KAYAK’s insights & trends for South Africa car rentals
Check out the latest trends and booking tips to rent a car in South Africa with confidence.
How far in advance should you book a rental car in South Africa?
You should book your rental car in South Africa around 7 days before your trip in order to get a below-average price.
What is the cheapest car rental company in South Africa?
In the past 72 hours, the cheapest rental cars were found at CarWiz (C$ 9.48/day), Woodford (C$ 10.72/day), and Sixt (C$ 10.99/day).
What is the most popular rental car in South Africa?
Rentals in the Small category (Class Economy Car or similar) are the most popular option in South Africa, costing C$ 31/day on average. Some users have found deals as low as C$ 15/day.
What is the cheapest month to rent a car in South Africa?
The cheapest month to rent a car in South Africa is June at an average cost of C$ 36/day. November is the most expensive month to rent a car in South Africa when prices are C$ 49/day on average, which tends to be 58% above the yearly average rental price for South Africa.
What rental car company in South Africa has the most locations?
Avis operates 107 locations in South Africa, more than any other rental company.
South Africa car rental price comparison by vehicle type
Find the right rental car in South Africa by comparing prices across vehicle types.
Small
Medium
Large
SUV
Van
Pickup Truck
Luxury
Convertible
Small cars
C$ 24 - C$ 28
All Car Types
C$ 89 - C$ 120
How much does it cost to rent a small car in South Africa?
How much does it cost to rent a medium car in South Africa?
How much does it cost to rent a large car in South Africa?
How much does it cost to rent an SUV in South Africa?
How much does it cost to rent a van in South Africa?
How much does it cost to rent a pickup truck in South Africa?
How much does it cost to rent a luxury car in South Africa?
How much does it cost to rent a convertible in South Africa?
Small car rentals in South Africa typically cost around C$ 26 per day. The best time to book is July, when prices average C$ 24 per day, which is about 8% less than the yearly average. Small cars are usually 76% cheaper than the average rental in South Africa, making them ideal for budget-conscious travellers.
Medium car rentals in South Africa typically cost around C$ 67 per day. The best time to book is June, when prices average C$ 62 per day, which is about 8% less than the yearly average. Medium cars are usually 37% cheaper than the average rental in South Africa, offering a good balance of space and value.
Large car rentals in South Africa typically cost around C$ 89 per day. The best time to book is June, when prices average C$ 76 per day, which is about 15% less than the yearly average. Large cars can be 17% cheaper than the average rental in South Africa, offering more comfort for longer trips at a reasonable price.
SUV rentals in South Africa typically cost around C$ 104 per day. The best time to book is July, when prices average C$ 68 per day, which is about 35% less than the yearly average. SUVs can be 2% cheaper than the average rental in South Africa, providing extra space and capability for groups or road trips at a reasonable price.
Van rentals in South Africa typically cost around C$ 85 per day. The best time to book is July, when prices average C$ 71 per day, which is about 17% less than the yearly average. Vans can be 20% cheaper than the average rental in South Africa, yet they are the best choice for families or groups needing maximum passenger capacity.
Pickup truck rentals in South Africa typically cost around C$ 63 per day. The best time to book is July, when prices average C$ 49 per day, which is about 23% less than the yearly average. Pickup trucks are 41% cheaper than the average rental in South Africa, making them a practical choice for hauling gear or outdoor adventures.
Luxury car rentals in South Africa typically cost around C$ 141 per day. The best time to book is July, when prices average C$ 90 per day, which is about 37% less than the yearly average. Luxury cars are typically 25% more expensive than the average rental in South Africa but deliver premium comfort and style for special occasions.
Convertible rentals in South Africa typically cost around C$ 659 per day. The best time to book is June, when prices average C$ 577 per day, which is about 13% less than the yearly average. Convertibles are typically 84% more expensive than the average rental in South Africa but perfect for scenic drives and warm-weather destinations.
Good to know
Most popular agency
Most popular car type
Average price
Good deal
Woodford
Small
C$ 38/day
C$ 27/day
Top tips for renting a car in South Africa
Navigating the wide South African road network means that you need to understand the different types of roads. The N-routes are national roads that connect large cities and often have tolls. If you take the N1 all the way from Johannesburg to Cape Town, you will drive 1,400 km (more than 850 miles). The R-routes are divided highways, while D-routes are local roads that vary in quality and may require a four-wheel drive to handle them.
