Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Rotterdam?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Rotterdam or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Rotterdam and Cape Town. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Rotterdam or Cape Town?
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands and has the largest port in Europe. It's famously known as a city of architecture. In a few square kilometers of the city center you can get a complete overview of twentieth century architecture within Rotterdam.
Rotterdam is a very diverse, international, and hard working city. Nearly half of the city's population is not native to the Netherlands or have at least one parent from outside the country. Muslim's make up a significant portion of the population. Other area's represented include Cape Verde and the Dutch Antilles.
There's an air of optimism that permeates the entire city. There are frequent events, festivals and performances, making Rotterdam an enjoyable place to spend some time. Water is also an integral part of the city design.
Cape Town
Picture your travel bucket list. Is Cape Town on it? Yes, most people dream of visiting the "Mother City" of South Africa. As one of the most iconic places in the world, Cape Town is a world-class cosmopolitan city full of bustling nightlife, historical backdrops and a large gay community.
Cape Town is the most southern city in Africa with seasons turned upside down. In the southern hemisphere they experience the summer from December to February. During these months days can be hot and dry so be sure to gather in the shade and wear plenty of sunscreen. The winter from June to August is full of rainy days and cold nights.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best River Cruises from Amsterdam, The Best Bicycle Tours in Netherlands, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRotterdam €152Cape Town €91
The average daily cost (per person) in Rotterdam is €152, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is €91. 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 Rotterdam and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRotterdam €77Cape Town €36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRotterdam €154Cape Town €72
Compare Hotels in Rotterdam and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Rotterdam or Cape Town? 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: Rotterdam Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rotterdam €26Cape Town €16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rotterdam
Also for Rotterdam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Rotterdam to Rotterdam Airport (RTM) - Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Rotterdam Private Transfer to Schiphol Airport & Amsterdam City: $148
- Rotterdam Private Transfer to Rotterdam Airport RTM in Sedan Car: $81
- Rotterdam Private Transfer to Rotterdam Airport RTM by Luxury Van: $83
- Rotterdam Airport RTM Round-Trip Private Transfer: $162
- Rotterdam Airport RTM Private Transfer to Rotterdam in Sedan Car: $77
- Rotterdam Airport RTM Private Transfer to Rotterdam by Luxury Van: $83
- Rotterdam Airport (RTM) to Rotterdam - Arrival Private Transfer: $38
- Private transfer from Rotterdam cruise port to Amsterdam: $161
- Private transfer from Rotterdam cruise port to AMS Schiphol: $161
- Private transfer Schiphol (AMS) to/from Rotterdam.: $167
- Private taxi transfer from Rotterdam to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport: $165
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From 3-Day Safari and Coastal Tour with Transfer: $508
- From Group Transfer Only to Aquilla Game Reserve: $459
- Big 5 Aquila Safari Private Transfer with Park Fee From Cape Town: $300
- Jeep Dune Adventure Tour, Sandboarding & Transfer: $279
- Shark Cage Diving & Penguins Tour to Gansbaai with private transfers: $274
- Cape Town Morning or Afternoon Safari including private transfer: $254
- Aquila Safari Game Drive, Lunch & Shared Transfers from Cape Town: $252
- Whale Watching In Hermanus with Private Transfer: $250
- Pvt Airport to Hout Bay Transfer: $243
- Full Day Private Chauffeur and Transfer Services in Cape Town: $240
- 1 Day Helderberg Valley Winelands Tour with Private Transfers: $232
- Hermanus Wine Tour (Full Day Including Cape Town Transfers): $230
Is it cheaper to fly into Rotterdam or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Rotterdam 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 dayRotterdam €54Cape Town €39
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rotterdam
For Rotterdam, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Self-Guided Rotterdam BiteMe Food Tour: $43
- 4-Hour Food Tour - Self-guided: $48
- Guided Food Tour: $80
- Guided Walking Food Tour: $85
- Biking Rotterdam Food Tour with Local Guide: $86
- Walking Rotterdam Food Tour: $86
- WALKING DINNER ROTTERDAM | 3 courses + 3 drinks and a lot of fun: $87
- Food Tour by Bike: $91
- Private Walking Food Tour of Rotterdam: $120
- Rotterdam Walking Dutch Food Tour: $153
- Rotterdam Private 2-Hour Food Tour with Tastings: $161
- Private Multicultural Bike Food Tour: $274
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner At Mandela's - Cultural Township Dinner Experience: $28
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $41
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $43
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $55
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $56
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $59
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $61
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $61
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $62
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $71
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $76
- Private Cooking Class and Meal in Local Wynberg Cape Town Home: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Rotterdam €32Cape Town €21
Tours and Activities in Rotterdam
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Rotterdam.
