Quick answer: Cape Town runs about EUR 75 per day mid-range - noticeably less if you eat local and walk. Cheapest window: November–March (summer, dry).
What things actually cost
| flat white at a specialty cafe | 2.00 EUR |
| craft beer at a taproom | 2.50 EUR |
| sit-down dinner main course | 9-13 EUR |
| Uber across town | 3-5 EUR |
| Table Mountain cableway return | about 22 EUR |
| glass of local wine | 3 EUR |
Eat well for little
- Gatsby sandwicha massive Cape Town-only sub stuffed with fries and masala steak, around 5 EUR and enough for two
- Cape Malay bobotie in Bo-Kaapspiced baked mince with egg custard topping, about 8 EUR at a local canteen
- Neighbourgoods Market at the Old Biscuit Mill (Saturdays)graze on everything from bunny chow to oysters for 10-15 EUR
- Truth Coffee on Buitenkant Streetsteampunk roastery often ranked among the world's best cafes, flat white about 2 EUR
- Braai platter with boerewors and snoek at a Kalk Bay harbour spot - grilled fish straight off the boat, 10-12 EUR
Money mistakes to avoid
- Going up Table Mountain without checking the weather webcam first - the 'tablecloth' cloud rolls in fast and the cableway closes in wind, so go the first clear morning you get
- Hailing street taxis or walking long distances after darkuse Uber door to door instead, it is cheap and the standard here
- Not renting a car or booking a tour for the Cape Peninsulapublic transport barely covers Chapman's Peak, Cape Point and Boulders Beach
- Visiting in December-January without booking aheadit is peak local holiday season and prices for stays and restaurants jump sharply
Transport without the tourist tax
From the airport take an Uber to the City Bowl, about 20 minutes and 12-15 EUR. In town Uber is the default and rarely costs more than 3-5 EUR per hop; the MyCiTi bus works well along the Atlantic seaboard for about 1 EUR a ride.
Planning the full trip? Start with the 5-day Cape Town itinerary.