Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Manchester?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Manchester 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 Manchester and Cape Town can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Manchester or Cape Town?
Manchester
Located in the heart of Northern England, Manchester is the unofficial Capital of the North. Though it dates back as a Roman city, the city boomed in growth during the Industrial Revolution in textiles, and is today one of the most-visited cities in England by overseas travelers.
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 2-Week Tours from Edinburgh, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to 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 dayManchester £184Cape Town £78
The average daily cost (per person) in Manchester is £184, 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 Manchester and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personManchester £71Cape Town £31
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomManchester £142Cape Town £62
Compare Hotels in Manchester and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Manchester 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: Manchester Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Manchester £19Cape Town £14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Manchester
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Manchester are as follows:
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Rail to Airport£11
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Parking in Manchester£3.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manchester
Also for Manchester, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Southampton Airport: BUS Transfer to/from Manchester: $8.16
- Private Transfer from Worsley to Manchester Airport (MAN): $60
- Private Transfer from Wigan to Manchester Airport (MAN): $90
- Private Transfer from Trafford Park to Manchester Airport (MAN): $58
- Private Transfer from Salford to Manchester Airport (MAN): $58
- Private Transfer from Salford Quays to Manchester Airport (MAN): $58
- Private Transfer from Rochdale to Manchester Airport (MAN): $88
- Private Transfer from Partington to Manchester Airport (MAN): $57
- Private Transfer from Manchester Hotels to Holyhead Cruise Port: $66
- Private Transfer from Manchester City to Manchester Airport (MAN): $102
- Private Transfer from Manchester Airport (MAN) to Wrexham: $234
- Private Transfer from Manchester Airport (MAN) to Worsley: $61
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 Manchester or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Manchester 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 dayManchester £55Cape Town £33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manchester
For Manchester, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $30
- Pistachio LOVERS Italian Dinner Experience: $44
- Manchester Food Tour with a Local Guide: $94
- Half-Day Manchester Food Tour with Lunch: $95
- 3-Hour Guided Manchester Food Tour with Lunch : $95
- Private Food Tour with Local Guide: $199
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.Manchester £30Cape Town £18
Tours and Activities in Manchester
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Manchester.
- SEA LIFE Manchester Admission Ticket: $22
- 3-Hour Manchester Shopping Tour with a Stylist: $118
- 3-day Yorkshire Dales and Peak District Tour from Manchester: $524
- A Silent Disco Adventure in Manchester: $22
- Alcotraz Prison Cocktail Experience in Manchester: $51
- Breathtaking Manchester – Walking Tour for Couples: $235
- Breathtaking Manchester – Walking Tour for Couples: $466
- Chatsworth and Peak District Small-Group Tour from Manchester: $74
- Christmas Charms of Manchester – Private Walking Tour: $569
- City River Tour: $15
- Craft Beer Tour around Manchester: $51
- Craft Brews of Manchester – A Private Beer Tour: $671
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 dayManchester £9.90Cape Town £17
Sample the Local Flavors in Manchester
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Manchester:
- Bar Maid-led Pub Crawl for Special Events: $48
- Four hour walking wine tasting tour of Manchester's best bars: $102
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 Manchester and Cape Town, we can see that Manchester is more expensive. And not only is Cape Town much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Manchester 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 Manchester would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Manchester 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 Manchester Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Manchester or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Manchester. When comparing the sizes of Manchester 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 Manchester 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 Manchester has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Manchester or Cape Town in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Manchester and Cape Town. Most visitors come to Manchester for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In the summer, Manchester is cooler than Cape Town. Typically, the summer temperatures in Manchester in July average around 16°C (62°F), and Cape Town averages at about 21°C (70°F)in January.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cape Town this time of the year. Manchester usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during summer. Manchester gets 176 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Manchester usually receives more rain than Cape Townin January. Manchester gets 65 mm (2.6 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 JanuaryManchester 16°C (62°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Manchester or Cape Town in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Manchester as well as Cape Town. The autumn months attract visitors to Manchester because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene.
In October, Manchester is generally much colder than Cape Townin April. Daily temperatures in Manchester average around 11°C (52°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. In the autumn, Manchester often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin April. Manchester gets 97 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun.
Manchester usually gets more rain in October than Cape Townin April. Manchester gets 78 mm (3.1 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 AprilManchester 11°C (52°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Manchester or Cape Town in the Winter?
Both Cape Town and Manchester are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Manchester this time of year.
It's quite cold in Manchester in the winter. Manchester is much colder than Cape Town in the winter. The daily temperature in Manchester averages around 4°C (39°F) in January, and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F)in July.
Manchester usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during winter. Manchester gets 53 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Manchester usually receives less rain than Cape Townin July. Manchester gets 69 mm (2.7 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 JulyManchester 4°C (39°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Manchester or Cape Town in the Spring?
Both Cape Town and Manchester during the spring are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Manchester for the activities around the city.
In the spring, Manchester is much colder than Cape Town. Typically, the spring temperatures in Manchester in April average around 8°C (46°F), and Cape Town averages at about 16°C (61°F)in October.
In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the spring, Manchester often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin October. Manchester gets 144 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun.
Manchester usually gets more rain in April than Cape Townin October. Manchester gets 51 mm (2 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 OctoberManchester 8°C (46°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Manchester
| Manchester | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 4°C (39°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 4°C (39°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 6°C (43°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 8°C (46°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 11°C (53°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 15°C (58°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 16°C (62°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 16°C (61°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 14°C (57°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (52°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (44°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 5°C (40°F) | 78 mm (3.1 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.