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

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Should you visit Pretoria or Port Elizabeth?

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

Should I visit Pretoria or Port Elizabeth? 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 Port Elizabeth?

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.

Port Elizabeth

Located on the Indian Ocean coastline of South Africa, Port Elizabeth is a major sea port and tourist destination featuring a pleasant climate, opportunities for water sports, historical landmarks, wildlife areas, and clean beaches.

Which place is cheaper, Port Elizabeth or Pretoria?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $47, while the average daily cost in Port Elizabeth is $43. 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 Port Elizabeth in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pretoria $24
    Port Elizabeth $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pretoria $48
    Port Elizabeth $46
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Port Elizabeth

Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Port Elizabeth? 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 Port Elizabeth


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: Port Elizabeth Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pretoria $11
    Port Elizabeth $9.23

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria

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

  • From Johannesburg Airport: 1-Way Transfer with Pretoria Tour: $96

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Port Elizabeth

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Port Elizabeth:

  • Transfers - Port Elizabeth Airport; Local Hotels and BnB up to 50km: $34
  • Airport Transfers Port Elizabeth to St Francis Bay: $76
  • Airport Transfers Port Elizabeth to Jeffreys Bay: $27

Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Port Elizabeth?

Prices for flights to both Port Elizabeth 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
    Port Elizabeth $13

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pretoria $14
    Port Elizabeth $9.04

Tours and Activities in Pretoria

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

  • Cullinan Surface Diamond Mine Walking Tour: $10
  • Professional, Safe and Reliable Shuttle Service, Tours and Safari: $19
  • Rietvlei Nature Reserve half-day tour from Pretoria, every TUESDAY: $45
  • Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg from Pretoria, every FRIDAY afternoon: $52
  • Pretoria Capital City Tour from Pretoria, every TUESDAY: $52
  • Soweto Township Tour from Johannesburg - Friday Special: $59
  • Soweto Township Tour from Pretoria, Centurion & Midrand every FRIDAY morning: $59
  • Cullinan Diamond Mine Surface Guided Tour from Pretoria, every MONDAY: $62
  • Pretoria City Half Day Tour.: $64
  • Half-Day City Tour: $80
  • Johannesburg: Soweto Tour with Lunch: $87
  • Lesedi Cultural Village Tour from Pretoria, every WEDNESDAY: $90

Tours and Activities in Port Elizabeth

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

  • 12-Day Garden Route Tour with Accommodation: $3,500
  • 4-Day Garden Route Explorer Adventure Accommodated Tour from Port Elizabeth: $706
  • 4-Day Garden Route Explorer Adventure Camping Tour from Port Elizabeth: $559
  • 5 Day Backpacker Tour from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town: $399
  • 5 Day Central Wildcoast Tour: $530
  • 7 Day Flowers of Namaqualand Tour from Port Elizabeth: $932
  • Addo Elephant National Park Day Tour from Port Elizabeth: $121
  • Addo Elephant National Park Full-Day Tour from Port Elizabeth: $144
  • Bicycle Rentals & Tours Port Elizabeth: $12
  • Big 5 Tour from Port Elizabeth: $228
  • Bungy Jump Tour from Port Elizabeth: $148
  • Central Wildcoast: 5 Day backpacking & Hiking Tour: $529

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pretoria $30
    Port Elizabeth $2.49

Sample the Local Flavors in Port Elizabeth

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

  • Brewery Tour & Beer Tasting: $3.94

About these numbers

When comparing the travel costs between Pretoria and Port Elizabeth, we can see that Pretoria 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.

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
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Pretoria vs. Port Elizabeth Travel Comparison

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