- "Remastered" Audiovisual Experience in Rotterdam: $27
- 2 hour Guided Walking Tour Rotterdam: $3.23
- 2-Hour Walking Tour in Gouda All inclusive: $19
- 90 Minutes Self-Guided Family Friendly Walking Tour in Gouda: $27
- All Inclusive, Private Tour Rotterdam + Euromast 360º view: $209
- Best of small-group walking tour: $97
- Boat & Beer Walking Tour: $97
- Breda Highlight Bike Tour: $32
- Breda: Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $7.29
- Discover Breda with a self-guided Outside Escape city game tour!: $27
- Discover Dordrecht with this Outside Escape city game tour!: $27
- Discover Gouda with a self-guided Outside Escape city game tour!: $27
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3 Wineries Private Tour in Stellenbosch, Paarl Tasting Included: $137
- Cape Agulhas Full Day Private Tour: $192
- Cape Point Full Day Tour: $192
- Cape Point Private Tour withTable Mountain and Penguin Colony : $257
- Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope day tour Up to 10 persons: $66
- Cape Town - Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens and City Tour: $280
- Cape Town Woodstock Street Art Walking Tour: $30
- CapeWinelands Private Tour to Stellenbosch,Franschhoek and Paarl: $96
- Day Tour in Robben Island, Bo-Kaap and Table Mountain : $166
- Long Walk to Freedom in Robben Island including Ticket & Afrogem: $156
- Mandela's Robben Island Museum Bo-Kaap Cape Town City Tour + Ferry ticket f/d: $165
- Penguins Private Tour- Cape of Good Hope & Cape Point Tour from Cape Town: $114
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRotterdam €19Cape Town €19
Sample the Local Flavors in Rotterdam
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rotterdam:
- Beer Brewery Noordt Tastings with Optional Tour: $8.07
- Heineken Building former brewery | Guided Tour: $8.07
- Stadshaven Brewery Tour with Beer Tastings: $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Cape Town
Also in Cape Town, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Distillery Tour, rum and gin tasting: $7.13
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.60
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $24
- Drumstruck at Silvermist. Live African Drum Show & Wine tasting: $25
- Sip 15 Wines on a 3-Region Wine Tour with Cheese: $38
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $38
- Three Region Wine Tour: $44
- Cape Winelands and Wine Tasting Full Day Tour: $47
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $49
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $51
- Fullday Wine Tour: $51
- Stellenbosch Wine Tour half day from Cape Town: $54
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rotterdam and Cape Town, we can see that Rotterdam is more expensive. And not only is Cape Town much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Rotterdam is in Europe and Cape Town is in Africa, 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 Cape Town would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cape Town 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 Rotterdam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rotterdam than you might in Cape Town.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Rotterdam Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rotterdam or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Rotterdam. When comparing the sizes of Rotterdam and Cape Town, 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.
When is the best time to visit Rotterdam or Cape Town?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Cape Town is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Rotterdam has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Rotterdam or Cape Town in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Rotterdam and Cape Town. The city activities and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Rotterdam this time of year.
In July, Rotterdam is generally cooler than Cape Townin January. Daily temperatures in Rotterdam average around 17°C (62°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cape Town this time of the year. In Rotterdam, it's very sunny this time of the year. Rotterdam usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during summer. Rotterdam gets 202 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Rotterdam usually receives more rain than Cape Townin January. Rotterdam gets 75 mm (3 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryRotterdam 17°C (62°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Rotterdam or Cape Town in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Rotterdam as well as Cape Town. Many travelers come to Rotterdam for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene.
Rotterdam is much colder than Cape Town in the autumn. The daily temperature in Rotterdam averages around 11°C (51°F) in October, and Cape Town fluctuates around 18°C (64°F)in April.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. In the autumn, Rotterdam often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin April. Rotterdam gets 105 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun.
Rotterdam usually gets more rain in October than Cape Townin April. Rotterdam gets 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilRotterdam 11°C (51°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Rotterdam or Cape Town in the Winter?
Both Cape Town and Rotterdam are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Rotterdam in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Rotterdam can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Rotterdam is much colder than Cape Town. Typically, the winter temperatures in Rotterdam in January average around 2°C (36°F), and Cape Town averages at about 13°C (55°F)in July.
Rotterdam usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during winter. Rotterdam gets 47 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Rotterdam usually receives less rain than Cape Townin July. Rotterdam gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyRotterdam 2°C (36°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Rotterdam or Cape Town in the Spring?
Both Cape Town and Rotterdam during the spring are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Rotterdam for the activities around the city during these months.
In April, Rotterdam is generally much colder than Cape Townin October. Daily temperatures in Rotterdam average around 8°C (46°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).
In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the spring, Rotterdam often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin October. Rotterdam gets 158 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun.
Rotterdam usually gets more rain in April than Cape Townin October. Rotterdam gets 52 mm (2 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberRotterdam 8°C (46°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Rotterdam
| Rotterdam | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 2°C (36°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 3°C (37°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 5°C (41°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 8°C (46°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 12°C (54°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 17°C (62°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 17°C (62°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 14°C (57°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 6°C (43°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 3°C (38°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) |
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.