Travel Budget for Durban Visit Durban on a Budget or Travel in Style

Durban, Province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

How much does it cost to travel to Durban?

You should plan to spend around $51 (R979) per day on your vacation in Durban. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.

Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:

  • $16 (R299) on meals
  • $13 (R249) on local transportation
  • $48 (R920) on hotels

A one week trip to Durban for two people costs, on average, $719 (R13,702). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.

  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    $51
    R979
  • One Week Per person
    $359
    R6,851
  • 2 Weeks Per person
    $719
    R13,702
  • One Month Per person
    $1,540
    R29,362
  • One Week For a couple
    $719
    R13,702
  • 2 Weeks For a couple
    $1,438
    R27,404
  • One Month For a couple
    $3,081
    R58,724
This data comes from the travel budgets of real travelers - How it works. Put these numbers on your website.


How much does a one week, two week, or one month trip to Durban cost?

A one week trip to Durban usually costs around $359 (R6,851) for one person and $719 (R13,702) for two people. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

A two week trip to Durban on average costs around $719 (R13,702) for one person and $1,438 (R27,404) for two people. This cost includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

Please note, prices can vary based on your travel style, speed, and other variables. If you're traveling as a family of three or four people, the price per person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Two people traveling together for one month in Durban will often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week.

A one month trip to Durban on average costs around $1,540 (R29,362) for one person and $3,081 (R58,724) for two people. The more places you visit, the higher the daily price will become due to increased transportation costs.




Independent Travel

Traveling Independently to Durban has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.

All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.

Is Durban expensive to visit?

Durban is a reasonably affordable place to visit. Located in South Africa, which is a reasonably affordable country, visitors will appreciate the relatively low cost of this destination. It is in the top 10% of cities in the country for its affordability. If you're traveling on a budget, then this is a good destination with affordable accommodation, food, and transportation.

Within Africa, Durban is a reasonably affordable destination compared to other places. It is in the top 25% of cities in Africa for its affordability. You can find more affordable cities such as Merzouga, but there are also more expensive cities, such as Dar es Salaam.

For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Durban Expensive?

How much money do I need for a trip to Durban?

The average Durban trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Durban travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.


Category Cost
Accommodation 1 (Double Occupancy) R920 ($48)
Local Transportation 1 R249 ($13)
Food 2 R299 ($16)
Entertainment 1 R307 ($16)
Alcohol 2 R119 - 356 ($6 - 19)
Accommodation Budget in Durban
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Durban is $24 (R460). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Durban is $48 (R920). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.


  • Accommodation1 Hotel or hostel for one person
    $24
    R460
  • Accommodation1 Typical double-occupancy room
    $48
    R920

Hotel Prices in Durban

Looking for a hotel in Durban? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.

Find the best hotel for your travel style.

 

Actual Hotel Prices
The average hotel room price in Durban based on data provided by Kayak for actual hotel rooms is $63. (Prices in U.S. Dollars, before taxes & fees.)

Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world.


Recommended Properties


Transportation Budget in Durban
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • The cost of a taxi ride in Durban is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $13 (R249) per person, per day, on local transportation in Durban.


  • Transportation1 Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    $13
    R249

Recommended Services


Flights to Durban
How much does it cost to go to Durban? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.

Rental Cars in Durban
The price of renting a car in Durban will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.



Food Budget in Durban
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • While meal prices in Durban can vary, the average cost of food in Durban is $16 (R299) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Durban should cost around $6.27 (R119) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Durban is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.


  • Food2 Meals for one day
    $16
    R299

Recommended


Entertainment Budget in Durban
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • Entertainment and activities in Durban typically cost an average of $16 (R307) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.


  • Entertainment1 Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    $16
    R307

Recommended Activities


Alcohol Budget in Durban
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • The average person spends about $12 (R238) on alcoholic beverages in Durban per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.


  • Alcohol2 Drinks for one day
    $12
    R238

Recommended


Water Budget in Durban
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • On average, people spend $0.98 (R19) on bottled water in Durban per day. The public water in Durban is not usually considered safe to drink.


