What Does a Trip to South Africa Cost?

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South Africa is high on many people’s lists for a round trip. And it’s no wonder because this beautiful country has so much to offer. In South Africa, you pay with the South African Rand, and you can find ATMs almost everywhere. You can choose to withdraw cash, but in many places, it’s also no problem to pay with your credit card or debit card. We traveled from Johannesburg to Cape Town in four weeks and kept track of all our expenses. In this article, you’ll find everything about the costs for transportation, hotels, excursions, and food in South Africa. For convenience, we have converted everything to dollars, making it even more comprehensible.

Tip: Never withdraw cash from an ATM when it’s dark. We did this once in Graskop, and someone immediately tried to skim us. Fortunately, we didn’t fall for it, and it ended well. When we told a local about it, he confirmed that it’s very unsafe to withdraw cash in the dark.

Costs for Food and Drinks in South Africa

The costs for food and drinks in South Africa depend greatly on where you choose to eat. We mainly dined at moderately priced restaurants that were well-rated on Tripadvisor. If you don’t choose the most expensive dish on the menu, you can expect to pay between $7 and $10 for a main course. For a well-filled sandwich, you should calculate around $4, and for a cappuccino, the average price is about $2. A 5-liter bottle of water costs $1 at Spar.

Costs for Hotels and Lodges in South Africa

South Africa boasts an abundance of beautiful hotels and lodges. If you’re not averse to a bit of luxury, you’re in for a treat in South Africa. In the Kruger National Park, for example, you can find some incredible lodges that can cost thousands of dollars. Fortunately, there are also many affordable hotels and lodges, so you don’t necessarily have to spend that much money if you want to pamper yourself. During our travels, we always search for beautiful and unique hotels to stay in, and we did the same in South Africa. The average cost for a double room in a good, small-scale hotel is around $56 to $67 per night. See also our favorite hotels and lodges in South Africa to get an idea of the prices.

Costs for Transportation in South Africa

South Africa is the perfect country to rent a car and explore on your own. This is because there are many incredible routes to drive, and you can only do it with a rental car or an organized tour. An organizedtour is much more expensive than renting a car, and it’s not as fun if you ask us.

  • Costs for Car Rental

    The costs of renting a car in South Africa depend on the type of car you choose. Smaller cars start at $34 per day, including full insurance. If you want to read our tips and experiences about renting a car in South Africa, check out our article on renting a car in South Africa.

    • Costs for Gasoline

    In addition to the costs of the car and insurance, you need to consider the costs of gasoline. During our trip through South Africa, we covered quite a distance (about 3,000 km) and spent slightly over $200 on gasoline in total.

    • Costs for Uber

    If you want to travel from point A to point B in major cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg, Uber is ideal to use. Uber is safe, affordable, and eliminates the hassle of parking your car. Since there are so many Ubers available, you never have to wait long for your ride. A 10-minute ride costs approximately $1.80. To use Uber, you need internet on your phone, so it’s advisable to purchase a local SIM card with internet.

    Costs for Tours and Excursions in South Africa

    There are numerous exciting tours and excursions in South Africa. Below, we provide you with an indication of the costs for some of these tours and excursions.

     


  • Tipping in South Africa

    Tipping in South Africa is very common and therefore essential to mention in this article. Tipping is not mandatory, but it is highly appreciated as many people rely on tips for their income. In a restaurant, you will always receive the bill with a pen so you can write down the amount of tip you want to give. It is customary to give about 10% of the total amount. When you park your car, there may often be a parking attendant who looks after your car. If you have parked for less than an hour, 2 to 5 rand is fine. If you have parked for several hours, give 5 to 10 rand. It is also customary to tip when refueling your car. In addition to refueling your car, they will often clean your car windows. A tip of 5 to 10 rand is greatly appreciated.

    Average Daily Costs for South Africa

    Looking at our expenses in South Africa, we arrived at an average daily budget of $56 per person. Please note that this does not include accommodations and flight tickets. This daily budget is based on a trip for two people, as the cost of car rental can be shared. You would need to add the costs of accommodations on top of this. Since every traveler has different preferences when it comes to hotels, these costs can vary greatly for each individual. Want to read all our tips about South Africa? Click on the image below.