Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Vienna?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Vienna or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Vienna or Cape Town, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Vienna or Cape Town?
Vienna
Vienna is the largest city and capital of Austria. It has a population of over 1.7 million and is a cultural, political and economic center for the country. The historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and some complain that it feels more like a museum than a real city. Outside of the historical center though, is a young and vibrant city with a huge music scene, many street performers, and eclectic and fun restaurants and nightclubs.
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 2-Week Tours in Austria, The Best Tours for Seniors to Austria, 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 dayVienna €151Cape Town €91
The average daily cost (per person) in Vienna is €151, 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 Vienna and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVienna €94Cape Town €36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVienna €188Cape Town €72
Compare Hotels in Vienna and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Vienna 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: Vienna Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vienna €19Cape Town €16
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vienna
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Vienna:
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Bus to Airport€30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vienna
Also for Vienna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Zoo with Private Flexible Transfers and Tickets: $125
- Zoo with Private Flexible Transfers and Tickets: $123
- Private One-Way Transfer to Cesky Krumlov: $635
- Private 1-Way Transfer to/from Vienna Airport: $75
- Melk Abbey and Salzburg Trip with Private Transfer: $928
- Airport Transfer to/from Bratislava: $86
- Vienna to Prague - Private Transfer with 2 hours of Sightseeing: $273
- Vienna Private Transfer from Vienna Airport to City centre: $77
- Vienna Private Airport Transfer: $71
- Vienna International Airport Business Transfer to Vienna City: $142
- Vienna International Airport (VIE) to Vienna Downtown - Arrival Private Transfer: $45
- Vienna Departure Private Transfers from Vienna City to Vienna Airport VIE: $106
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 Vienna or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Vienna 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 dayVienna €33Cape Town €39
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vienna
For Vienna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $28
- Hard Rock Cafe Vienna with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $29
- 1 Hour Tradtional Kaiserschmarrn Cooking Class & Tasting in Wien: $41
- Performance Of The Lipizzans At Spanish Riding School: $44
- Naschmarkt Food Tour: $64
- Traditional Vienna Tasting Dinner With Folk Music: $69
- Vienna Evening Sightseeing Cruise With Music and Dinner: $74
- Naschmarkt Guided Food Tour: $74
- 3-Course Evening Dinner Cruise: $76
- Traditional Dinner Show at the Wiener Rathauskeller: $85
- Kursalon New Year's Day Concert with optional Dinner: $87
- Schnitzel cooking class with Nicole: $98
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.Vienna €38Cape Town €21
Tours and Activities in Vienna
For Vienna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Concert show and museum ticket in House of Strauss: $71
- Private themed Tour of the Art History Museum (Kunsthistorisches Museum):"The Saviour, the Ruler, and Simply a Beauty: Women in Art": $164
- "Girls just want to have Wine" - TUK TUK Sightseeing Tour: $152
- "The Third Man" Film Location Tour: $28
- 2 Hours Private Walking Tour in Vienna with Photography: $98
- 3 hour private walking tour - Vienna: $139
- 3-Hour Private Hiking Tour to historic places around Spitz in Wachau Valley: $252
- 3-Hour Private Tour of Vienna: $164
- 3-Hour Walking Tour of Vienna Central Cemetery: $322
- 4-Hour Private Alpine Hiking Tour 'Matterhorn of the Prealps': $210
- 5-Hour Private Alpine Hiking Tour 'Wild water at Hochwechsel': $252
- A Self-Guided Tour of Vienna the Home of Classical Music: $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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVienna €17Cape Town €19
Sample the Local Flavors in Vienna
Also in Vienna, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl Vienna: $16
- Vienna Nights Pub Crawl: $16
- City Center Pub Crawl: $27
- Wine Tasting at Traditional Cellar: $34
- Guided Wine Tasting in a Private Wine Cellar: $39
- Viennese Wine Tasting in a Private Hidden Wine Cellar: $39
- Wine Tasting at Schönbrunn Palace: $48
- Austrian Wine Tasting Experience: $64
- Vienna Historical Highlight City Tour + Wine Tasting: $74
- Skip-the-Line Schönbrunn Palace Entry & Wine Tasting: $83
- Wine Tasting E-Bike Tour: $91
- Romantic Old Vienna City Walk and Wine Tasting: $96
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 Vienna and Cape Town, we can see that Vienna is more expensive. And not only is Cape Town much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vienna 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 Vienna would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vienna 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 Vienna Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vienna or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Vienna. When comparing the sizes of Vienna 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 Vienna 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 Vienna has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Vienna or Cape Town in the Summer?
Both Cape Town and Vienna are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Vienna in the summer for the music scene and the family-friendly experiences.
Vienna is around the same temperature as Cape Town in the summer. The daily temperature in Vienna averages around 23°C (73°F) in July, and Cape Town fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in January.
It's quite sunny in Cape Town. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Vienna. Vienna usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during summer. Vienna gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Vienna usually receives more rain than Cape Townin January. Vienna gets 63 mm (2.5 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 JanuaryVienna 23°C (73°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Vienna or Cape Town in the Autumn?
Both Cape Town and Vienna during the autumn are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Vienna for the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
In the autumn, Vienna is cooler than Cape Town. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Vienna in October average around 12°C (54°F), and Cape Town averages at about 18°C (64°F)in April.
In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, Vienna often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin April. Vienna gets 140 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun.
Vienna usually gets around the same amount of rain in October as Cape Townin April. Vienna gets 41 mm (1.6 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 AprilVienna 12°C (54°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Vienna or Cape Town in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Vienna and Cape Town. The winter months attract visitors to Vienna because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
The weather in Vienna can be very cold. In January, Vienna is generally much colder than Cape Townin July. Daily temperatures in Vienna average around 2°C (36°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
Vienna usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during winter. Vienna gets 65 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Vienna usually receives less rain than Cape Townin July. Vienna gets 38 mm (1.5 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 JulyVienna 2°C (36°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Vienna or Cape Town in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Vienna as well as Cape Town. The natural beauty are the main draw to Vienna this time of year.
Vienna is cooler than Cape Town in the spring. The daily temperature in Vienna averages around 13°C (55°F) in April, and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F)in October.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Vienna this time of the year. In the spring, Vienna often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin October. Vienna gets 202 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun.
Vienna usually gets more rain in April than Cape Townin October. Vienna gets 51 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 OctoberVienna 13°C (55°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Vienna
| Vienna | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 2°C (36°F) | 38 mm (1.5 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 4°C (38°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 8°C (46°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (55°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 17°C (63°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 20°C (69°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 22°C (72°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 12°C (54°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 3°C (37°F) | 43 mm (1.7 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.