Car Rental in South Africa
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The above prices are only approximate and were last updated at 11:36 on 2020-10-24. Prices may vary based on the booking dates, length of rental, and car class.
Travel Information
Language
IsiZulu,
IsiXhosa,
Afrikaans
IsiXhosa,
Afrikaans
Currency
ZAR
Country code
27
Average car rental length
6 days
Economy car rental price
$15.85 / per day
Traffic direction
Left-hand
Speed limit out of town
100 km/h
62 mi/h
Speed limit within town
40 km/h
25 mi/h
Acceptable limit of BAC
0.05%
Why rent a car in South Africa?
South Africa offers everything from large cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg to nature areas and an extensive coastline. The large distances can sometimes feel overwhelming, but the road network is generally in good shape and even if you choose to stick to just one region of the country, you’ll most likely end up being surprised by the incredible diversity that you’ll find.
If you want to know more about renting a car in South Africa, don't miss our complete guide.
One-way Car Rentals in South Africa
Here are the most popular one-way rental options for pickup in South Africa and drop off in another country:
- From South Africa to Namibia - 92 offers from US$ 45.12 per day
- From South Africa to Lesotho - 10 offers from US$ 27.07 per day
- From South Africa to Botswana - 35 offers from US$ 31.48 per day
- From South Africa to Swaziland - 10 offers from US$ 27.07 per day
Top ways to enter South Africa
- Cape Town Airport: The fifth-busiest in Africa, this airport serves not only Cape Town, but also the wider Western Cape Region.
- Johannesburg Tambo Airport: South Africa’s busiest airport serves nearly 30 million passengers annually.
- Durban King Shaka Airport: Named after a leader of the Zulu nation, Durban serves not only domestic routes, but also flights to and from many other African countries like Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique, and Ghana, as well as destinations in Europe and the Middle East.
- By land: If your rental car provider permits it and if you have the right visa and other documentation, it’s possible to rent a car in a neighboring country and then drive to South Africa. Some large international airports near South Africa are Gaborone Airport in Botswana, Maputo Airport in Mozambique, and Harare Airport in Zimbabwe.
Top cities and places to visit
- Cape Town: One of the most popular city destinations in Africa, Cape Town is home to the Cape of Good Home, Table Mountain, a large wine region, and an extensive sea coast.
- Johannesburg: Huge and hugely impressive, Johannesburg is home to interesting museums and great cuisine from all over Africa. Many great national parks are also nearby.
- Durban: The city on the Indian Ocean has many natural landmarks, opportunities for water sports, and the famous Crocodile Creek.
- Eastern Cape: This regions is best known for having one half of the beautiful Garden Route (that starts in Western Cape), as well as its surfing towns and villages, but the Addo Elephant National Park and the Tsitsikamma National Park shouldn’t be overlooked, either.
- Limpopo: Something of an unknown quantity up to this day, the South African region bordering Mozambique and Zimbabwe is best known for the beautiful Kruger National Park.
Most popular rental car
The most popular rental car in South Africa are the VW Polo. The Toyota Corolla and the Chevrolet Spark are also popular choices.
Most popular types of rental car
The most popular rental car types in South Africa are economy, mini, and compact.
Top driving routes
- Cape Town - Port Elizabeth (282 km / 175 mi) It’s a long road between the capitals of Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces, but many travelers still choose to do it because of the many nature reserves, coastal areas, and the beautiful Garden Route that are on the way.
- Johannesburg - Durban (568 km / 353 mi) The two great cities of Eastern South Africa are about six hours apart. Many travelers also choose to visit Lesotho that is on the way, but if you’d like to do the same, first make sure that your rental car provider permits it as you’d be entering another country.
- Johannesburg - Nelspruit (341 km / 212 mi) Cozy Mbombela, still often referred to by its former name, Nelspruit, is about four hours drive east of Johannesburg.
