A Travel Price Comparison for South Africa Pretoria vs. Durban for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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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.

Which place is cheaper, Durban or Pretoria?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $48, while the average daily cost in Durban is $52. 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
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pretoria $24
    Durban $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pretoria $48
    Durban $48
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.

Hotels in Pretoria


Hotels in Durban


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pretoria $11
    Durban $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria

Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • 2-Day Kruger National Park Safari with Private Transfers: $950
  • Sun City Private Transfer: $250
  • Sun City & Pilanesberg Transfers: $250
  • Kwa Maritane Lodge Transfer from Johannesburg: $158
  • Pretoria to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport (JNB) - Departure Private Transfer: $54
  • Shuttle Transfer from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit: $54
  • Airport transfers,door to door shuttle: $37

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Durban

Also for Durban, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private transfers from King Shaka Airport: $106
  • Private Transfers - Minibus - Durban Arrivals and Departures: $31
  • Private Sedan Transfers - Durban King Shaka: $34
  • Private Durban Airport Departure Transfer: $43
  • Durban to Durban King Airport (DUR) - Departure Private Transfer: $27
  • Durban Private Airport Arrival Transfer: $43
  • Durban King Airport (DUR) to Durban - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $53
  • Durban Cruise Ship Transfers : $31
  • Durban Airport (DUR) to Durban - Arrival Private Transfer: $27
  • Departure Private Transfer: Durban City to Durban MSC Cruise Port by Minivan: $75
  • Departure Private Transfer: Durban City to Durban Airport DUR by Business Car: $76
  • Departure Private Transfer from Durban City to Durban Airport DUR by Minivan: $79

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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Pretoria $14
    Durban $16

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pretoria

For Pretoria, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Johannesburg Cooking Tour: $54
  • Feisty Food Tour : $72

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pretoria $14
    Durban $16

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) : $150
  • Soweto and Apartheid Museum Day Tour private from Johannesburg Private: $91
  • 1 Night 2 Days eSwatini ( Swaziland Tour): $292
  • 14-Day Mozambique & Zimbabwe Explorer (Adventure Camping Tour): $3,190
  • 15 Day South African Motorcycle Experience: $5,650
  • 2 Day Private Pilanesberg Guided Tour: $335
  • 2 Hours Bicycle Tour in Soweto(Johannesburg): $88
  • 20-Day South Africa, Lesotho & Eswatini Explorer (Adventure Accommodated Tour): $3,141
  • 20-Day South Africa, Lesotho & Eswatini Explorer (Adventure Camping Tour): $2,509
  • 3 Days Tour in Kruger National Park from Johannesburg: $420
  • 4 Day Kruger Park Tour: $1,288
  • 4-Hours Pretoria Private History Tour : $80

Tours and Activities in Durban

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Durban.

  • 7 Days Garden Route Private Tour - Durban To Cape Town: $1,468
  • 10-Day Private Tour Johannesburg to Cape Town: $2,630
  • 2 Day Big 5 Safari Tour of St Lucia, Hluhluwe, iMfolozi, Manyoni: $534
  • 2 Day Drakensberg Mountains & Tala Game Reserve Tour From Durban: $424
  • 2 Day Lesotho Sani Pass, Nelson Mandela Capture Site & Tala Game Reserve Tour: $423
  • 2 Day Tala Game Reserve & Drakensberg Tour From Durban: $530
  • 2 Day Tala Game Reserve & Sani Pass Tour From Durban: $533
  • 2 Day Tala Private Game Reserve & Sani Pass Tour From Durban: $642
  • 2 Day Zulu Safari Adventure from Durban: $524
  • 2 Days Private Tour in iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Hluhluwe: $370
  • 2-Day Drakensberg Mountains & Tala Game Reserve Tour from Durban: $670
  • 2-Day Hluhluwe Imfolozi and Isimangaliso Wetlands Tour Fro Durban: $691

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pretoria $30
    Durban $13

Sample the Local Flavors in Durban

Also in Durban, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Bar Crawl in Durban : $36

How are these travel costs calculated?

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.

Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Durban?

Durban is bigger, and its population is about 93% larger than the population of Pretoria. When comparing the population of Pretoria vs. 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 and the activities 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.
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Pretoria vs. Durban Travel Comparison

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