Which place is cheaper, Diani or Pretoria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Pretoria or Diani?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Pretoria or Diani? 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 Diani?
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.
Diani
Diani is a major beach resort town on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is located 30 kilometers south of Mombasa and the beach has been voted Africa’s leading beach destination several times. With a flawless, long stretch of white-sand beach hugged by lush forest and kissed by surfable waves, it’s no wonder Diani Beach is so popular. This resort town scores points with a diverse crowd: party people, families, honeymooners, backpackers and water-sports enthusiasts. But Diani also has some of the best accommodation in Kenya, from budget party hostels to funky kitesurfing lodges and intimate honeymoon spots. Most places are spread along the beach road, hidden behind a line of forest. When lazing in a hammock gets tiring, visit the coral mosques with their archways that overlook the open ocean, venture into the sacred forests where guides hug trees that speak in their ancestors' voices, or take in the monkey sanctuary – all are good ways to experience more of the coast than the considerable charms of sun and sand.
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 Kenya, and The Best Budget Tours to Kenya.
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Pretoria Prices
South Africa PricesDiani Prices
Kenya Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPretoria $64Diani $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $64, while the average daily cost in Diani is $69. 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 Diani in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPretoria $27Diani $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPretoria $54Diani $46
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Diani
Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Diani? 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: Diani Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pretoria $13Diani $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sun City Private Transfer: $246
- Sun City & Pilanesberg Transfers: $250
- Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $65
- Pretoria to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport (JNB) - Departure Private Transfer: $43
- Airport transfers,door to door shuttle: $53
- Airport transfers, door to door .private transfers: $41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Diani
Also for Diani, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer: Mombasa SGR Train Station to Diani Hotels: $77
- Taxi and Airport transfers: $70
Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Diani?
Prices for flights to both Diani 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 $27Diani $35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Lesedi Cultural Experience + Lunch or Dinner: $113
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Diani
For Diani, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Diani Beach: Cooking Class with a Local: $60
- Diani Beach: Sunset Dhow Cruise with Dinner: $70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pretoria $15Diani $15
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Constitutional Hill and Soweto Half Day Tour.: $77
- Pilanesberg National Park Full Day Guided Tour( Safari Experience) : $194
- 2 Days Historical Cultural and Sightseeing Tour in Johannesburg : $259
- 2 Hours Bicycle Tour in Soweto(Johannesburg): $97
- 2-Day Johannesburg, Soweto and Pretoria Guided Tour: $185
- 3 tours/ cradle human kind caves and Lesedi Cultural village : $153
- 3-Day Private Tour Johannesburg - See everything : $230
- 5 Hour Lesedi Cultural Village Tour: $111
- Aerial Cableway Private Tour from Johannesburg : $88
- Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre Half-Day Tour from Johannesburg: $212
- Ann de-wildt cheetah tour: $103
- Apartheid History of South Africa (Full day Experience with lunch: $109
Tours and Activities in Diani
For Diani, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 day Shimba Hills Tour: $167
- Diani Beach: Glass Boat Cruise to Robinson Island: $42
- Diani Beach: Glass Bottom Boat, Snorkeling & Sun Bank Tour: $60
- Diani Beach: Glass-Bottom Boat Cruise to Robinson Island: $28
- Diani Beach: Italian-Swahili Fusion Dining Experience: $41
- Diani Beach: Kaya Kinondo cultural and nature experience: $30
- Diani Beach: Kongo River Estuary Sundowner Boat Tour: $42
- Diani Beach: Kongo River Sunset Experience in a canoe: $32
- Diani Beach: Private African Pool Map Guided Tour: $35
- Diani Beach: Village tour on a bike with hotel pick-up: $64
- Diani bush tour: $75
- Dirt Bike Tour, Rukinga Conservation, Wildlife & Hike: $1,705
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPretoria $33Diani $8.84
When comparing the travel costs between Pretoria and Diani, we can see that Diani is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pretoria Expensive? and Is Diani Expensive?.
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.