Car Rental Prices
- Station wagons - from $51 per day
- Large cars - from $30 per day
- Medium cars - from $19 per day
- People Carriers/Vans - from $57 per day
- Premium cars - from $51 per day
- Small cars - from $15 per day
- SUVs - from $51 per day
How can I save money on my rental car?
You can do a number of things to get a good car rental deal in South Africa:
- Compare rates of different rental car providers
- Book your rental car well in advance
- Plan your route before you go
- Know your fuel and mileage requirements
- Visit on the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting South Africa is the cheapest in May when renting a car is about 29% cheaper than the yearly average and about 56% cheaper than renting a car in November.
Top 17 Most Popular Cities in South Africa
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Car Rental in Johannesburg from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental in Cape Town from $9.41 per day
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Car Rental in Durban from $11.44 per day
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Car Rental in Port Elizabeth from $8.87 per day
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Car Rental in Pretoria from $11.17 per day
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Car Rental in East London from $10.53 per day
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Car Rental in Nelspruit from $12.98 per day
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Car Rental in Bloemfontein from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental in George from $9.77 per day
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Car Rental in Pietermaritzburg from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental in Polokwane from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental in Richards Bay from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental in Kimberley from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental in Upington from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental in Stellenbosch from $11.17 per day
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Car Rental in Sishen from $9.48 per day
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Car Rental in Hermanus from $11.17 per day
Top 20 Most Popular Locations in South Africa
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Car Rental at Cape Town Airport from $9.41 per day
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Car Rental at O.R. Tambo International Airport from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental at Johannesburg Lanseria Airport from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental at King Shaka International Airport from $10.19 per day
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Car Rental at Port Elizabeth Airport from $10.53 per day
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Car Rental at Wonderboom Airport from $12.33 per day
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Car Rental at East London Airport from $10.53 per day
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Car Rental in Cape Town (Downtown) from $20.51 per day
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Car Rental at Bloemfontein Airport from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental at George Airport from $9.77 per day
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Car Rental at Pietermaritzburg Airport from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental at Pretoria Hatfield from $11.17 per day
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Car Rental at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport from $10.19 per day
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Car Rental at Polokwane Airport from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental at Nelspruit Airport from $12.93 per day
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Car Rental in Port Elizabeth (Downtown) from $8.87 per day
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Car Rental at Richards Bay Airport from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental at Kimberley Airport from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental at Upington Airport from $9.88 per day
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Car Rental in East London (Downtown) from $9.30 per day
Map of Car Rental Locations
Which is the cheapest month to rent a car in South Africa?
The cost of renting a car in South Africa depends on the time of year. This graph compares price changes from month to month in order to find the best offer.
Average Rental Price in South Africa
The cheapest month of the year to rent a car in South Africa is May — prices start from $29.82 for an Economy class vehicle. This is 32% cheaper than the yearly average and 59% cheaper than renting a car in the month of November (when prices start at $73.00 for a Compact class). This information can help you identify the low season. But these are only average numbers. The exact price for your trip will depend on the length of your rental and the number of days until your rental period begins. Just enter your dates in the form at the top of the page to see exact prices and offers.
What’s the average rental length in South Africa?
The average length differs from month to month. The longest rental periods are in January — an average of 13 days. The shortest are in June — an average of 7 days.
Average Rental Length in South Africa
What’s the most popular time for renting a car in South Africa?
Discover Cars users search for cars in a lot of locations daily. We gathered this information in order to analyze car rental popularity in South Africa. The most popular month is October, while the least popular is June.
