Which place is cheaper, Wellington or Pretoria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Pretoria or Wellington?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Pretoria or Wellington? 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 Wellington?
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.
Wellington
Wellington is the capital and second largest city in New Zealand. It sits on the southwestern edge of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It's a beautiful setting that is encircled by mountains giving it a beautiful backdrop. There are also many cultural sights and attractions around town. Wellington really is the perfect mix of New Zealand's natural beauty and a vibrant urban core. The film industry is also prevelant in the city. The city's production centers have helped create Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Tin Tin, and District 9.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPretoria $50Wellington $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $50, while the average daily cost in Wellington is $104. 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 Wellington in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPretoria $25Wellington $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPretoria $50Wellington $122
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Wellington
Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Wellington? 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: Wellington Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pretoria $12Wellington $12
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Wellington
Also for Wellington, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Wētā Workshop Experience with Guided Transfers: $62
- Wellington Airport(WLG) to Wellington-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $57
- Wellington Airport Transfer to Wellington Hotels and Vice versa: $77
- Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Private Transfer with Wellington Dial a Driver: $74
- Private Transfer from Wellington hotels to Wellington Cruise Port: $26
- Private Transfer from Wellington Cruise Port to Wellington Hotels: $26
- Private Transfer from Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington Port: $11
- Private Airport Transfer: $78
- Departure Transfer: Wellington Central City Centre Hotels to Wellington Airport: $13
- Arrival Transfer: Wellington Airport to Central Wellington City Centre Hotels: $13
Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Wellington?
Prices for flights to both Wellington 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 $15Wellington $30
Typical Food Prices in Wellington
For Wellington, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner$9.02
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Wellington
For Wellington, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Walking Food Tour Of Wellington: $153
- A Taste Of Wellington Food Tour (half Day): $188
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pretoria $14Wellington $16
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
Tours and Activities in Wellington
For Wellington, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 5 hour Martinborough Bespoke Food & Wine shared tour with lunch: $153
- 5 hour Wellington City Heights Shared tour: $90
- 7-Hour Private Scenic Kapiti Coast Tour from Wellington: $243
- A Taste of Kapiti - Kapiti Foodie Delights Tour: $288
- A Taste of Wellington Foodie Delights Tour: $299
- From Cave to Coast Wellington Highlights Tour: $119
- From Source to Sea Remutaka Mountain Bike Cycle Tour: $103
- From Source to Sea eBike Remutaka Cycle Tour: $123
- From Half-Day Foodie Tour of the Wairarapa: $106
- From Taste Buds Tour of Petone: $167
- Full Day Lord of the Rings Tour: $178
- Full Day Tour of Wellington: $178
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPretoria $31Wellington $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Wellington
Also in Wellington, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wellington Craft Brewery Half Day Tour: $93
- Wellington Craft Brewery Half-Day Guided Tour with Tastings: $96
- 5 hour Martinborough shared Chefs Wine Tour with Gourmet lunch: $153
- Martinborough Full Day Wine Tour: $172
- Full Day Martinborough Wine Tour: $178
- 1/2 Day Martinborough Private Chefs wine tastings tour with lunch: $245
- Martinborough Private 5 hour Food & Wine tour with Gourmet lunch: $264
- Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch: $361
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pretoria and Wellington, we can see that Wellington 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 Wellington is in Pacific, 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 Wellington would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Wellington 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 Wellington Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Wellington?
Pretoria has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Wellington. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Wellington, 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.