Which place is cheaper, Dakar or Pretoria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Pretoria or Dakar?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Pretoria or Dakar? 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 Dakar?
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.
Dakar
Located in West Africa, Dakar is the capital city of Senegal and an Atlantic port on the Cap-Vert peninsula. Main attractions include the city's markets, the Dakar Grand Mosque, Goree Island, the IFAN Museum, the African Renaissance Monument, beaches, and the Senegal Zoo.
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 Senegal, and The Best Luxury Tours to Senegal.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPretoria $49Dakar $61
The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $49, while the average daily cost in Dakar is $61. 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 Dakar in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPretoria $25Dakar $32
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPretoria $50Dakar $64
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Dakar
Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Dakar? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pretoria $12Dakar $5.32
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
- Sun City Private Transfer: $250
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dakar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dakar:
- Transfer - DSS Airport <-> Dakar (One way): $66
- Private Transfer DSS AIBD Airport - Dakar (two directions): $82
- DSS Airport Transfer <-> Dakar (Return): $120
- Blaise Diagne Int Airport (DSS): Transfer to Dakar hotels: $210
- AIBD-DAKAR transfer: $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Dakar?
Prices for flights to both Dakar 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 $15Dakar $19
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
Typical Food Prices in Dakar
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Dakar:
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Breakfast$4.07
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dakar
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Dakar.
- Senegalese Street Food Tour in Dakar: $115
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pretoria $14Dakar $13
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Private 1 hour Cruise on Hartebeespoort Dam: $30
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg, every FRIDAY afternoon: $50
- Private local authentic soweto Moto taxi experience : $53
- Soweto and Johannesburg Tours: $54
- Soweto Township Tour from Pretoria, Centurion & Midrand every FRIDAY morning: $56
- Day Tour in Soweto : $57
- Pretoria Tour-Voortrekker Monument, Town, Union Buildings: $59
- Taste of Africa Food tasting Experience & Optional Beer Tasting: $60
- Johannesburg exploration tour(Jo-burg/Soweto & Apartheid museum): $65
- Johannesburg & Apartheid Museum Tour : $68
- Johannesburg City Tour(Half-day): $68
- Ultimate Johannesburg full-day with Apartheid Museum tour: $68
Tours and Activities in Dakar
Here are a few actual costs in Dakar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Mamelles Lighthouse and Ngor Island (Walking Tour): $130
- 2-day tour Lac rose- desert of Lompoul: $290
- Accro Baobab Adventure Ticket Entry: $38
- Dakar City Tour and Goree Island: $162
- Pink Lake and Turtle Village Half-Day Tour: $200
- Private City Tour: $109
- Private custom tour with a local guide: $30
- Day trip Goree island and Dakar city tour : $159
- From Dakar or Saly: Half-Day Tour to Pink Lake: $137
- From Dakar/Saly: Half-Day Bandia Wildlife Reserve Tour: $246
- Full Day Goree Island And Dakar City Tour(Minimum 2 Participants): $142
- Full Day Private Tour in move, eat, act like a local: $109
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPretoria $31Dakar $8.92
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pretoria and Dakar, we can see that Dakar 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 Dakar would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dakar 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 Dakar Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Dakar?
Dakar has a larger population, and is about 53% larger than the population of Pretoria. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Dakar, 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.