Popularity of Car Rental in South Africa by Monthly Searches
Most Popular Car Models of Rental Suppliers
| Rental Agency | Model | Doors | Luggage | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefly | Renault Clio | 5 | 2 | Small cars |
| Bidvest | Kia Picanto | 4 | 1 | Small cars |
| Hertz | Renault Clio | 5 | 2 | Small cars |
| Firefly | Datsun Go | 5 | 1 | Small cars |
| Hertz | Chevrolet Spark | 5 | Small cars | |
| Hertz | Toyota Corolla | 4 | 1 | Medium cars |
| Budget | VW Polo | 4 | 2 | Small cars |
| Hertz | Toyota RAV 4 | 5 | 2 | SUVs |
| Hertz | Toyota Corolla | 4 | 2 | Medium cars |
| Hertz | Toyota Fortuner | 5 | 1 | SUVs |
Our Customers Reviews
LH
South Africa
Kia Picanto
February 26, 2020
The Cape Coast is very beautiful. A definite must is Paternoster. But please don't buy the Crayfish, they are on our red list and in short supply.
SR
South Africa
Renault Clio
February 25, 2020
Stick on highway to airport for as long as possible. Don't go through the suburb's
DM
South Africa
Toyota Corolla
September 29, 2019
Booked online and everything was ready and waiting at the arranged time
MM
Swaziland
Chevrolet Spark
September 5, 2019
Capetown is OK.
BM
Australia
Nissan Almera
July 18, 2019
Easy driving within Cape Town and along the Garden Route
ND
South Africa
VW Polo
July 10, 2019
Durban is my home. I don’t like it that much coz I’ve lived there my whole life. But travelers can definitely find value for money at hertz.
DD
United States of America (USA)
VW Polo
March 1, 2019
As an American I had to get used to driving on a different side of the road.
SM
Australia
Hyundai Accent
February 12, 2019
Obviously table mountain and the waterfront are big ones, however Chapman drive to all the smaller towns is also amazing.
SJ
United Kingdom
Chevrolet Aveo 5d
January 3, 2019
Great destination. Easy to drive around.
Top 9 Suppliers in South Africa in 2020
Hertz
+270283124479
1 Myrtle Lane, Hermanus 7200
Working hours
Mon:09:00-16:00
Tue:09:00-16:00
Wed:09:00-16:00
Thu:09:00-16:00
Fri:09:00-16:00
Keddy
+27123423912
1011 PRETORIUS STREET
Working hours
Mon:06:00-20:00
Tue:06:00-20:00
Wed:06:00-20:00
Thu:06:00-20:00
Fri:06:00-20:00
Sat:07:00-17:00
Sun:07:00-17:00
SIXT
+27214221480
Hertzog Blvd cnr C. Barnard St 8001 Cape Town
Bidvest
+27283130526
34 Main Rd, Hermanus, 7200
Working hours
Mon:08:00-17:00
Tue:08:00-17:00
Wed:08:00-17:00
Thu:08:00-17:00
Fri:08:00-17:00
Europcar
+27123423912
1011 PRETORIUS STREET
Working hours
Mon:06:00-20:00
Tue:06:00-20:00
Wed:06:00-20:00
Thu:06:00-20:00
Fri:06:00-20:00
Sat:07:00-17:00
Sun:07:00-17:00
Budget
+27219278800
Cape Town International Apt
Working hours
Mon:00:00-23:59
Tue:00:00-23:59
Wed:00:00-23:59
Thu:00:00-23:59
Fri:00:00-23:59
Sat:00:00-23:59
Sun:00:00-23:59
Avis
+27137501015
Nelspruit Airport, Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, Nelspruit, 1200, South Africa
Working hours
Mon:06:30-19:30
Tue:06:30-19:30
Wed:06:30-19:30
Thu:06:30-19:30
Fri:06:30-19:30
Thrifty ZA
+270123429033 / +270636940983
1301 Stanza Bopape Street, Hatfield, Pretoria, 1110
Working hours
Mon:08:00-17:00
Tue:08:00-17:00
Wed:08:00-17:00
Thu:08:00-17:00
Fri:08:00-17:00
Sat:08:30-12:30
GreenMotion
+27215559561 / +27836274411
341 Koeberg Road
Working hours
Mon:08:00-17:00
Tue:08:00-17:00
Wed:08:00-17:00
Thu:08:00-17:00
Fri:08:00-17:00
Sat:08:00-11:00
