A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pretoria vs. Antsiranana for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pretoria or Antsiranana?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Pretoria or Antsiranana? 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: Pretoria or Antsiranana?

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.

Antsiranana

Antsiranana is the capital of Madagascar's northernmost province, Diana, and until 1975 it was known as Diego Suarez. The city has a port that has become a site for naval repairs and is the largest in the entire Indian Ocean. The port is mainly used for tinned fish and bottled drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic). The city has a population of a little over 100,000. The French used the city as a military base after independence from 1960 until 1973, after the socialist revolution.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best Adventure Tours to Madagascar, and The Best Wildlife Tours to Madagascar.


Which place is cheaper, Antsiranana or Pretoria?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $49, while the average daily cost in Antsiranana is $90. 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 Pretoria and Antsiranana in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pretoria $25
    Antsiranana $43
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pretoria $50
    Antsiranana $86
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Antsiranana

Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Antsiranana? 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.

Hotels in Pretoria


Hotels in Antsiranana


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pretoria $12
    Antsiranana $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria

Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Sun City Private Transfer: $250
  • Gauteng, South Africa: Airport transfers, shuttle services: $27

Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Antsiranana?

Prices for flights to both Antsiranana and Pretoria 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Pretoria $15
    Antsiranana $35

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 : $73
  • Pan African Cooking Class & Organic food experience: $195

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pretoria $14
    Antsiranana $19

Tours and Activities in Pretoria

For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Pilanesberg National Park Full Day Guided Tour( Safari Experience) : $178
  • Soweto and Apartheid Museum Day Tour private from Johannesburg Private: $92
  • 2 Hours Bicycle Tour in Soweto(Johannesburg): $89
  • 4-Hours Pretoria Private History Tour : $81
  • Aerial Cableway Private Tour from Johannesburg : $81
  • Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre Half-Day Tour from Johannesburg: $195
  • Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg, every FRIDAY afternoon: $50
  • Cheer on the Cheetah Run for Conservation Adventure: $190
  • City Tour of Pretoria: $135
  • Constitutional Hill Highlight Tour: $100
  • Cradle of Human Kind & Lion & Rhino Park Tour Full day Tour Private : $184
  • Cradle of Humankind Half Day Tour with Lunch : $107

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pretoria $31
    Antsiranana $10


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pretoria and Antsiranana, we can see that Antsiranana 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 Antsiranana would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Antsiranana 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 Pretoria Expensive? and Is Antsiranana Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Antsiranana?

Pretoria has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Antsiranana. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Antsiranana, 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.