Which place is cheaper, Hamburg or Pretoria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Pretoria or Hamburg?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Pretoria or Hamburg? 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 Hamburg?
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.
Hamburg
Hamburg is most noted for its port, which is the largest in Germany and the second busiest in Europe. Despite it's size, it is actually located about 100 kilometers from the North Sea on the River Elbe. The popularity of this port has given Hamburg the nickname as Germany's Gateway to the World. The city itself is the second largest in Germany and the metropolitan area has a population of over 4 million people.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best 10-Day Tours from Berlin, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Berlin.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPretoria $50Hamburg $125
The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $50, while the average daily cost in Hamburg is $125. 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 Hamburg in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPretoria $25Hamburg $58
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPretoria $50Hamburg $116
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Hamburg
Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Hamburg? 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: Hamburg Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pretoria $12Hamburg $31
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
- One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $89
- Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $61
- Sun City Private Transfer: $250
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hamburg
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Hamburg:
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Short Distance Ubahn Ticket$1.82
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hamburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hamburg:
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Hamburg Airport HAM to Hamburg: $83
- Round Trip Transfer Hamburg Airport HAM to Hamburg City by van: $210
- Rickmer Rickmers Museum Guided Tour with Transfers: $263
- Private transfer: Hamburg City Center to Fuhlsbüttel Airport(HAM): $115
- Private transfer from Fuhlsbüttel Airport to Hamburg City Center: $115
- Private Transfer from Hamburg to Hannover with 2h of Sightseeing: $272
- Private Transfer from Hamburg to Hamburg Airport HAM Departure : $41
- Private Transfer from Hamburg to Bremen with an English Speaking Driver: $236
- Private Transfer from Hamburg Cruise Port to Hamburg Airport(HAM): $38
- Private Transfer from Hamburg City to Ostseekai Kiel Cruise Port: $79
- Private Transfer from Hamburg City to Fredericia Cruise Port: $97
- Private Transfer from Hamburg City Hotels to Hamburg Cruise Port: $52
Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Hamburg?
Prices for flights to both Hamburg 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 $15Hamburg $37
Typical Food Prices in Hamburg
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Hamburg:
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Pink Thai Soup Dinner and Spring Rolls$16
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Currywurst and Pommes Frites$5.36
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Donner Kebab and Coke$6.43
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Traditional Hamburg Dinner w/ Beer$16
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Donner Kebab Lunch$4.29
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Sandwich and Coffee Break$6.43
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Fish Sandwich from Fish Market$3.75
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Coffee and Donut$4.29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hamburg
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hamburg.
- St George's Culinary Food Tour: $48
- St. Pauli kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
- Elphi Plaza und HafenCity kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $59
- Original Musical Dinner Cruise 2024: $117
- Hamburg Private Food Tours with a Local: 100% Personalized : $186
- St. Pauli: Guided Food Tour with 5 Tastings: $484
- Elbphilharmonie Plaza and HafenCity Food Tour: $592
- Elbphilharmonie Plaza and HafenCity Food Tour: $592
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pretoria $14Hamburg $42
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- History Bicycle Tour of Soweto: $40
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg from Pretoria, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Soweto and Johannesburg Tours: $55
- Soweto Township Tour from Johannesburg - Friday Special: $58
- Soweto & Johannesburg - walking, Bike , E-scooter, Tuk Tuk Tour : $58
- Pretoria Tour-Voortrekker Monument, Town, Union Buildings: $59
- Cullinan Diamond Mine Surface Guided Tour from Pretoria, every MONDAY: $61
- Soweto Pub-Crawl Tour: $61
- Taste of Africa Food tasting Experience & Optional Beer Tasting: $61
- Johannesburg exploration tour(Jo-burg/Soweto & Apartheid museum): $66
- Private Johannesburg and Soweto with Apartheid museum tour: $69
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hamburg
Here are a few typical costs in Hamburg for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Tower at St. Michael's Church$3.75
Tours and Activities in Hamburg
Here are a few actual costs in Hamburg for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Hamburg Private Walking Tour With A Professional Guide: $287
- Safari tour in St Pauli: $33
- "Cruise in the City" - Sailing Yacht Event, Hamburg/Elbe: $70
- "Hafengeburtstag Hamburg" 2024. Cruise&Sail from/to Wedel: $182
- "Highlights of Hamburg" Biketour: $39
- 1 Hour Kiez Speed Tour for Adults: $19
- 1-Day Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour of Hamburg Line D: $20
- 10 secrets of Hamburg's old town - exciting scavenger hunt tour: $34
- 2 Hours Guided Hamburg E-Scooter Tour: $71
- 2 Hours Guided Hamburg Segway Night Tour: $93
- 2 Hours Guided Hamburg Segway Tour: $76
- 2 Hours Hamburg E-scooter Tour: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPretoria $31Hamburg $19
Sample the Local Flavors in Hamburg
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Hamburg:
- Night Pub Crawl through The Repperbahn: $22
- Weekend Night Pub Crawl through the Reeperbahn: $34
- Pub Crawl - Ultimate party pub crawl incl. One-hour drinks flat rate: $44
- Hamburg Pub Crawl including 1 hour flatrate for beer: $51
- Bachelor(ette) Premium Party with Pub Crawl: $404
- Private Pub Crawl Tour: $404
- Private Premium Pub Crawl: $517
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pretoria and Hamburg, we can see that Hamburg is more expensive. And not only is Pretoria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Pretoria is in Africa and Hamburg is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Hamburg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hamburg 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 Hamburg Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Hamburg?
Hamburg has a larger population, and is about 7% larger than the population of Pretoria. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Hamburg, 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.