Exploring Cape Town on a budget : prices, tips and affordable activities
Filmed on : May 2024
Filmed in : Cape Town
Cape Town marked a significant milestone in our 10-month journey across Africa. After traveling through Namibia, we arrived in this iconic city ready to embrace its vibrant culture, stunning landscapes, and delicious cuisine—all while staying on budget. Here’s how we explored Cape Town and its surroundings affordably and how you can too!
Where to Stay on a Budget
Couchsurfing Experience
Our journey began with a stay in a cozy neighborhood with Theodore, our Couchsurfing host. This incredible platform not only provides free accommodation but also an authentic connection with locals. Theodore introduced us to hikes, a steampunk-themed café (seriously, one of the best coffee shops we’ve visited!), and even hosted a traditional South African braai, where we cooked a fresh yellowtail fish. If you've never used the platform before, you might want to give it a try, it's a total game changer in the way to discover the country and its people.
Affordable Hostel: Mo Town
For the next leg of our stay, we moved to Mo Town, a budget-friendly hostel (24€ per room per night) in Sea Point. The private room with shared facilities offered a quiet, comfortable base. This neighborhood is perfect for travelers, with its promenade, ocean views, and access to Mojo Market—a vibrant food and shopping hub.
Top Things to Do in Cape Town
Iconic Landmarks and Neighborhoods
• Table Mountain and Lion’s Head: Don’t miss hiking up these famous peaks for stunning views. For Table Mountain, take the adventurous “Right Face Arrow Face Traverse” if you’re feeling daring. A rotating cable car (€12 per person) is an easy way down after a challenging ascent.
• Bo-Kaap: This colorful neighborhood is a must-visit for its vibrant streets and rich cultural history. Explore for free!
• Greenmarket Square: Pick up affordable souvenirs in the heart of the city, and don’t miss Heaven Coffee, a unique café inside a Methodist Church.
Cape Town Markets
We visited three weekend markets, with The Old Biscuit Mill being our favorite. It offered live music, diverse food options, and art stalls—a perfect way to spend a relaxing afternoon.
Museums and More
• Zeitz MOCAA: Located in a repurposed grain silo near the Waterfront, this museum (€10 entry) is a treasure trove of contemporary African art.
• The Labia Theatre: Cape Town’s oldest independent cinema offers dinner specials and is an excellent budget-friendly evening option. Head to the Prices & Booking page to find the available deals.
A 4-Day Road Trip Beyond Cape Town
Cape Winelands
• Fairview Wine and Cheese Tasting: Only €4 per person for six wine pairings with goat cheese—an absolute bargain!
• Muratie Wine Estate: Step back in time at this historic estate, where the charm lies in its vintage decor (spiderwebs included), 5€ for the standard wine tasting.
• Banhoek Conservancy Hike: A stunning 2.5-hour hike with panoramic views, perfect for those who love nature.
• Alpaca Farm: For just €4, take an alpaca for a walk—a quirky and fun way to spend an afternoon.
Hermanus and Betty’s Bay
• Hermanus: Known for whale watching, we visited slightly out of season but still enjoyed the charming seaside town.
• Betty’s Bay Penguins: For €1.50, you can walk along a boardwalk and see penguins up close. A budget-friendly alternative to the pricier Boulders Beach.
Scenic Drives and Stops
• Clarence Drive (R44): This coastal route offers jaw-dropping views and is a must for road-trippers.
• Muizenberg and Kalk Bay: These laidback towns are perfect for a stroll, with colorful beach huts and antique shops adding to their charm.
Budget breakdown
In 13 days, we spent in total, for the two of us, including everything : 814€.
That's 31€ per person per day, a pretty good budget overall for being Cape Town. Of course, we took advantage of Couchsurfing, free things and also sacrificed comfort a few nights sleeping in our car. Here's the breakdown:
Transportation: 199€ (7.5€/person/day). Biggest expense was the rental car (32€/day). The rest is mostly from taxi rides using Bolt.
Restaurants: 155€ (6€/person/day). We did go a bit crazy on the food as we had been traveling for a long time and here for the first time we got access to a lot of international cuisine. Most of the time we paid less than 13€/meal for two (we usually share food).
Activities & Museums: 127€ (5€/person/day). Expensive tickets were for MOCAA and the cable car. Wine tastings were quite reasonably priced. We avoided expensive activities overall.
Accommodation: 120€ (4.5€/person/day). In the 20-25€ range per night. Hostels or Airbnbs.
Groceries: 100€ (4€/person/day). Sandwiches, breakfast, cold coffee, desserts...
Coffees & Snacks: 87€ (3.5€/person/day). It adds up, we did drink quite a few cappuccinos in our time there.
Drinks: 14€ (0.5€/person/day). Limiting alcohol is key in keeping the budget down. We did drink some wine with Theodore though.
Sim card: 11€. Got a very good deal for 50gb, valid 1 month with Telkom. Instead of a regular plan, it was a sort of mobile hotspot deal meant for sedentary devices we believe. Worked great anyway.
Budget Tips
• Save on Big-Ticket Items: We skipped Boulders Beach (€10) and the Cape of Good Hope (22€) due to high costs, but you can still experience penguins and scenic views for free or for a fraction of the price.
• Coffees do get pricey: In Sea Point or in the center, there are many cute and modern cafés... they are expensive. These small stops will make your stay in Cape Town much more expensive than it needs to be. Limit the coffee and head to the Eatsern Food Bazaar for affordable and generous drinks and food.
• Don't be afraid to rent a car: Having the freedom to drive wherever we wanted, following the Wine Route and then along the coast was the best decision we could have made. The roads are in great condition, the rental prices quite affordable. Safety is not really an issue as long as you stick to main roads and drive during the day. An alternative is booking a tour but of course it's more expensive and much less flexible.
Final Thoughts
Cape Town and its surroundings exceeded our expectations. From breathtaking hikes to unique markets, wine tastings, and unforgettable penguin encounters, this area offers something for everyone—even travelers on a tight budget.
Being in Cape Town felt very different than most our trip throughout Africa, in many ways it looked like we were back home and that feeling was awesome. So, in a sense, it's a smooth introduction to Africa if you've never been. Of course South Africa is much more than this city and from Cape Town we continued our journey, spending a total of 6 weeks in the country. To see more about our Cairo to Cape Town adventure, head to our Instagram and Youtube Channel.
