Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Zurich?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zurich 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 Zurich 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: Zurich or Cape Town?
Zurich
Zurich has the biggest connection for trains in Switzerland. It also has the country's biggest and busiest airport. Because of its importance as a transportation center, it is likely to be the first place you visit in Switzerland. It is the financial capital of the country (although, contrary to what you may have thought, not the political capital). It has many international companies, and is home to the country's stock exchange.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Switzerland, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Switzerland, 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 dayZurich $271Cape Town $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Zurich is $271, 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 Zurich and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZurich $171Cape Town $39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZurich $342Cape Town $78
Compare Hotels in Zurich and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Zurich 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: Zurich Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zurich $36Cape Town $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Zurich
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Zurich:
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City Pass (2)$29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zurich
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zurich:
- Zurich:Transfer and Ticket to Lindt Home of Chocolate Museum: $110
- Transfer from/to Hotel - Airport: $161
- Private Transfer to/from Zurich Airport: $109
- One-Way Private Airport Transfer: $133
- 1-Way Private Transfer from the airport to Zurich: $190
- Zurich Private Airport and Hotels Transfer, One-way or Round-Trip: $148
- Zurich Airport: Private Transfer to/from Zurich City: $110
- Zurich Airport: Private Transfer to/from Lucerne: $254
- Zurich Airport: Private Transfer to Greater Zurich Area: $110
- Zurich Airport: Private Transfer from Greater Zurich Area: $110
- Zurich Airport: Private Transfer Zurich Airport to Lucerne: $320
- Zurich Airport: Private Lucerne Transfer by Mercedes: $395
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers: $11
- Private Airport Transfers in Cape Town- One way/Round Trips: $16
- 1.Cape Town Airport Transfer (&Private tour trips during yo Stay): $17
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Cape Town City Center (CBD) to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Claremont to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Exclusive Cape Town Airport and Cruise Terminal Transfers: $18
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer to Camps Bay Cape Town: $18
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer to Muizenberg Cape Town : $18
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $18
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer from Airport to Constantia: $18
- Transport Shuttle Transfer from Constantia to Cape Town Airport: $18
- 24 hour Private Airport Shuttle and Transfer CBD: $19
Is it cheaper to fly into Zurich or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Zurich 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 dayZurich $62Cape Town $42
Typical Food Prices in Zurich
Some typical examples of dining costs in Zurich are as follows:
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Breakfast for 2$13
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.Zurich $36Cape Town $23
Tours and Activities in Zurich
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zurich are as follows:
- (STTZ01) - Zurich Open Top Bus Sightseeing Tour : $24
- 007-Elegance: Exclusive Private Tour Schilthorn from Zürich: $633
- 3 Hours Private Tour Around Zurich: $222
- 3 in 1: Zurich Walking Tour - Cruise on the Lake - Cable Car Ride to Felsenegg: $100
- Alpine Majesty: Private Tour to Mount Titlis from Zürich: $656
- Alpine Majesty:Zürich to Jungfraujoch Exclusive Private Tour: $808
- Beer Tasting Tour in Zurich: $128
- Best Intro Tour of Zurich with a Local: $155
- Best of Zürich & Surroundings: Walking Tour, Cable Car and Ferry: $89
- Best of Zürich: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in English: $7.95
- Best of Zurich Tour with Felsenegg Cable Car and Ferry Ride : $73
- Bike Private Tour with Pickup and Drop off From Zurich: $115
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
- District Six Museum Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket: $3.24
- Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $3.60
- Kirstenbosch: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.99
- Cape Town 30-minute V&A Harbour Cruise: $4.15
- Hop-On Hop-Off Cape Town Canal Cruise: $4.15
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Down): $4.35
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Up): $4.35
- 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
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: Amble along the amazing False Bay Coast on an audio tour: $5.20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZurich $30Cape Town $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Zurich
Also in Zurich, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl Nightlife Tour with Shots and Snacks: $33
- Informative wine tasting with Italian appetizers in the secure wine cellar: $155
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 Zurich and Cape Town, we can see that Zurich is more expensive. And not only is Cape Town much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Zurich 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 Zurich would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Zurich 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 Zurich Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zurich or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Zurich. When comparing the sizes of Zurich 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 Zurich 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 Zurich has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Zurich or Cape Town in the Summer?
Both Cape Town and Zurich during the summer are popular places to visit. The music scene and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Zurich this time of year.
Zurich is around the same temperature as Cape Town in the summer. The daily temperature in Zurich averages around 21°C (70°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. It's quite sunny in Zurich. In the summer, Zurich often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin January. Zurich gets 241 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun.
Zurich usually gets more rain in July than Cape Townin January. Zurich gets 89 mm (3.5 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 JanuaryZurich 21°C (70°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Zurich or Cape Town in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Zurich and Cape Town. Many travelers come to Zurich for the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Zurich is cooler than Cape Town. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Zurich in October average around 13°C (56°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. Zurich usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during autumn. Zurich gets 120 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Zurich usually receives more rain than Cape Townin April. Zurich gets 70 mm (2.8 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 AprilZurich 13°C (56°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Zurich or Cape Town in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Zurich as well as Cape Town. Many visitors come to Zurich in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Zurich can get quite cold in the winter. In January, Zurich is generally much colder than Cape Townin July. Daily temperatures in Zurich average around 3°C (37°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
In the winter, Zurich often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin July. Zurich gets 55 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun.
Zurich usually gets less rain in January than Cape Townin July. Zurich gets 77 mm (3 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 JulyZurich 3°C (37°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Zurich or Cape Town in the Spring?
Both Cape Town and Zurich are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Zurich for the natural beauty during these months.
Zurich is cooler than Cape Town in the spring. The daily temperature in Zurich averages around 12°C (53°F) in April, and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F)in October.
It's quite sunny in Cape Town. Zurich usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during spring. Zurich gets 150 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Zurich usually receives more rain than Cape Townin October. Zurich gets 79 mm (3.1 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 OctoberZurich 12°C (53°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Zurich
| Zurich | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (37°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 5°C (40°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 8°C (46°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (53°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 16°C (60°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 19°C (66°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 21°C (70°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 21°C (69°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (64°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 13°C (56°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (39°F) | 83 mm (3.3 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.