Cost of trip
How much does a 5-day South Africa trip cost?
A realistic budget for 5 days in South Africa, split into flights, hotels, food, activities, and local transport. Numbers based on our editorial baseline of $110/person/day mid-range — tweak the calculator below for your travel style.
Cost Calculator
🇿🇦 South Africa trip estimate
Estimated total · 2 travelers · 5 days$2,881 – $4,286
Flights
$1,990 – $3,034
Hotels
$325 – $483
Food
$198 – $295
Activities
$162 – $242
Local transport
$135 – $201
Estimates based on aggregate travel cost data, not live booking quotes. Click through for real-time Expedia pricing.
Quick reference: 5 days in South Africa
Budget
$550+
Hostels or budget hotels, street food, public transport, free attractions.
Mid-range
$1,100+
3-star hotels, casual restaurants, paid attractions, occasional taxis.
Luxury
$2,310+
4-5 star hotels, fine dining, private guides, premium experiences.
All totals are for two travelers including flights from the US East Coast. Solo travelers save ~30%; family-of-four roughly doubles.
What drives the cost in South Africa
- Flights: ~17h from NYC, so expect roughly $865 – $1319 round-trip per person at mid-range fares. Compare current fares →
- Accommodation: 45% of the daily budget on average. For 5 days, expect $495 total at mid-range for two.
- Food: 22% of daily spend. $24/person/day mid-range.
- Activities + entrance fees: 18% — varies wildly with what you do.
- Local transport: 15% — taxis, trains, transit passes.