Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Wellington?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Wellington or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Wellington or Cape Town? 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: Wellington or Cape Town?
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.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand, 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 dayWellington $104Cape Town $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Wellington is $104, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $98. 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 Wellington and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personWellington $61Cape Town $39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomWellington $122Cape Town $78
Compare Hotels in Wellington and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Wellington 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: Wellington Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Wellington $12Cape Town $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Wellington
Also for Wellington, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Wētā Workshop Experience with Guided Transfers: $61
- Wellington Airport Transfer to Wellington Hotels and Vice versa: $75
- Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Private Transfer with Wellington Dial a Driver: $72
- Private Transfer from Wellington hotels to Wellington Cruise Port: $26
- Private Transfer from Wellington Cruise Port to Wellington Hotels: $26
- 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
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 Wellington or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Wellington 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 dayWellington $30Cape Town $42
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: $151
- A Taste Of Wellington Food Tour (half Day): $185
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.Wellington $16Cape Town $23
Tours and Activities in Wellington
For Wellington, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 5 hour Wellington City Heights Shared tour: $90
- A Taste of Kapiti - Kapiti Foodie Delights Tour: $288
- From Cave to Coast Wellington Highlights Tour: $118
- From Source to Sea Remutaka Mountain Bike Cycle Tour: $103
- 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
- Full-Day Wellington Self-Guided Electric Bike Tour: $51
- Fully customizable tours: $148
- Guided Small Group Walking Tour in Wellington: $45
- Guided Wellington Sightseeing Tour by Electric Bike: $78
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 dayWellington $12Cape Town $21
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: $151
- Martinborough Full Day Wine Tour: $169
- Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch: $361
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 comparing the travel costs between Wellington and Cape Town, we can see that Wellington 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 Wellington is in Pacific 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 Wellington Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Wellington or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Wellington. When comparing the sizes of Wellington 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 Wellington or Cape Town?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.
Should I visit Wellington or Cape Town in the Summer?
Both Cape Town and Wellington are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The summer months attract visitors to Wellington because of the beaches, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.
Wellington is cooler than Cape Town in the summer. The daily temperature in Wellington averages around 18°C (64°F) in January, 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 Wellington. Wellington usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during summer. Wellington gets 242 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.
In January, Wellington usually receives more rain than Cape Town. Wellington gets 61 mm (2.4 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 JanuaryWellington 18°C (64°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Wellington or Cape Town in the Autumn?
Both Cape Town and Wellington during the autumn are popular places to visit. The hiking trails and the shopping scene are the main draw to Wellington this time of year.
In the autumn, Wellington is cooler than Cape Town. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Wellington in April average around 15°C (58°F), and Cape Town averages at about 18°C (64°F).
In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, Wellington often gets less sunshine than Cape Town. Wellington gets 163 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun.
Wellington usually gets more rain in April than Cape Town. Wellington gets 82 mm (3.2 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 AprilWellington 15°C (58°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Wellington or Cape Town in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Wellington and Cape Town. Many travelers come to Wellington for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In July, Wellington is generally cooler than Cape Town. Daily temperatures in Wellington average around 10°C (49°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
Wellington usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during winter. Wellington gets 122 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun in the winter.
Wellington gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Wellington usually receives more rain than Cape Town. Wellington gets 111 mm (4.4 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 JulyWellington 10°C (49°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Wellington or Cape Town in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Wellington as well as Cape Town. Many visitors come to Wellington in the spring for the beaches.
Wellington is cooler than Cape Town in the spring. The daily temperature in Wellington averages around 13°C (55°F) in October, and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. In the spring, Wellington often gets less sunshine than Cape Town. Wellington gets 180 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun.
Wellington usually gets more rain in October than Cape Town. Wellington gets 93 mm (3.7 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 OctoberWellington 13°C (55°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Wellington
| Wellington | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 18°C (64°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 18°C (64°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 17°C (62°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (58°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 12°C (54°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 10°C (51°F) | 113 mm (4.4 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 10°C (49°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 10°C (50°F) | 98 mm (3.9 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (53°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 13°C (55°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (58°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 17°C (62°F) | 69 mm (2.7 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.