Car rental in South Africa

Use the same magic that powers our flight search to find cheap car rentals in South Africa

Compare car rentals on price, ease of pickup, a fair fuel policy, and more

Find South Africa car rental deals you can modify or cancel if your plans change

South Africa car rental at a glance

Most popular providerCarwiz
Most popular carPremium/Luxury, 4-5 doors
Pick-up points78, Johannesburg is most popular
Cheapest price found13 € per day, Cape Town
Cheapest month to rentJuly
Best time to book3 weeks before
To give you an idea of how much renting a car in South Africa could cost, we've pulled prices from Cape Town.

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Find the cheapest time to rent a car in South Africa

The cheapest month to rent a car in South Africa is July, when the average cost per day is 11 €. If that doesn’t work for you, the second cheapest month is February, when the average cost per day is 22 €. Keep in mind when you’re looking to book, that the most expensive month to rent a car in South Africa is December.
To give you an idea of how much renting a car in South Africa could cost, we've pulled prices from Cape Town.

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Car rental in South Africa: FAQs

You will need insurance to rent a car in South Africa, but you won't necessarily need "extra" insurance. Different car rental companies offer different insurance policies, so make sure you look at the details when you pick a deal.
Our travelers' best-rated car rental company in South Africa is First. You can rent a car with them for 84 € on average per day.

If you want to learn more about First, you can dig deeper here.
The types of documents you’ll need to rent a car in South Africa depend on the car rental company you go with. But in general, you will need a valid driver's license, ID, and passport. Once you’ve booked a car rental in South Africa, you can easily get in touch with your chosen provider to find out.
It’s easy to rent a car in South Africa. First, you need to decide where in South Africa you want to pick up your car.

Once you’ve decided where you want to go, simply enter your dates and search for the best deal for you. Once you’ve found your deal, you’ll be redirected to the provider to book with no extra fees.
You can rent a car for as long as you like, depending on availability. If you know what dates you’re needing wheels for, start searching with Skyscanner today.
You may need a credit card to rent a car in South Africa. It all depends on which car rental company you choose.
It depends where in South Africa you want to visit. The most popular place to go is Johannesburg. On average, it costs 41 € per day to rent a car there. The lowest price we could find is 13 € per day.

Getting the cheapest car rental in South Africa

Here are some tips to help you score the best prices and hit the road for less.

Pick the right ride

Make sure you pick the right type of car for your trip. You can easily filter by "seats," "transmission," and even choose only to see "electric" or "hybrid" vehicles. You can also filter by "car type," so whether you're looking for a luxury car or a more modest mini, you'll find what you need fast. The most popular car type in South Africa is Luxury.

Compare across companies

The most popular car rental company in South Africa is Carwiz. We search across hundreds of companies to find you a great price with Carwiz.

Get your timing right

It can really pay to play around with your timings and compare dates for your car rental to get a great price. The best time to book a bargain is 3 weeks before. The cheapest prices we've found are 13 € a day and 55 € a week.

Be flexible

Not sure where in South Africa you're going to visit? There are lots of places to pick up your rental car. Being flexible on your pickup location can help you grab a great price, all while seeing more of South Africa. We've found that the most popular place to pick up a car in South Africa is Johannesburg. The cheapest place to pick up your rental car is Cape Town.

Rent a car long term in South Africa

Looking to rent a car for more than a few weeks? It could be cheaper to rent for a full month. This can cut the admin costs for car rental companies and give you some extra time to explore, too. Give it a try today and search for 30 days' worth of car rentals.

Save on fuel

You can make your money go further by finding a car rental deal in South Africa with "unlimited mileage" or a "full-to-full" fuel policy. This can save you cash on topping up the tank.