Which place is cheaper, Brisbane or Pretoria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Pretoria or Brisbane?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Pretoria or Brisbane? 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 Brisbane?
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.
Brisbane
Although Brisbane is often overlooked as a travel destination in Australia, it is the capital of the state of Queensland, and is the third largest city in Australia. It's a very young and vibrant city with an active nightlife and a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. It's a modern and economically thriving city and, if you do have time to visit, it actually has a lot to offer travelers. It has some beautiful scenery, a wonderful warm climate all year long, and is actually one of the fastest growing cities in Australia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best Luxury Tours to Australia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPretoria $50Brisbane $133
The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $50, while the average daily cost in Brisbane is $133. 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 Brisbane in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPretoria $25Brisbane $82
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPretoria $50Brisbane $164
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Brisbane
Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Brisbane? 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: Brisbane Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pretoria $12Brisbane $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sun City Private Transfer: $250
- One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $88
- Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $61
- Gauteng, South Africa: Airport transfers, shuttle services: $27
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Brisbane:
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Airtrain to the City$9.91
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Go Card$17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brisbane
Also for Brisbane, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sunshine Coast Airport Arrival transfer to Hotels: $19
- Sirromet Winery 3 Course Lunch, Tour, Tastings and Transfers: $132
- Private Transfer: Cruise Port to Brisbane Airport BNE or Brisbane City: $91
- Private Transfer: Cruise Port to Brisbane Airport BNE or Brisbane City: $124
- Private Transfer: Brisbane to Brisbane Airport BNE in Business Car: $102
- Private Transfer: Brisbane Airport BNE to Brisbane in Business Car: $102
- Private Transfer: Brisbane Airport BNE or Brisbane City to Cruise Port: $91
- Private Transfer to Gold Coast /OOL Airport from Brisbane /BNE Airport (1-7 Pax): $231
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Port to Brisbane Airport (BNE): $33
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Hotels to Brisbane Cruise Port: $33
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Cruise Port to Brisbane: $33
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Airport (BNE) to Brisbane Port: $33
Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Brisbane?
Prices for flights to both Brisbane 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 $15Brisbane $31
Typical Food Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Brisbane:
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Hamburger Lunch$5.28
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Cup of Coffee$1.98
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Chinese Food Lunch$8.26
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Ice cream$3.63
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Japanese Meal$14
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Smoothie$4.29
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Japanese Soup$7.60
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Coffee & Muffin$4.62
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Morning Mint Tea$2.31
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Veggie Burger & Chips$9.25
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Bread$1.72
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Vertigo Dinner: Dining on the edge!: $165
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pretoria $14Brisbane $24
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) : $182
- 2 Hours Bicycle Tour in Soweto(Johannesburg): $91
- 4-Hours Pretoria Private History Tour : $83
- Aerial Cableway Private Tour from Johannesburg : $82
- Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre Half-Day Tour from Johannesburg: $199
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg from Pretoria, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Artistic Half Day Tour of Johannesburg : $86
- Cheer on the Cheetah Run for Conservation Adventure: $194
- Cradle of Human Kind & Lion & Rhino Park Tour Full day Tour Private : $188
- Cradle of Human Kind Tour and Lesedi Cultural Village Day Tour Private : $143
- Cradle of Humankind Caves Half Day Tour: $130
Typical Entertainment Prices in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Concert Tickets$13
Tours and Activities in Brisbane
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Brisbane.
- 1hr Animal Tour: $43
- 2hr Animal Tour: $74
- 3-Hour Walking Tour in Brisbane: $57
- 45-Minute Behind-the-Tanks Tour on North Stradbroke Island: $32
- 90min Brisbane River Cruise/Tour: $35
- Adventure Moreton Island Day Pass: $86
- Afternoon Moreton Bay Sailing Tour: $70
- All-Inclusive Dolphin & Tangalooma Wrecks Day Cruise Brisbane: $131
- Barefoot Luxury Mount Tamborine Winery Tour from Brisbane: $180
- Bellthorpe Rainforest Private Tour: $132
- Brilliant Brisbane Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Brisbane : Must See Attractions Private Walking Tour: $87
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPretoria $31Brisbane $51
Typical Alcohol Prices in Brisbane
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Brisbane:
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Evening at the Bar$9.91
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Sixpack of Beer$9.25
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Guiness Beer$5.61
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Sixpack of Beer$8.58
Sample the Local Flavors in Brisbane
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Brisbane:
- XXXX Beer Brewery Tour & Beer Tasting: $24
- XXXX Brewery Tour: $25
- City Winery Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch: $50
- Artisinal Wine Tasting and Local 2-Course Meal: $50
- River Cruise Brewery Tour with Drinks: $65
- Brewery Tour River Cruise in Brisbane: $66
- Brewery Tour and Beer Tasting in Brisbane: $100
- Wine tasting tour to Tamborine Mountain: $104
- Half Day Gold Coast Brewery Tour: $107
- Tamborine Wine & Distillery Tour + 2 Course Lunch: $126
- Mount Tamborine Wine Tasting Tour from Brisbane or the Gold Coast: $132
- From Mount Tamborine Wine Tour with Gourmet Lunch: $132
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pretoria and Brisbane, we can see that Brisbane 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 Brisbane is in Pacific, 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 Brisbane would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Brisbane 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 Brisbane Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Brisbane?
Pretoria has a larger population, and is about 69% larger than the population of Brisbane. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Brisbane, 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.