A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pretoria vs. Sarajevo for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pretoria or Sarajevo?

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

Should I visit Pretoria or Sarajevo? 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 Sarajevo?

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.

Sarajevo

Sarajevo is the capital city of Bosnia and is one of the most culturally and historically interesting cities to visit in Europe. The city was at the crossroads where the Eastern and Western Roman Empires divided, and the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches divided. Today it is most associated with the Civil War that occurred here between 1992 and 1995. There are still many remnants of the war left, from the cemeteries that dot the countryside to the leftover damage done by bombs. Despite its brutal history, Sarajevo has begun to thrive again, both economically and as a tourist destination.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best Cultural Tours in Bosnia and Herzegowina, and The Best Budget Tours to Bosnia and Herzegowina.


Which place is cheaper, Sarajevo or Pretoria?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $50, while the average daily cost in Sarajevo is $71. 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 Sarajevo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pretoria $25
    Sarajevo $27
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pretoria $50
    Sarajevo $54
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Sarajevo

Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Sarajevo? 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 Sarajevo


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: Sarajevo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pretoria $12
    Sarajevo $7.09

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: $89
  • Gauteng, South Africa: Airport transfers, shuttle services: $27

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Sarajevo

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Sarajevo:


  • Tram Tickets (for 2)
    $1.65

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sarajevo

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

  • Transfer from/to Sarajevo - Neum: $178
  • Transfer from/to Sarajevo - Belgrade: $290
  • Transfer from city of Sarajevo to city of Mostar: $252
  • Transfer from Sarajevo to Kotor+Herzegovina tour: $127
  • Split Private Transfer Service: $301
  • Private Transfer to and from Sarajevo Airport: $25
  • Private 1-Way Transfer to/from Split: $323
  • Dubrovnik Private Transfer Service: $301
  • Airport transfers and all other transfers 4 people: $27
  • Sarajevo ⇄ Mostar / Private Transfer: $205
  • Sarajevo to/from Zagreb Transfer Day Tour (North-central Bosnia): $154
  • Sarajevo to/from Dubrovnik Transfer Tour via Mostar & Herzegovina: $143

Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Sarajevo?

Prices for flights to both Sarajevo 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 $15
    Sarajevo $31

Typical Food Prices in Sarajevo

For Sarajevo, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Restaurant Dinner (for 2)
    $12

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sarajevo

For Sarajevo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Walking Food Tour with Local Craft Experience: $43
  • Traditional Bosnian Dinner with your Host Family: $44
  • Traditional Bosnian Dinner with Host Family: $54
  • Bosnian Cooking Lessons: $80
  • The 10 Tastings of Sarajevo Private Food Tour : $144

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pretoria $14
    Sarajevo $12

Tours and Activities in Pretoria

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

  • 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 Humankind Half Day Tour with Lunch : $110
  • Cradle of Humankind Private Tour and Safari: $108
  • Cradle of Humankind half day tour: $102

Typical Entertainment Prices in Sarajevo

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Sarajevo's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • National Museum (for 2)
    $7.71

Tours and Activities in Sarajevo

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

  • 2 hours Small Group Old Town of Sarajevo Walking Tour with Local Tour Guide: $13
  • 4-Hour Sightseeing Walking Tour with Food Tastings and Craft Experience: $44
  • 8 to 9 Hours Daily Tour To Travnik and Jajce From Sarajevo: $104
  • BOSNIAN PYRAMIDS TOUR (nature, history & archeology): $65
  • Bijambare Cave & Bosnia Spring Park: Half-Day Tour from Sarajevo: $81
  • Bijambare Cave & Bosnia Spring Park: Tour from Sarajevo: $80
  • Bijambare Cave Tour : $44
  • Bijambare Cave and Spring of River Bosna Tour: $45
  • Bosnia's Treasures: 7-Day Private Tour: $1,318
  • Bosnian Castles Tour: Sarajevo, Vranduk, Tesanj, Srebrenik: $143
  • Bosnian Castles Tour: Vranduk Tešanj Srebrenik from Sarajevo: $134
  • Bosnian Kingdom Capitals: Travnik & Jajce Tour from Sarajevo: $142

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pretoria $31
    Sarajevo $7.41

Sample the Local Flavors in Sarajevo

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

  • Small-group Wine Tasting Expiriance, with lunch in vineyard: $71


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pretoria and Sarajevo, we can see that Sarajevo 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 Sarajevo 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 Sarajevo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sarajevo 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 Sarajevo Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Sarajevo?

Pretoria has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Sarajevo. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Sarajevo, 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.