If you are bringing your children to South Africa, you need to be aware that any child under the age of three or under 21 kg (about 45 lbs.) must be traveling in a car seat. Children over the age of three are required to wear a seatbelt. Before you leave the airport, you will need to restrain your child in the appropriate child seat, so it is recommended that you bring your own car seat or rent one from your car rental company for around 192 ZAR (13 USD) per day.
If you are keen to cross the border in your rental car in South Africa, you must obtain permission from your car rental company, and you will owe an additional fee. You may be allowed to cross over to Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.
If you need to park your rental car in South Africa, you will find a good choice of spaces in towns and cities, mainly multi-story car lots, along with others at shopping centers. There are also roadside parking spaces, which are metered and which often have attendants.
25% of our users found rental cars in South Africa for C$ 27 or less
Small rental cars in South Africa are around 52% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in South Africa
How much does it cost to rent a car in South Africa?
On average a rental car in South Africa costs C$ 38 per day.
How can I find car rentals near me in South Africa?
Based on car searches on KAYAK, the most popular cities to rent a car in South Africa are Johannesburg (58% of total searches of users looking to rent a car in South Africa), Cape Town (29%) and Durban (4%).
How much does it cost to rent a car for a week in South Africa?
On average a rental car in South Africa costs C$ 268 per week (C$ 38 per day).
How much does it cost to rent a car long term for a month in South Africa?
On average a rental car in South Africa costs C$ 1,149 per month (C$ 38 per day).
What is driving like in South Africa?
When you rent a car in South Africa, you need to remember to drive on the left-hand side of the road. On traffic circles, you will need to give way to the right; however, at four-way stops the driver has priority. All road signs are in English, and there are toll roads connecting national routes to major cities with fees that start from 4.50 ZAR (0.30 USD). It is mandatory to wear a seatbelt when you are driving, and you are not permitted to use a mobile phone unless you have a hands-free kit.
How old do you have to be to rent a car in South Africa?
The age restriction for renting a car in South Africa is 23 years old, and you must have held your license for at least two years. If you are under 25 years old, you may incur a surcharge. You will need to show your valid driver’s license along with your passport to rent a car.
How are gas prices in South Africa?
You will find that the average price of gas is 16.44 ZAR (1.11 USD) per liter or 4.20 USD per gallon, when you rent a car in South Africa. Because the price of fuel is fixed by the government, you do not need to search for the lowest rate at gas stations. You will find that gas stations are full-service and open seven days a week from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, with some open 24h.
What are the speed limits in South Africa?
Before you drive on South African roads, you need to know the national speed limits. On national roads and other major routes, the maximum speed limit is 120 km/h (74 mph), while on rural roads, you may travel up to 100 km/h (62 mph). Through towns and cities, the maximum speed limit is 60 km/h (37 mph).
Car rental directory
keddy by Europcar car rental locations in South Africa
142 Locations
Bluu car rental locations in South Africa
127 Locations
Avis car rental locations in South Africa
107 Locations
Sunnycars car rental locations in South Africa
107 Locations
Bidvest car rental locations in South Africa
105 Locations
Budget car rental locations in South Africa
98 Locations
Europcar car rental locations in South Africa
90 Locations
1First Car Rental car rental locations in South Africa
80 Locations
Firefly car rental locations in South Africa
69 Locations
Sixt car rental locations in South Africa
64 Locations
Tempest Car Hire car rental locations in South Africa
56 Locations
Hertz car rental locations in South Africa
52 Locations
Car rental locations in South Africa
Everything you need to know for your car rental in South Africa
The rates displayed include all taxes and fees for car rentals for the class listed and were found by KAYAK users in the last 48 hours. Offers are subject to change and may not be available on all car rentals listed or dates of travel. Some car rental providers charge additional fees for other services (GPS, infant car seats, etc.). Please check the car rental providers' sites.
We value your privacy
KAYAK and its partners wish to use cookies or similar technologies to store and/or access information on and about your device and process personal data such as your IP address, device identifiers etc., in order to improve your experience on the site, to analyze navigation, to offer and measure personalized advertising, and to facilitate sharing on social networks. We also allow the use of third-party cookies (including those from our advertising partners) on our sites.
By clicking 'Accept', you consent to your data being processed by 0 vendors on this web site for the purposes described in this notice. You can review the vendors and their individual processing purposes on the .
To review individual processing purposes and cookie categories, please click ’Select individual purposes’. You can review and update your choices anytime by clicking the ’Privacy Preferences’ link in the page side navigation.
