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

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 $51. 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:

  • Sun City Private Transfer: $250
  • Kwa Maritane Lodge Transfer from Johannesburg: $161
  • One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $88
  • Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $60
  • Pretoria to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport (JNB) - Departure Private Transfer: $57
  • Airport transfers,door to door shuttle: $38

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Durban

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

  • Private transfers from King Shaka Airport: $108
  • Private Transfers - Minibus - Durban Arrivals and Departures: $32
  • Private Sedan Transfers - Durban King Shaka: $35
  • From Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Overnight Safari w/ Transfer: $499
  • Durban to Durban King Airport (DUR) - Departure Private Transfer: $28
  • Durban King Airport (DUR) to Durban - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $55
  • Durban Cruise Ship Transfers : $39
  • Durban Airport (DUR) to Durban - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
  • 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: $82
  • Arrival Private Transfer: Durban MSC Cruise Port to Durban City by Minivan: $75

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:

  • Feisty Food Tour : $74
  • Pan African Cooking Class & Organic food experience: $197

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Durban

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

  • Half Day Guided Taste of Africa Food Tour in Durban: $41

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:

  • Cycling Tour in Pretoria and Surrounding Areas . Private max 2 : $54
  • Pilanesberg National Park Full Day Guided Tour( Safari Experience) : $164
  • Pretoria Tour - Voortrekker Monument, Union Buildings, Pretoria : $54
  • Soweto and Apartheid Museum Day Tour private from Johannesburg Private: $93
  • 1 Night 2 Days eSwatini ( Swaziland Tour): $298
  • 2 Days Historical Cultural and Sightseeing Tour in Johannesburg : $240
  • 2 Hours Bicycle Tour in Soweto(Johannesburg): $90
  • 2 days Lesedi Cultural & Soweto & apartheid & Johannesburg tour: $219
  • 4-Hours Pretoria Private History Tour : $82
  • Aerial Cableway Private Tour from Johannesburg : $82
  • Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre Half-Day Tour from Johannesburg: $197
  • Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg from Pretoria, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51

Tours and Activities in Durban

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

  • 1/2 Day Durban City Tour & Phezulu Tour: $146
  • 1/2 Day Phezulu Safari Tour from Durban: $158
  • 1/2 Day Tala Game Reserve & Lion Park Tour From Durban: $175
  • 1/2 Day Tour to Drakensberg Mountains & Hiking from Durban: $159
  • 12 Days Best Of South Africa Tour - Johannesburg to CapeTown: $3,350
  • 15 Day Tour Cape Town to Johannesburg: $3,149
  • 2 Day Hluhluwe Imfolo & Isimangaliso W/Park Tour from Durban: $634
  • A Full Day Safari Tour to the Hluhluwe Imfolozi Big 5 Game Reserve: $186
  • Battle of Isandlwana & Rorke's Drift Battle Day Tour From Durban: $188
  • Battle of Isandlwana & Rorke's Drift, 1 Day Tour from Durban: $191
  • Battle of Isandlwana and Rorkes Drift Full Day Tour from Durban : $179
  • Battlefield Tour, Duration : 14hrs, Cost : R3 890pp - 2 or more pax travelling: $149

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pretoria $30
    Durban $12

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 : $37


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.