Which place is cheaper, Hermanus or Pretoria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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!
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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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPretoria $54Hermanus $74
The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $54, while the average daily cost in Hermanus is $74. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPretoria $27Hermanus $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPretoria $54Hermanus $54
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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pretoria $13Hermanus $8.84
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Airport Transfers to Sandton & Joburg CBD: $29
- Private Oneway Transfer from Johannesburg to Johannesburg Airport: $33
- Shuttle and Transfers to Johannesburg and Pretoria: $47
- Pretoria to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport (JNB) - Departure Private Transfer: $57
- One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $94
- Sun City & Pilanesberg Transfers: $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
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Food Meals for one dayPretoria $16Hermanus $42
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: $112
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pretoria $16Hermanus -
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Dino Trail: Dino Kingdom Admission Ticket: $14
- Harties Cableway Experience Ticket: $18
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg, every FRIDAY afternoon: $55
- Pretoria Capital City Tour from Pretoria, every TUESDAY: $58
- Private local authentic soweto Moto taxi experience : $58
- Apartheid Museum Guided Tour : $59
- Soweto Township Tour from Johannesburg - Friday Special: $61
- Pretoria Tour-Voortrekker Monument, Town, Union Buildings: $63
- Pretoria Capital City Tour from Johannesburg / Sandton, every TUESDAY: $65
- Johannesburg and Apartheid museum private tour: $65
- Soweto Half Day Tour : $65
- Taste of Africa Food tasting Experience & Optional Beer Tasting: $65
Tours and Activities in Hermanus
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hermanus are as follows:
- Cape Town: Hermanus Land Based Whale Watching Tour: $149
- Half-Day Private Tour to Cape Peninsula with Local Guide: $275
- Hermanus Food and Culture Tour: $100
- Hermanus Land based Whale Walking Tour with Dave de Beer: $76
- Hermanus Whale Watching Day Tour: $26
- Hermanus Whale Watching Experience: $225
- Boat Based Whale Watching Experience: $79
- Whale Watching and Winelands Tour with Tastings: $184
- Morning Fatbike Dune Tour: $74
- Shark Cage Diving - Adventure Meets Conservation!: $147
- Sunset Fatbike Dune Experience : $74
- Whale Watching Walking Tours (Land-Based) - from JUNE 2024: $59
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPretoria $34Hermanus -
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 : $27
- Hemel-en-Aarde Wine Tour: $88
- Whale Watching Boat Trip and Wine tasting ,Penguin: $99
- Private Family Vineyard Safari and Wine Tasting: $161
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.
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.