $25
- Shoreditch Pub Crawl in London: $25
- Guided Historic Pub Tour (London): $27
- Pub Crawl of Central London: $29
- Camden Pub Crawl & Bar Tour London: $31
- Pub Crawl and Nightlife Tour: $31
- Burlesque Cabaret Show in Covent Garden: $31
Sample the Local Flavors in Cape Town
Also in Cape Town, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Distillery Tour, rum and gin tasting: $7.13
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.60
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $24
- Drumstruck at Silvermist. Live African Drum Show & Wine tasting: $25
- Sip 15 Wines on a 3-Region Wine Tour with Cheese: $38
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $38
- Three Region Wine Tour: $44
- Cape Winelands and Wine Tasting Full Day Tour: $47
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $49
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $51
- Fullday Wine Tour: $51
- Stellenbosch Wine Tour half day from Cape Town: $54
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between London and Cape Town, we can see that London is more expensive. And not only is Cape Town much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since London is in Europe and Cape Town is in Africa, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Cape Town would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cape Town 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 London would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in London than you might in Cape Town.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is London Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, London or Cape Town?
London has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Cape Town. When comparing the sizes of London and Cape Town, 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.
When is the best time to visit London or Cape Town?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Cape Town is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but London has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit London or Cape Town in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both London and Cape Town. Most visitors come to London for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, London is generally cooler than Cape Townin January. Daily temperatures in London average around 18°C (64°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cape Town this time of the year. London usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during summer. London gets 195 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, London usually receives more rain than Cape Townin January. London gets 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLondon 18°C (64°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit London or Cape Town in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to London as well as Cape Town. The autumn months attract visitors to London because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
London is cooler than Cape Town in the autumn. The daily temperature in London averages around 12°C (53°F) in October, and Cape Town fluctuates around 18°C (64°F)in April.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. In the autumn, London often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin April. London gets 107 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun.
London usually gets more rain in October than Cape Townin April. London gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilLondon 12°C (53°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit London or Cape Town in the Winter?
Both Cape Town and London are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine are the main draw to London this time of year.
It's quite cold in London in the winter. In the winter, London is much colder than Cape Town. Typically, the winter temperatures in London in January average around 4°C (40°F), and Cape Town averages at about 13°C (55°F)in July.
London usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during winter. London gets 52 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, London usually receives less rain than Cape Townin July. London gets 52 mm (2 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyLondon 4°C (40°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit London or Cape Town in the Spring?
Both Cape Town and London during the spring are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to London for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In April, London is generally much colder than Cape Townin October. Daily temperatures in London average around 9°C (48°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).
In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the spring, London often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin October. London gets 147 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun.
London usually gets more rain in April than Cape Townin October. London gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberLondon 9°C (48°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and London
| London | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 4°C (40°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 5°C (40°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 7°C (44°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 9°C (48°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 13°C (55°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 16°C (61°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 18°C (64°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 18°C (64°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 15°C (59°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 12°C (53°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 5°C (42°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) |
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.