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

Should you visit Pretoria or Brasilia?

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

Should I visit Pretoria or Brasilia? 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 Brasilia?

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.

Brasilia

The capital city of Brazil, Brasilia is a uniquely-planned city that was constructed in four years from 1956-1960 in the shape of a large bird or airplane. Renowned for its modern architecture, the city listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and attracts architecture aficionados worldwide.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Brazil, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Brazil.


Which place is cheaper, Brasilia or Pretoria?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $50, while the average daily cost in Brasilia is $83. 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 Brasilia in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pretoria $25
    Brasilia $35
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pretoria $50
    Brasilia $70
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Brasilia

Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Brasilia? 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 Brasilia


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: Brasilia Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pretoria $12
    Brasilia $22

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
  • One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $88
  • Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $61
  • Sun City Private Transfer: $250

Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Brasilia?

Prices for flights to both Brasilia 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
    Brasilia $32

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pretoria $14
    Brasilia $20

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
  • Johannesburg guided city tour: $52
  • 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
  • Soweto Pub-Crawl Tour: $61
  • Taste of Africa Food tasting Experience & Optional Beer Tasting: $61
  • Cullinan Diamond Mine Surface Guided Tour from Pretoria, every MONDAY: $61
  • Johannesburg Soweto Highlights Tour: $66

Tours and Activities in Brasilia

Here are a few actual costs in Brasilia for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Brasilia Tour: $51

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pretoria $31
    Brasilia $15


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


Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Brasilia?

Brasilia has a larger population, and is about 36% larger than the population of Pretoria. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Brasilia, 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.