Which place is cheaper, Bern or Pretoria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Pretoria or Bern?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Pretoria or Bern? 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 Bern?
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.
Bern
The capital city of Switzerland, Bern, is a surprisingly small city with a population of only about 130,000. It's located on a peninsula that is created by the turns of the River Aare. The city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it has a wonderfully preserved old town area. There are about four miles worth of quaint walkways that are lined with clock towers and fountains.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Switzerland, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Switzerland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPretoria $50Bern $252
The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $50, while the average daily cost in Bern is $252. 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 Bern in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPretoria $25Bern $163
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPretoria $50Bern $326
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Bern
Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Bern? 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: Bern Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pretoria $12Bern $34
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Gauteng, South Africa: Airport transfers, shuttle services: $27
- Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $61
- One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $89
- Sun City Private Transfer: $250
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bern
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bern:
- Private Transfer From Bern to Zurich, English Speaking Driver: $228
- Private Transfer From Bern To Basel With a 2 Hour Stop in Olten: $214
- Private Direct Transfer From Bern to Basel: $192
- Private Car Departure Transfer from Bern to Bern Airport BRN: $73
Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Bern?
Prices for flights to both Bern 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
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Food Meals for one dayPretoria $15Bern $60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bern
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bern.
- Cooking delicious Spanish paella in Switzerland.: $66
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pretoria $14Bern $34
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- History Bicycle Tour of Soweto: $40
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg from Pretoria, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Soweto and Johannesburg Tours: $55
- Soweto Township Tour from Johannesburg - Friday Special: $58
- Soweto & Johannesburg - walking, Bike , E-scooter, Tuk Tuk Tour : $58
- Pretoria Tour-Voortrekker Monument, Town, Union Buildings: $59
- Cullinan Diamond Mine Surface Guided Tour from Pretoria, every MONDAY: $61
- Soweto Pub-Crawl Tour: $61
- Taste of Africa Food tasting Experience & Optional Beer Tasting: $61
- Johannesburg exploration tour(Jo-burg/Soweto & Apartheid museum): $66
- Private Johannesburg and Soweto with Apartheid museum tour: $69
Tours and Activities in Bern
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bern are as follows:
- 007 Elegance:Exclusive Private Tour to Schilthorn from Bern: $633
- Alpine Heights: Small Group Tour to Jungfraujoch from Bern: $598
- Beautiful Bern's Old Town: Self Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
- Bern : Highlights & Hidden Gems Walking Tour: $81
- Bern : Private Walking Tour with a Local Guide (Private tour): $59
- Bern Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and Walking Tour: $7.00
- Bern Highlights Small-Group Walking Tour with a Local: $157
- Bern Historical UNESCO Old Town Private Tour: $162
- Bern Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $60
- Bern Old City Walking Tour: $464
- Bern Old Town - Private Historic Walking Tour: $537
- Bern Private Walking Tour: $336
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPretoria $31Bern $27
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pretoria and Bern, we can see that Bern is more expensive. And not only is Pretoria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Pretoria is in Africa and Bern is in Europe, 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 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 Bern would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bern 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 Bern Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Bern?
Pretoria has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Bern, 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.
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.