A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Valletta vs. Cape Town for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Valletta or Cape Town?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Valletta and Cape Town can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Valletta or Cape Town?

Valletta

A harbor city and the capital city of the island of Malta, Valletta dates back to the 16th-century with a preserved architectural heritage that earned the city a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is best known for its museums, palaces, and churches.

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 Historical Tours in Malta, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Malta, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.


Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Valletta?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Valletta is €116, 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 Valletta and Cape Town in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Valletta 65
    Cape Town 36
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Valletta 130
    Cape Town 72
Compare Hotels in Valletta and Cape Town

Looking for a hotel in Valletta 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.

Hotels in Valletta


Hotels in Cape Town


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: Valletta Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Valletta 24
    Cape Town 16

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Valletta

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

  • Valletta Cruise Port to Malta Intl Airport (MLA) - Departure Private Transfer : $14
  • Turkish Gullet Cruise to Gozo and Comino with Lunch and Transfers: $81
  • The Three Fortified Cities of Malta Half Day Tour Incl. Boat Trip and Transfers: $39
  • Temples Tour (Pick-up, Transfer, Tickets & Drop-off Included): $235
  • Private Transfer: Valletta to Malta International Airport (MLA): $31
  • Private Transfer from Valletta Cruise Port to Malta Airport (MLA): $14
  • Private Transfer from Malta Airport (MLA) to Valletta Cruise Port: $14
  • Private Airport Transfer: Malta International Airport (MLA) to Valletta: $31
  • Private Airport Transfer in Malta: $88
  • Private Airport Transfer from Malta to Gozo: $109
  • Mdina and Highlights of Malta Full Day Guided Tour Incl. Lunch and Transfers: $67
  • Malta Private Transfer from Malta Airport to any resort in Malta island: $51

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town

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

  • Whale Watching In Hermanus with Private Transfer: $250
  • Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cape Town HTL-APT(CPT): $44
  • Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cape Town APT-HTL(CPT): $44
  • Transport Shuttle Transfer from Constantia to Cape Town Airport: $18
  • Transfer To Safari- Aquila From Cape Town Excluding Entry Fees Full Day: $159
  • Shuttle Transport Transfer from Simonstown to Cape Town Airport: $26
  • Shuttle Transport Transfer from Claremont to Cape Town Airport: $17
  • Shuttle Transport Transfer from Cape Town City Center (CBD) to Cape Town Airport: $17
  • Shopping Mall Transfers: $22
  • Shark Cage Diving: Full Day Tour Transfer: $97
  • Shared Transfers to and from Safari Game Reserve (excluding entrance fees): $85
  • Shared Transfer to Cape Agulhas - Where The Two Oceans Meet From Cape Town F/Day: $183

Is it cheaper to fly into Valletta or Cape Town?

Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Valletta 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
    Valletta 32
    Cape Town 39

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Valletta

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

  • Valletta Food Tour - Eat like a local: $46
  • Valletta Food Tour: $49
  • Folklore Evening Dinner Show at a Traditional Maltese Restaurant Incl. Transfers: $67
  • Maltese Traditional Dinner and Folklore Show with Transfers: $71
  • Fireworks Festival Cruise Including Dinner, Drinks and Transport: $77
  • The Ultimate Valletta Evening Food Tour: $81
  • Fernandes Sunset Cruise including Dinner with Open Bar: $81
  • Christmas Tour in Gozo (afternoon) inc. Dinner: $87
  • Blue Lagoon & Sunset Quad Tour in Gozo/Dinner: $101
  • From Blue Lagoon and Gozo Tour w/Quads and Dinner: $118
  • The Valletta Food Tour Experience, a private tour: $150
  • Private Valletta Food Tour: $175

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Valletta 27
    Cape Town 21

Tours and Activities in Valletta

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

  • 3 Cities Tour: $16
  • 3 Hours Private Picnic Experience in Malta: $273
  • 3 cities: Private Insider Walking Tour with Licensed Guide: $161
  • 30-Minute Mdina Experience Audio-Visual Show Ticket (Open Ticket): $6.55
  • 4-hr day tour around Malta: $208
  • 48-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Pass Bus + Harbour Cruise: $55
  • 90 minutes Harbour Cruise in Valletta - ticket only: $22
  • A Monumental Maltese Experience: $175
  • Adventures in Malta: Thrills, History, and Natural Beauty: $322
  • An Insider's Malta VIP Tour: $162
  • Best of Mdina and Rabat Walking Tour: $20
  • Best of Valletta Walking Tour: $20

