Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Seoul?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Seoul or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Seoul and Cape Town can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Seoul or Cape Town?
Seoul
With a population of more than 11 million, Seoul is easily the largest city in South Korea. It is also the financial, political, and cultural capital of the country and has much to offer open minded travelers. It is often overlooked by travelers who instead head to Tokyo or Shanghai, but Seoul has a wide range of cultural experiences, food options, and historical sights. Seoul is a city of contrasts with ancient traditions, flashy technology, religious temples and a modern youth culture. It is also more affordable than many of the other Asian metropolis' to which it is often compared. If you're looking for an interesting and different experience that is a little off the tourist trail, Seoul can definitely offer that opportunity.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to South Korea, The Best Adventure Tours to South Korea, 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 daySeoul $108Cape Town $100
The average daily cost (per person) in Seoul is $108, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $100. 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 Seoul and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSeoul $54Cape Town $39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSeoul $108Cape Town $78
Compare Hotels in Seoul and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Seoul 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: Seoul Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Seoul $15Cape Town $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Seoul
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Seoul:
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Subway Card$3.63
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Short Taxi Ride$5.08
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Metro Ride$0.98
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Seoul City Pass Plus$7.26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seoul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seoul:
- Seoul Incheon Airport(ICN) to from Seoul Private Transfer: $113
- Private Departure Transfer:Hotel to Incheon International Airport: $145
- Private Airport Transfer: Seoul City to Incheon Airport (1-5 pax): $98
- Private Airport Transfer: Seoul City to Gimpo Airport (1-12 pax): $167
- Private Airport Transfer: Gimpo Airport to Seoul City (1-5 pax): $80
- Private Airport Transfer: Gimpo Airport to Seoul City (1-12 pax): $167
- Private Airport Transfer From Incheon Airport To Seoul(up to 12): $190
- Private Airport Transfer : Incheon airport to/from Seoul(~7 pax): $89
- Private Airport Transfer - Incheon Airport ⇔ Seoul (Up to 7 or 11 people): $138
- Private Airport Transfer * Incheon Airport <-> Seoul (1-5 people): $95
- Airport Private Transfer: Incheon Airport ⇔ Seoul Hotel (More member, Less cost): $78
- Airport Private Transfer : Seoul Hotel to Incheon International Airport (ICN): $78
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers: $11
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Claremont to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer to Claremont Cape Town : $17
- Airport Transfer to Cape Town Cruise Terminal: $17
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer from Airport to Cape Town City Center (CBD): $17
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Camps Bay to Cape Town Airport: $18
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $18
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer to Muizenberg Cape Town : $18
- 24 hour Private Airport Shuttle and Transfer: $19
- Airport transfers to and from Cape Town City center. : $20
- 1- Cape Town Tours & Transfers:We guide you around Cape Town: $20
- Hotel to airport transfers from Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport: $21
Is it cheaper to fly into Seoul or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Seoul 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 daySeoul $30Cape Town $43
Typical Food Prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seoul are as follows:
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Rice with Kimchi & Bacon$4.36
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Waffle$0.73
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Dippin' Dots$1.45
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Chicken Fried Rice$3.99
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Chicken Stick$1.45
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Drinking Yoghurt & Mi Chew$1.38
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Lunch Buffet$4.36
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Donut$0.73
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Mushroom Burger$3.78
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Green Tea Ice Cream$2.40
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Udon & Sushi$5.08
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Fresh Burger$3.48
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Soba Noodles Lunch$3.27
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Bibimbap Lunch$3.63
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Fried Rice$3.99
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Vietnamese Dinner$6.90
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Breakfast and Coffee for 2$6.90
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Donut$1.82
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seoul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seoul.
