How to Save Money When You Visit Cape Town (Updated 2023)

Posted: 5/12/2023 | May twelfth, 2023

Cape Town is without doubt one of the most pretty towns on this planet. With its surprising seashores, towering mountains, and colourful cultures, it must come as no wonder that it’s a well-liked hub for….neatly, everyone. It’s a spot that sucks guests in. I’ve lots of pals who’ve long gone there and ended up staying for months.

And, although it’s a moderately reasonably priced vacation spot (I’m speaking $2 USD cocktails), I all the time like to provide folks with guidelines and methods on how to get monetary savings to eek out the ones further financial savings.

To permit you to get monetary savings while you seek advice from, right here’s how to seek advice from Cape Town on the cheap (there’s just a few issues you wish to have to know as town is already very reasonably priced for guests):

1. Visit right through the low season

Cape Town’s top vacationer season is December via February, when town is stuffed with hordes of holiday makers having a look get away the chilly of the wintry weather within the Northern Hemisphere. Prices for the entirety from actions to lodging are notoriously prime right through those months. If you’ll, plan your go back and forth for the shoulder season (March via May or September via November) when costs are a lot more affordable. That on my own will prevent a fortune!
 

2. Consider staying in a hostel

Accommodation is without doubt one of the greatest bills when touring, and Cape Town isn’t any exception. Thankfully, there’s quite a lot of lodging kinds to make a choice from — from guesthouses to resorts to temporary leases. If you’re on a decent finances, hostels are the most cost effective choice. However, should you’re searching for one thing nicer, you’ll nonetheless in finding nice offers on Airbnb or Booking.com should you e-book no less than 3 months prematurely.

Once issues promote out and there are fewer choices, resort costs skyrocket, so be sure no longer to go away it till the final minute.
 

3. Utilize ridesharing apps

The MyCiti bus machine is a well-liked and reasonably priced manner to get round, nevertheless it’s no longer all the time the most secure, particularly at night time. Instead, use ridesharing apps like Uber or Bolt. It’s more secure, sooner, and nonetheless very reasonable through Western requirements.

The moderate value for a brief experience is 30-50 ZAR ($1.65–2.75 USD), and should you’re making plans on the usage of ridesharing steadily, it may well be price getting an Uber Pass for 100 ZAR ($5 USD), which will provide you with a ten% cut price on each and every experience.

If you’re staying for a month or extra, renting a car for approximately $300–500 USD per thirty days can be a just right choice — however bear in mind that fuel and parking charges would possibly upload up to be greater than it will value to use a ridesharing app. For the most efficient automobile condominium costs, use Discover Cars.
 

4. Opt for home made tours

If you wish to have to avoid wasting money, hire a automobile and splitting the price of visiting puts with pals or different vacationers. One of the most well liked tours is a Cape Peninsula excursion, which begins in Cape Town and forestalls in more than a few vacationer locations, just like the well-known penguin colony in Boulders Beach earlier than completing at Cape Point. These excursions value anyplace from 545 to 860 ZAR consistent with individual, no longer together with park entrances.

Alternatively, you’ll get an inexpensive automobile condominium for 450 ZAR consistent with day and slash the price considerably through splitting it between folks. Not simplest is it inexpensive to plan tours your self, nevertheless it will provide you with the versatility of doing the go back and forth at your recreational and preventing anyplace you wish to have, with out feeling rushed.

Other fashionable journeys, similar to visiting wine nation and whale observing in Hermanus, also are simply available by yourself.

For a listing of fashionable actions and tours, take a look at Get Your Guide.
 

5. Take a unfastened strolling excursion

One of the primary issues I do after I arrive in a brand new vacation spot is take a unfastened strolling excursion. It’s one of the simplest ways to get the lay of the land, see the principle highlights, and connect to a neighborhood information that may proportion insider guidelines and recommendation.

Free Walking Tour Cape Town runs day by day unfastened excursions in English — no advance reserving required. (Just be sure to tip your information on the finish!)
 

6. Look for inexpensive eats

Eating out can also be reasonably reasonably priced round Cape Town. Most eating places, even within the extra tourist-centered spaces, have meals starting from $5 to $10 USD consistent with meal (or even inexpensive at some puts).

Vagabond Kitchens is an excellent spot for reasonably priced wraps and fast foods, and Giovanni’s has a deli counter with scrumptious, home-style foods usually underneath $5 USD. Eastern Food Bazaar and Mojo Market (in Sea Point) are two different reasonable choices as neatly.

In addition, meals supply apps frequently have offers that make it even inexpensive than in individual. If you get Uber Pass, you’ll get a cut price on Uber Eats as neatly, and coupled with the buy-one-get-one-free promos and different meal offers which are constantly marketed at more than a few eating places, this can also be even inexpensive than cooking for your self.
 

7. Use cut price websites

In addition to meals supply reductions, internet sites similar to Hyperli and Wikideals are fashionable inside of South Africa for discounted meals, beverages, and actions.

If you might be touring in a couple, The Entertainer app may be a good way to get buy-one-get-one-free provides on food and drink round the city.

Before reserving tours or going out to devour, I’d counsel checking those websites to see if there are any offers you’ll get — there are some nice ones!
 

8. Look free of charge (or reasonable) actions

Cape Town is domestic to numerous unfastened (or reasonable) actions and points of interest. Here’s a listing to permit you to have a laugh on the cheap:

• Hike up Table Mountain
• Visit the District Six Museum
• Hit the seaside
• Hike up Lion’s Head
• Visit Slave Lodge
• Watch the sundown from Signal Hill

For extra tips, take a look at my information to Cape Town. It has lots of budget-friendly tips!

By timing your go back and forth properly, discovering reasonably priced lodging, applying protected and inexpensive transportation choices, making plans your personal tours, and being selective about your actions, you’ll experience the entire wonders of this surprising town with out breaking the financial institution.