  • Water2 Bottled water for one day
    $0.98
    R19


Durban On a Budget
Durban Durban, South Africa
The third largest city in South Africa, Durban sits on the east coast of the country in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The city also has the country's most active port. The city's comfortable weather and vast beaches make it one of the country's major tourist centers. There's a population of about 3.5 million in the entire metropolitan area that spreads over 2,295 square kilometers.

Durban was originally founded by British settlers but today there is a large Indian population whose ancestors originally relocated here to work the sugar cane plantations. You'll find both English and Zulu spoken in this city.

Durban's climate is humid subtropical. There are hot and humid summers and warm and dry winters. Summer highs usually stay in the low to mid 80s Fahrenheit while winter highs are in the low to mid 70s Fahrenheit.
Sights
There are a handful of sights and attractions in Durban including the Durban Botanical Gardens, the Mahatma Gandhi Settlement, KwaZulu Natal National Parks and Durban North Japanese Gardens. Also make sure and visit the Golden Mile, which has great beaches and world famous surfing. Crocodile Creek is a great place to see crocodiles as it has over 7000 Nile Crocodiles, Alligators, Caiman, snakes, and other reptiles. Berea is a ridge that looks out over the harbor, city center, and beaches and offers wonderful views of the area.
Neighborhoods
Downtown Durban is where you'll find a large number of tourist attractions including museums and the City Hall. The Golden Mile is the most prominent part of the city. This area has vast stretches of beach that attracts sunbathers, surfers, and bodybuilders. If you're interested in trying surfing for the first time, head to Addington Beach. Three miles from the city center is Kit Beach. This area has the world's best kite-surfing. There are also several more private beaches north of the Golden Mile. These include Country Club Beach, Tekwini Beach, and Laguna Beach. On the southern side of Durban is a Bluff that looks out on the harbor. The area also has Brighton Beach, Cave Rock Beach, Anstey's Beach, and Garvies Beach.

Activities
There are countless activities that you can enjoy in Durban. Water sports are common and you can enjoy surfing, canoeing, snorkeling, and scuba diving. There are some great places to go scuba diving in the area.

It is also worth visiting the Shark Institute, which offers boat tours of the area and will take you out to see the shark nets that protect swimmers and surfers from frequent shark attacks.

Other activities in the area include skydiving, yoga camps, golfing, and shopping.

Festivals in Durban include Poetry Africa, Time of the Writer, the Durban International Film Festival, Jomba! Contemporary Dance Festival, Awesome Africa, Fashion Week, and any number of Hindu Festivals throughout the year.
Food and Dining
Because of the large Indian population, there is no shortage of excellent Indian restaurants throughout the city. Durban curry is a popular dish that can be either hot or mild. Bunny Chow is also a popular local specialty. The dish is made with a hollowed out piece of bread that is filled with a curry of your choosing. The most authentic Indian food can be found at the Indian neighborhoods around Victoria Market.

If you're looking for trendy cafes, head to the Morningside restaurants along Florida Road. This area provides outdoor seating and caters to upscale businessmen.

Transportation
Although there is a bus system in Durban, it is not efficient and generally shouldn't be relied upon. The best way to navigate Durban is by car, but if you plan to rely on a GPS device, or even a street map, make sure it is up to date as it seems many street names have recently changed.

Taxis are a good option for travel if you don't have access to a personal car. Make sure you use a registered taxi, and you will have to call ahead as you can't pick a taxi up from the curb by simply waving it down. Some reliable taxi companies include Umhlanga Rocks Taxis, Eagle Taxi's, Zippy Cabs, and Mozzie Cabs. If you plan to rely on taxis, carry the numbers around with you as you never know when you will need them.

There are also minibus or group taxis. These usually travel a set route on a schedule and are less expensive than metered taxis. They are not particularly convenient for tourists as they usually take locals to and from work.

In the beachfront area there are rickshaws available that are specifically targeted at tourists. They generally offer a ride for entertainment as opposed to convenience.


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We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.



1 Categories averaged on a per-item basis.
2 Categories averaged on a per-day basis.
For example, the Food2 daily average is for all meals for an entire day, while Entertainment1 is for each individual purchase. Thus, the overall daily average cost is not a summation of the individual categories.