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Valletta 16
    Cape Town 19

Sample the Local Flavors in Valletta

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

  • Valletta Pub Crawl: $22
  • Malta Pub Crawl: $22
  • The Brewery Experience Self-Guided Tour with Tasting & Transport: $35
  • The Brewery Experience & beer tasting including transport: $35
  • Malta: The Three Cities and Wine Tasting Tour: $44

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 Valletta and Cape Town, we can see that Valletta is more expensive. And not only is Cape Town much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Valletta 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 Valletta would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Valletta 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 Valletta Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Valletta or Cape Town?

Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 510 times larger than the population of Valletta. When comparing the sizes of Valletta 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 Valletta or Cape Town?

Cape Town has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Valletta experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Valletta or Cape Town in the Summer?

Both Cape Town and Valletta are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Valletta throughout the year.

In July, Valletta is generally a little warmer than Cape Townin January. Daily temperatures in Valletta average around 26°C (79°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).

It's quite sunny in Cape Town. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Valletta. Valletta usually receives more sunshine than Cape Town during summer. Valletta gets 365 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Valletta usually receives less rain than Cape Townin January. Valletta gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July and January
    Valletta 26°C (79°F) 
    Cape Town 21°C (70°F)

Should I visit Valletta or Cape Town in the Autumn?

Both Cape Town and Valletta during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Valletta because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

Valletta is a little warmer than Cape Town in the autumn. The daily temperature in Valletta averages around 21°C (70°F) in October, and Cape Town fluctuates around 18°C (64°F)in April.

In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Valletta. In the autumn, Valletta often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Cape Townin April. Valletta gets 221 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun.

Valletta usually gets more rain in October than Cape Townin April. Valletta gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October and April
    Valletta 21°C (70°F) 
    Cape Town 18°C (64°F)

Should I visit Valletta or Cape Town in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Valletta and Cape Town. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Valletta year-round.

In the winter, Valletta is around the same temperature as Cape Town. Typically, the winter temperatures in Valletta in January average around 13°C (55°F), and Cape Town averages at about 13°C (55°F)in July.

Valletta usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during winter. Valletta gets 159 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Valletta usually receives more rain than Cape Townin July. Valletta gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January and July
    Valletta 13°C (55°F) 
    Cape Town 13°C (55°F)

Should I visit Valletta or Cape Town in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Valletta as well as Cape Town. Valletta attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In April, Valletta is generally around the same temperature as Cape Townin October. Daily temperatures in Valletta average around 16°C (61°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Valletta this time of the year. In the spring, Valletta often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin October. Valletta gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun.

Valletta usually gets less rain in April than Cape Townin October. Valletta gets 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April and October
    Valletta 16°C (61°F) 
    Cape Town 16°C (61°F)

Typical Weather for Cape Town and Valletta

Valletta Cape Town
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 13°C (55°F) 90 mm (3.5 in) 21°C (70°F) 14 mm (0.6 in)
Feb 13°C (55°F) 60 mm (2.4 in) 21°C (70°F) 16 mm (0.6 in)
Mar 14°C (57°F) 40 mm (1.6 in) 20°C (68°F) 21 mm (0.8 in)
Apr 16°C (61°F) 30 mm (1.2 in) 18°C (64°F) 41 mm (1.6 in)
May 19°C (66°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 15°C (59°F) 68 mm (2.7 in)
Jun 23°C (73°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 13°C (56°F) 93 mm (3.7 in)
Jul 26°C (79°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 13°C (55°F) 83 mm (3.3 in)
Aug 27°C (81°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 13°C (55°F) 77 mm (3 in)
Sep 24°C (75°F) 30 mm (1.2 in) 14°C (58°F) 41 mm (1.6 in)
Oct 21°C (70°F) 80 mm (3.1 in) 16°C (61°F) 33 mm (1.3 in)
Nov 17°C (63°F) 90 mm (3.5 in) 19°C (65°F) 16 mm (0.6 in)
Dec 14°C (57°F) 110 mm (4.3 in) 20°C (68°F) 17 mm (0.7 in)