High cost of attending 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa

A lot has been written about the high cost of attending the 2010 soccer world cup in South Africa. While there have been articles and surveys indicating that this is not exactly true, these reports persist. So I decided to do my own investigations.

I found that domestic flights between Cape Town and Durban are still relatively affordable (about R600 each way). In terms of flights between Cape Town and Johannesburg, I found that flights from JNB to CPT are also about R600 but flights to JNB are quite high (between R1400 to R2600). I guess that this indicates that all the action is happening in Johannesburg. However the price increases are not as steep as I anticipated.

In terms of accommodation, I found that prices have increased quite dramatically. For example, I looked at about 5 backpackers accommodation places and found that rates for a backpackers dorm room have increased from approximately R130 per person per night to between R450 to R1000 per person per night. This is quite a steep increase in pricing – even to R450. However, if you look, you are able to find places with very affordable accommodation. As an example, my wife’s company was recently commissioned to develop the website of a new accommodation establishment in Observatory Cape Town called LMR Lodge. LMR Lodge is offering extremely competitive rates.  A dorm room during the World Cup will cost R195 per person per night. A twin room, with an en-suite will cost R295 per person per night during the 2010 soccer world cup. This is extremely affordable – the cheapest I have seen in Cape Town for the World Cup period. The website is www.lmrlodge.co.za.

So it does seem like it is possible to get relatively affordable accommodation and airfare in South Africa during the World Cup.