Honest numbers — by budget tier, by category and by month. Plus an interactive planner that adds it all up in ZAR.
These are realistic all-in daily budgets — accommodation, food, transport and one activity per day. Flight and visas excluded.
Hostel dorm on Long Street, street food and markets, MyCiTi bus for local travel. Hike Table Mountain free, pay for Robben Island selectively.
Self-catering apartment in Sea Point or guesthouse in De Waterkant. Dinner at a proper restaurant 3–4 nights. Uber instead of buses.
Camps Bay villa or Twelve Apostles hotel. Tasting menus at La Colombe or The Test Kitchen. Private driver for day trips.
Adjust the sliders to match your plans. The total updates live. Flight not included.
Estimated total trip cost
Breakdown
Cape Town's peak season is December–February (Southern hemisphere summer). Prices spike significantly — but for good reason.
The best weather: 25–32°C, long days, all attractions open. Accommodation prices 40–80% higher than shoulder season. Book 3+ months ahead. Busy beaches and popular restaurants fill up fast.
Still warm (18–25°C), quieter than summer, prices dropping. The Old Biscuit Mill harvest season for the Winelands. Excellent time to visit — our top recommendation for value and experience combined.
Cape Town's rainy season — cold fronts and grey days, but never freezing (10–18°C). Whale watching peaks in August at Hermanus. Hotels at their cheapest. The city's indoor food and art scene is exceptional year-round.
Wildflowers bloom across the Cape Flats and West Coast. Whale watching still excellent. Table Mountain and the Peninsula look their greenest. Prices begin climbing toward November — book ahead.