Cape Town from the UK: what a trip really costs
What a day costs in Cape Town, when to go, the visa for British travellers and the sights not to miss. Every figure comes from Trip720's checked data, with its source. Updated 21 Oct 2026.
Plan my Cape Town tripDay to day in Cape Town, per person
| Style | Food | With transport |
|---|---|---|
| Street food and markets | £28 | £31 |
| A balanced mix | £37 | £40 |
| Mostly restaurants | £43 | £45 |
- Local transport: about £3 a day. Taxi: £1 to start, then £0.82 a km.
- Cooking for yourself: about £5 a day for food.
- Tipping: about 10% where service is good.
Your stay, flights and activities come on top: the planner prices them for your dates. Sources: numbeo.com, budgetyourtrip.com, myciti.org.za; in GBP at today's rate.
When to go
22°F
22°M
21°A
19°M
18°J
16°J
16°A
16°S
17°O
18°N
19°D
21°
The most pleasant months are July to May. February is the driest month (9 mm of rain) and June the wettest (91 mm).
Bars: rain each month; green: the most pleasant months. Numbers: average daytime high. Source: NASA POWER climatology.
Visa for British travellers
No visa needed for a holiday
Official source: gov.uk, checked 2026-10-01. Rules change: your plan checks your own passport when you build it.
Not to miss in Cape Town
District Six Museummuseum · a couple of hours
Zeitz MOCAAmuseum · a couple of hours
Robben Islandhistoric site · half a dayFerries from the V&A Waterfront; book well ahead and allow about 3.5 hours
Groot Constantiawinery · a couple of hours
Neethlingshof Estatewinery · a couple of hours
Boschendalwinery · a couple of hours- Grande Provencewinery · a couple of hours
Babylonstorenwinery · half a day- Pink Valley Wineswinery · a couple of hours
Closed Mondays
Table Mountain Aerial Cablewaymountain · half a dayBuy tickets online; the cable car does not run in strong wind, so go on the first clear day
From our research of travel guides; ticket prices from Tiqets when we found them. Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licences.
Questions travellers ask
How much does a day in Cape Town cost?
Food and getting around come to about £31 a person a day eating street food, £40 with a balanced mix and £45 eating mostly in restaurants, before your stay and activities.
When is the best time to visit Cape Town?
The most pleasant months are July to May. February is the driest month (9 mm of rain) and June the wettest (91 mm); daytime highs run from 16 to 22 °C over the year.
Do British travellers need a visa for South Africa?
No visa needed for a holiday. Checked on gov.uk on 2026-10-01; rules change, so check again before you book.
What should I not miss in Cape Town?
District Six Museum, Zeitz MOCAA, Robben Island, Groot Constantia, Neethlingshof Estate.
Your whole Cape Town trip, priced from your door
Trip720 adds the flights from the UK, the stays, transfers, food, activities and the visa for your dates and budget, home to home.
Plan my Cape Town trip