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

Should you visit Pretoria or Hermanus?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Pretoria or Hermanus? 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 Hermanus?

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.

Hermanus

Hermanus is located on the southern coast of the Western Cape region of South Africa, situated right on the Atlantic Ocean. The area is famous for being the summer home to the Southern Right Whales who migrate there from the Antarctic every September. Hermanus offers incredible natural scenery and great opportunities for adventure seekers. The best time to visit is during their winter and spring, which runs from April through October. This is the driest time of year, meaning wildlife is easier to spot and the heat is much more bearable!

Which place is cheaper, Hermanus 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 Hermanus is $66. 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 Hermanus in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pretoria $24
    Hermanus $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pretoria $48
    Hermanus $48
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Hermanus

Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Hermanus? 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 Hermanus


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: Hermanus Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pretoria $11
    Hermanus $7.94

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria

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

  • Airport transfers,door to door shuttle: $37
  • Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $59
  • Kwa Maritane Lodge Transfer from Johannesburg: $159
  • Sun City Private Transfer: $250

Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Hermanus?

Prices for flights to both Hermanus 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
    Hermanus $38

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 : $73
  • Pan African Cooking Class & Organic food experience: $195

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pretoria $14
    Hermanus -

Tours and Activities in Pretoria

For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Harties Cableway Experience Ticket: $16
  • Soweto walking tour with a taxi ride: $32
  • History Bicycle Tour of Soweto: $39
  • Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg from Pretoria, every FRIDAY afternoon: $50
  • Johannesburg guided city tour: $51
  • Pretoria Capital City Tour from Pretoria, every TUESDAY: $53
  • Private local authentic soweto Moto taxi experience : $53
  • Pretoria Tour - Voortrekker Monument, Union Buildings, Pretoria : $54
  • Soweto and Johannesburg Tours: $54
  • Johannesburg Walking Tours: $54
  • Day Tour in Soweto : $57
  • Pretoria Tour-Voortrekker Monument,Town,Union Buildings etc: $58

Tours and Activities in Hermanus

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hermanus are as follows:

  • Half-Day Private Tour to Cape Peninsula with Local Guide: $272
  • Hermanus Land based Whale Walking Tour with Dave de Beer: $69
  • Hermanus Whale Watching Day Tour: $24
  • Boat Based Whale Watching Experience: $72
  • Shark Cage Diving - Adventure Meets Conservation!: $135
  • Whale Watching Walking Tours (Land-Based) - from JUNE 2024: $54

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pretoria $30
    Hermanus -

Sample the Local Flavors in Hermanus

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

  • Vineyard Safari and Wine Tasting in Hermanus with Guide : $21
  • Private Family Vineyard Safari and Wine Tasting: $45
  • Hemel-en-Aarde Wine Tour: $81


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pretoria and Hermanus, we can see that Hermanus is more expensive. And not only is Pretoria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Hermanus would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hermanus 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 Hermanus Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Hermanus?

Pretoria has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Hermanus. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Hermanus, 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.