Which place is cheaper, Durban 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 Durban?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Pretoria or Durban? 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 Durban?
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.
Durban
The third largest city in South Africa, Durban sits on the east coast of the country in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The city also has the country's most active port. The city's comfortable weather and vast beaches make it one of the country's major tourist centers. There's a population of about 3.5 million in the entire metropolitan area that spreads over 2,295 square kilometers.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in South Africa, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in South Africa.
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Pretoria Prices
South Africa PricesDurban Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPretoria $64Durban $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $64, while the average daily cost in Durban 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 Durban in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPretoria $27Durban $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPretoria $54Durban $54
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Durban
Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Durban? 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: Durban Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pretoria $13Durban $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sun City & Pilanesberg Transfers: $250
- Sun City Private Transfer: $246
- Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $65
- Airport transfers,door to door shuttle: $53
- Pretoria to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport (JNB) - Departure Private Transfer: $43
- Airport transfers, door to door .private transfers: $41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Durban
Also for Durban, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private transfers from King Shaka Airport: $116
- Private Transfers - Minibus - Durban Arrivals and Departures: $47
- Private Sedan Transfers - Durban King Shaka: $50
- Private Durban Airport Departure Transfer: $65
- Durban to Durban King Airport (DUR) - Departure Private Transfer: $55
- Durban airport to Durban city transfer: $39
- Durban Private Airport Arrival Transfer: $66
- Durban King Airport (DUR) to Durban - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $111
- Durban Cruise Ship Transfers : $50
- Durban Airport (DUR) to Durban - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Departure Private Transfer Durban to Durban Airport DUR by Sedan: $81
- 1-3 Passenger Private Durban - Airport Transfer: $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Durban?
Prices for flights to both Durban 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 $27Durban $30
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pretoria $15Durban $18
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 Durban
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Durban.
- Sani Pass Lesotho 4x4 Tour from Durban : $229
- 1 Day Safari Isimangaliso Boat Cruise & Game Safari From Durban : $205
- 1/2 Day Durban City Tour: $144
- 1/2 Day Durban City Tour & Phezulu Tour: $181
- 1/2 Day Tala Game Reserve & Lion Park Tour From Durban: $190
- 1/2 Day Tour to Drakensberg Mountains & Hiking from Durban: $191
- 1/2 Tala Game Reserve & Phezulu Safari Park Tour: $191
- 5-Day Zululand Tour of Drakensberg, Hluhluwe & Isimangaliso: $1,731
- A Full Day Safari Tour to the Hluhluwe Imfolozi Big 5 Game Reserve: $202
- Battle of Isandlwana & Rorke's Drift Battle Day Tour From Durban: $261
- Battlefield Tour, Duration : 14hrs, Cost : R4390pp -2/more trav.: $260
- Battlefields Tour (Anglo-Zulu) 1879, Rorkes drift & Isandlwana: $225
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPretoria $33Durban $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Durban
Also in Durban, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Stellenbosch and Franschoek Winelands Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour: $259
When comparing the travel costs between Pretoria and Durban, we can see that Durban 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 Durban Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Durban?
Durban has a larger population, and is about 93% larger than the population of Pretoria. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Durban, 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.