- Casual & Social Wine Dinner with Local Korean Food: $44
- Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals; Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $47
- Vegan Korean Food Cooking Class: Gimbap, Sundubu Jjigae, and more: $60
- 2-Hour Private K Cooking Class: $63
- Energizing Korean Cooking Class in a Local Home in Seoul: $71
- Night Market Food Tour: $73
- Master Korean traditional cooking with a Kimchi chef: $80
- Kimchi Cooking Class with Chef Hakyung at Gyeongbokgung Palace: $80
- Korean Cooking Class with Full-Course Meal & Local Market Tour in Seoul: $81
- K-food cooking Japchae Mandu Tteokbokki & Fishcake: $85
- Korean Premium & Original Cooking Class in Hanok Kitchen: $88
- Dive into Seoulite's Gourmet Dinner Korean BBQ and Beyond: $89
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:
- Cape Malay Cooking with a Chef Founder: $29
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $41
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $44
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $56
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $57
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $60
- From CapeTown: African Dinner and Drumming Experience: $63
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $63
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $65
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $71
- Private Cooking Class and Meal in Local Wynberg Cape Town Home: $80
- Private Indonesian Asian Cape Malay Cultural Cooking Class : $98
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Seoul $26Cape Town $23
Typical Entertainment Prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Seoul are as follows:
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Palace Tickets$5.81
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Movie Ticket$5.81
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Kimchi Museum$2.18
Tours and Activities in Seoul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seoul are as follows:
- Full Day Tour Jeonju Hanok Village, Wansan Park and Gakwonsa: $72
- (Private tour) Nami Island + Railbike + Garden of morning calm: $220
- 1 Day Private Full DMZ Tour in Seoul with Crystal Gondola: $220
- 3 Hour Walking Tour in Songpa Seoul: $48
- 3-Hour Self-guided Sokcho Tour with Private Transportation: $33
- 3-Hour Seoul Tasting Tour: Cityhall, Gwanghwamun & Jeongdong Area: $108
- A Day tour of Healing in the DMZ Zone: $50
- ARMY Bangtan pilgrimage tour in Seoul: $50
- Activity - Mt. Bukhan Hiking Guided Tour: $150
- Afternoon Half Day Seoul City Tour, visit Queen's dorm: $67
- Airport Bus 6103 Airport Limousine Bus Discount Ticket: $15
- All Day Private Make your own plan tour to Nami Island and others: $270
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $2.99
- 30 Minute Harbour Boat Cruise with Seal Watching: $3.83
- Half Hour Seal and Harbour Cruise from Cape Town: $3.91
- Kirstenbosch: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.99
- District Six Museum Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket: $4.00
- Cape Town 30-minute V&A Harbour Cruise: $4.19
- Meandering through Mouille Point: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.99
- V&A Waterfront: Seal & Harbour Cruise: $5.00
- Sea Point Promenade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- The Village in the City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Bo-Kaap: $5.34
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Return Ticket : $5.38
- Slavery in the Cape: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Cape Town's Slave History: $5.40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySeoul $12Cape Town $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Seoul
Also in Seoul, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Seoul Pub Crawl by Absolute: $20
- The Seoul Pub Crawl [official]: $21
- Soju Tasting at Distillery - story of 3 pigs: $42
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:
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.77
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $25
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $39
- From 3 Regions Wine Tour with 3 Estates, 15 Wines: $39
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $40
- Half day Wine Tour: $42
- Cape Winelands and Wine Tasting Full Day Tour: $47
- Stellenbosch, Franschhoek & Paarl Wine Tasting Shared Tour: $50
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $51
- Fullday Wine Tour: $52
- From CapeTown: Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour: $52
- Stellenbosch Wine Tour half day from Cape Town: $54
When comparing the travel costs between Seoul and Cape Town, we can see that Seoul is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Seoul is in Asia and Cape Town is in Africa, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Seoul Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Seoul or Cape Town?
Seoul has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Cape Town. When comparing the sizes of Seoul 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 Seoul 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 Seoul has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Seoul or Cape Town in the Summer?
Both Cape Town and Seoul during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Seoul for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
Seoul is a little warmer than Cape Town in the summer. The daily temperature in Seoul averages around 26°C (78°F) in July, and Cape Town fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in January.
In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Seoul often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin January. Seoul gets 121 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Seoul. Seoul usually gets more rain in July than Cape Townin January. Seoul gets 369 mm (14.5 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuarySeoul 26°C (78°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Seoul or Cape Town in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Seoul and Cape Town. The autumn months attract visitors to Seoul because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene.
In the autumn, Seoul is cooler than Cape Town. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Seoul in October average around 15°C (59°F), and Cape Town averages at about 18°C (64°F)in April.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cape Town this time of the year. In Seoul, it's very sunny this time of the year. Seoul usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during autumn. Seoul gets 204 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Seoul usually receives more rain than Cape Townin April. Seoul gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSeoul 15°C (59°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Seoul or Cape Town in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Seoul as well as Cape Town. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Seoul this time of year.
It's quite cold in Seoul in the winter. In January, Seoul is generally much colder than Cape Townin July. Daily temperatures in Seoul average around -3°C (27°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
In the winter, Seoul often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin July. Seoul gets 163 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun.
Seoul usually gets less rain in January than Cape Townin July. Seoul gets 23 mm (0.9 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulySeoul -3°C (27°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Seoul or Cape Town in the Spring?
Both Cape Town and Seoul are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Seoul for the activities around the city.
Seoul is cooler than Cape Town in the spring. The daily temperature in Seoul averages around 13°C (55°F) in April, and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F)in October.
It's quite sunny in Cape Town. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Seoul. Seoul usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during spring. Seoul gets 205 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Seoul usually receives more rain than Cape Townin October. Seoul gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSeoul 13°C (55°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Seoul
| Seoul | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -3°C (27°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | -0°C (32°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 6°C (42°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (55°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 18°C (65°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 23°C (73°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 26°C (78°F) | 369 mm (14.5 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (80°F) | 294 mm (11.6 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (71°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 15°C (59°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 8°C (46°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 0°C (33°F) | 22 mm (0.9 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.