The headline daily rate is only part of what a rental costs in Cape Town. Season, rental length, the car class, your cover choice, airport or delivery fees, the 1% tourism levy and the security deposit all change the number you actually pay. Below we break down each component using our own published Mylz Rentals prices as worked examples — so you can compare like for like with any quote, ours or anyone else's. All prices are in South African rand, include 15% VAT, and are correct as at October 2026.
Price ranges by category
Mylz is a premium fleet, so our cheapest car is a new automatic VW Polo rather than an older entry-level hatch. These are our standard daily rates, before seasonal adjustments:
| Category | Example models | Daily rate | Daily km included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compact | VW Polo, Audi A1 | R649 – R899 | 200 – 250 km |
| Executive sedan | BMW 320i, Mercedes C200 | R1,449 – R1,499 | 250 km |
| Double-cab bakkie | Toyota Hilux Legend, Ford Ranger Raptor | R1,399 – R2,499 | 250 – 300 km |
| Premium SUV | Toyota Fortuner 4x4, BMW X5 | R1,599 – R2,899 | 300 km |
| Electric | Volvo EX30, BMW iX | R1,799 – R3,299 | Unlimited |
| People carrier | Toyota Quantum, Mercedes V-Class | R1,899 – R2,799 | 300 km |
| Luxury | Range Rover Sport, S-Class, Porsche 911 | R4,499 – R8,999 | 200 – 250 km |
For context, the wider Cape Town market includes budget operators renting older or smaller manual cars for considerably less. If the lowest possible price is your priority, those are worth comparing — just compare the excess, deposit and kilometre limits too, not only the daily rate. Browse our full Cape Town car hire range or the luxury car hire collection for live availability.
Peak vs low season
Cape Town's busiest period is the summer school holidays over Christmas and New Year, when international arrivals and local holidaymakers peak at the same time. Easter is the second spike. Across the market, prices climb and availability tightens in these windows — sometimes sharply for SUVs and 7-seaters.
| Rule | When | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Festive season | Pick-ups 10 Dec 2026 – 10 Jan 2027 | +25% |
| Easter weekend | Pick-ups 25 – 30 Mar 2027 | +15% |
| Weekend getaway | Friday pick-ups | +5% |
| Early bird | Booked 30+ days ahead | −7% |
Adjustments combine, so a festive-season car booked more than a month ahead costs 18% above the base rate rather than 25%. Outside these windows our rates don't change by month. Market-wide, the quietest (and usually cheapest) time to rent is the Cape winter, roughly May to August — also the season when Chapman's Peak is most often closed by weather.
Daily vs weekly vs monthly rates
Longer rentals unlock lower daily rates automatically. Rentals of 7 days or more use the weekly rate; 28 days or more use the monthly rate.
| Model | 1–6 days | 7–27 days | 28+ days |
|---|---|---|---|
| VW Polo 1.0 TSI | R649 | R579 | R469 |
| Mercedes-Benz C200 | R1,499 | R1,349 | R1,099 |
| Toyota Fortuner 2.8 4x4 | R1,599 | R1,429 | R1,199 |
| Volvo EX30 | R1,799 | R1,599 | R1,349 |
| Mercedes-Benz V-Class | R2,799 | R2,499 | R2,099 |
| Range Rover Sport | R4,499 | R3,999 | R3,399 |
A 30-day Polo rental works out at R469 × 30 = R14,070 before fees — about 28% less per day than booking day by day. For stays of a month or more, see long-term car rental in Cape Town.
Two worked examples
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Rental: 7 days × R579 (weekly rate) | R4,053.00 |
| Airport meet & greet | R350.00 |
| Contract fee | R99.00 |
| Tourism levy (1%) | R40.53 |
| Total (VAT incl.) | R4,542.53 |
| Refundable deposit | R2,500 hold |
Adding Signature Cover (7 × R249 = R1,743) brings it to R6,285.53 and cuts the excess from R25,000 to R7,500.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Rental: 10 days × R1,786 (weekly rate + 25% festive) | R17,860.00 |
| Delivery + collection (R450 each) | R900.00 |
| Contract fee | R99.00 |
| Tourism levy (1%) | R178.60 |
| Total (VAT incl.) | R19,037.60 |
| Refundable deposit | R7,500 hold |
Booked more than 30 days ahead, the same rental drops to R1,686 a day (+25% festive, −7% early bird), saving about R1,000.
Mylz Rentals
Plan your trip
Meet & greet at Cape Town International, or delivery and collection across Cape Town and the Winelands. No rental desk, no queue.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rent a car in Cape Town per day?
At Mylz, daily rates start at R649 for a new automatic VW Polo and range up to R8,999 for a Porsche 911, VAT included. Weekly and monthly rates are lower per day. Budget operators with older or manual cars can be cheaper.
What is the cheapest month to hire a car in Cape Town?
Market-wide, the Cape winter (roughly May to August) is usually cheapest because demand is lowest. The most expensive period is mid-December to early January. At Mylz, rates rise 25% over the festive season and 15% over Easter, and booking 30+ days ahead saves 7%.
Is unlimited mileage worth it?
It depends on your plans. A typical Cape Town stay with a Peninsula loop and a Winelands day rarely exceeds 200 km a day, so a daily allowance is fine. For the Garden Route or long road trips, check the allowance and the per-km charge. Our electric cars include unlimited kilometres.
What is the tourism levy on car hire in South Africa?
Most South African rental companies add a 1% tourism levy on the rental amount, which funds tourism marketing. It's shown as a separate line on your quote.
