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

Should you visit Pretoria or Tokyo?

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

Should I visit Pretoria or Tokyo? 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 Tokyo?

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.

Tokyo

Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is by far the most populous city in the world with a staggering 37 million people. As a worldwide hub for technology and business, it hosts millions of visitors annually. But Tokyo is not just a place for business trips. With its incredible mixture of historical temples and shrines, remarkably beautiful parks, endless shopping malls, and genuinely wonderful people, Tokyo is a terrific place to visit and to explore.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best 2-Week Tours in Japan, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Japan.


Which place is cheaper, Tokyo 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 Tokyo is $157. 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 Tokyo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pretoria $25
    Tokyo $77
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pretoria $50
    Tokyo $154
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Tokyo

Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Tokyo? 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 Tokyo


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: Tokyo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pretoria $12
    Tokyo $17

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria

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

  • Sun City Private Transfer: $250
  • One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $88
  • Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $61
  • Gauteng, South Africa: Airport transfers, shuttle services: $27

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tokyo

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

  • [Private airport transfer]Haneda Airport (HND)⇔Tokyo City: $155
  • Yokohama Port: Private Customizable Tour with Transfer: $340
  • Yokohama Port Shared Transfer : from Tokyo Hotels to Yokohama Port: $89
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Toyko HTL-APT (NRT): $284
  • Transfer in private minivan from Tokyo City Center to Narita Airport: $110
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from Tokyo Narita Airport to City Center: $110
  • Tokyo:Haneda Airport (HND) Private One-Way Transfer to Tokyo: $129
  • Private transfer to/from Yokohama Osanbashi Port: $196
  • Private Transfer from/to Tokyo Narita Airport: $234
  • Private Transfer from/to Tokyo Haneda Airport: $141
  • Private Transfer from Haneda Airport for Arrivals: $75
  • Private One-Way Transfer to/from Haneda Airport: $95

Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Tokyo?

Prices for flights to both Tokyo 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
    Tokyo $37

Typical Food Prices in Tokyo

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tokyo:


  • Late Night Noodles
    $5.23
  • Conveyor Belt Sushi Snack
    $5.23
  • Meal at Airport
    $6.81

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tokyo

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

  • Takoyaki cooking experience in Kabukicho, Shinjuku: $23
  • Easy Ramen Cooking Experience in Kabukicho, Shinjuku: $26
  • 2 Hours Japanese Style Pub and Food Tour in Ueno: $33
  • Private Sushi Roll Cooking Class in Japan: $38
  • Food Tour in Tsukiji : $48
  • Sushi Making Experience in Tsukiji 90-Minute cooking class: $54
  • Japanese Traditional Cooking Class: $59
  • Wagyu and 7 Japanese Dishes Cooking Class: $61
  • 【Contemporary Culture】Food tour I Always Visit in Shibuya: $65
  • Tokyo Wagyu Culinary Tour Cooking Culture and Tasting: $66
  • Small-Group Wagyu Beef and 7 Japanese Dishes Tokyo Cooking Class: $68
  • Private Food Tour in Downtown Yanesen and Nezu Shrine: $73

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pretoria $14
    Tokyo $69

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 Tokyo

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tokyo.

  • Art Japanese Fan Crafting Experience in Tokyo Asakusa: $23
  • Authentic Samurai Experience With Real Actors: $99
  • Feel the History Walking Tour Starting from Imperial Palace: $51
  • Mt. Fuji Roundtrip Tours From Shinjuku, Japan: $84
  • Tokyo Full Day Tour With Guide and Foods Included: $275
  • Walking Tour to Temple and Izakaya from the River: $116
  • "Nippori Fabric Town" Walking Tour: $41
  • *Starting / Ending at Your Hotel* 3hr Private E-bike Tour Tokyo: $136
  • 1 Day Bus Tour To Mitsumine Shrine From Shinjuku: $89
  • 1 Day Tokyo Private Charter Sightseeing Tour with Guide: $500
  • 1 Day Tokyo Sightseeing Tour Private Wagon: $490
  • 1 Day Walking Tour in Asakusa Traditional Tokyo and Nature: $145

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pretoria $31
    Tokyo $33

Typical Alcohol Prices in Tokyo

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Tokyo:


  • Sake
    $3.92

Sample the Local Flavors in Tokyo

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Tokyo:

  • Tokyo Pub Crawl: $25
  • 3-Hour Tokyo Pub Crawl Weekly Welcome Guided Tour in Shibuya: $52
  • Toshimaya Sake Brewery Tour with Sake Tasting: $92
  • barhopping tour&bar crawl in Retro Town Shimokitazawa: $98
  • Tokyo | 3 Hours Brewery Tour with Sake Sommelier: $105
  • Private Sake Tasting at 300 Years Old Sake Brewery in Tokyo : $105
  • 【Harajuku】Night Pub Crawl with Local Japanese: $125
  • Private Local Craft Brewery Tour in Tokyo: $150
  • Wooden Barrel Sake Brewery Tour and Unlimited Tasting Near Tokyo: $167
  • Private Walking Tour with Sake Brewery Visit in Chichibu: $190


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


Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Tokyo?

Tokyo has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Pretoria. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Tokyo, 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.