Which place is cheaper, Portland or Pretoria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Pretoria or Portland?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Pretoria or Portland? 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 Portland?
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.
Portland
Referred to as "The City of Roses", Portland is the largest city in Oregon. It sits on the banks of the Columbia River and offers breathtaking views of Mount Hood when the weather allows. Portland is famous for its alternative vibe, live music scene, and popular microbreweries. It's also a mecca for environmentally conscious urban planning. The downtown area is quite compact and walkable. While the city itself may be smaller than you expect, it is still the largest metropolitan area between San Francisco and Seattle.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPretoria $50Portland $180
The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $50, while the average daily cost in Portland is $180. 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 Portland in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPretoria $25Portland $97
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPretoria $50Portland $194
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Portland
Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Portland? 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: Portland Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pretoria $12Portland $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sun City Private Transfer: $250
- Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $61
- One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $88
- Gauteng, South Africa: Airport transfers, shuttle services: $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Portland
Also for Portland, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Waterfall Express -PDX: Waterfall Trolley Tickets + Transfer: $60
- Tigard hotel or address to Portland Airport (PDX) - Departure Private Transfer: $75
- Private Transfer from Portland Airport (PDX) to Astoria Port: $88
- Portland downtown to Portland Airport (PDX) - Departure Private Transfer: $61
- Portland International Airport - Private transfer from/to Oregon City: $127
- Portland Airport (PDX) to Tigard hotel or address - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $151
- Portland Airport (PDX) to Lake Oswego - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $142
- Portland Airport (PDX) to Beaverton hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $75
- Lake Oswego to Portland Airport (PDX) - Departure Private Transfer: $71
Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Portland?
Prices for flights to both Portland 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 $15Portland $43
Typical Food Prices in Portland
For Portland, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Afternoon Drinks (for 2)$9.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Portland
For Portland, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Walking Pizza Tour: $75
- Secret Food Tour with Local Guide: $94
- Brunch on Mississippi Food Tour: $95
- Downtown Portland Food Tour : $99
- Downtown Food Tour: $102
- Mississippi Avenue Walking Food Tour: $105
- The Vibrant Kerns Hood Food Tour: $105
- The Bustling Buckman Hood Food Tour: $105
- Portland Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $109
- Mississippi Avenue Walking Food Tour: $110
- All-Inclusive Downtown Portland Food Tour: $119
- 2.5-hour Dinner Cruise on Willamette River: $127
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pretoria $14Portland $24
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Pilanesberg National Park Full Day Guided Tour( Safari Experience) : $182
- 2 Hours Bicycle Tour in Soweto(Johannesburg): $91
- 4-Hours Pretoria Private History Tour : $83
- Aerial Cableway Private Tour from Johannesburg : $82
- Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre Half-Day Tour from Johannesburg: $199
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg from Pretoria, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Artistic Half Day Tour of Johannesburg : $86
- Cheer on the Cheetah Run for Conservation Adventure: $194
- Cradle of Human Kind & Lion & Rhino Park Tour Full day Tour Private : $188
- Cradle of Human Kind Tour and Lesedi Cultural Village Day Tour Private : $143
- Cradle of Humankind Caves Half Day Tour: $130
Tours and Activities in Portland
For Portland, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2-hour Champagne Brunch Cruise on Willamette River: $102
- 2-hour Lunch Cruise on Willamette River: $86
- 7 Wonders of the Gorge 3.5-hour Jetboat Cruise: $90
- 90 Minute Sailing Tour of Portland: $99
- Aerial adventure above Portland, Oregon: $189
- Afternoon Half-Day Multnomah Falls and Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Tour from Portland: $75
- Afternoon Multnomah Falls and Gorge Waterfalls Tour: $85
- Air Tour of Mount Hood and Columbia River Gorge: $289
- Air Tour of Multnomah Falls & Columbia Gorge from Portland: $159
- Airplane Flight Tour over Portland, Oregon: $99
- All Day Northern Oregon Wineries and Forest Bike Tour: $245
- Beautiful Air Tour of the Columbia River Gorge : $99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPretoria $31Portland $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Portland
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Portland:
- Haunted Underground Shanghai Tunnel Tour with Brewery Tastings: $40
- Portland Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $40
- Weird Bar Crawl with Fanatical Local: $59
- Guided Bike Tour with Brewery Visits: $65
- Portland, Maine: Old Port Brewery & Pub Walking Tour: $89
- Portland, Maine: Local Brewery & Spirits Bus Tour: $99
- Afternoon Tour in Columbia Gorge Waterfall with Free Wine Tasting: $111
- Waterfalls, Mt Hood, and Wine Tour (Tasting Fees Included): $135
- Silver Falls Hike and Wine Tour: $179
- Willamette Valley Wine Tasting from Portland: $189
- Bed and Breakfast Wine Tour - Small Group, Joinable/Sharable: $198
- From Willamette Valley Full-Day Wine Tour: $210
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pretoria and Portland, we can see that Portland 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 Portland is in North America, 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 Portland would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Portland 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 Portland Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Portland?
Pretoria has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Portland. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Portland, 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.