On vinyl vs laminate cost the headline is simple: laminate starts cheaper, at R280 to R850 per square metre installed, while vinyl runs R450 to R850 per square metre, with most mid-range vinyl work landing around R650 to R695.
Cheaper to buy is not the same as cheaper to own. Once you divide by the years each floor actually lasts, the gap narrows sharply and in wet rooms it reverses.
Vinyl vs laminate cost per square metre
Supplied and installed 2026 rates in South Africa:
- Entry laminate: from about R280 per m2
- Mid-range laminate: R450 to R600 per m2
- Premium laminate: up to R850 and beyond per m2
- Entry vinyl: from about R450 per m2
- Mid-range vinyl: roughly R650 to R695 per m2
- Premium luxury vinyl plank: up to R850 per m2
Across a 60 m2 living area that is a difference of roughly R10,000 to R12,000 between a mid laminate and a mid vinyl. Real money, but not decisive on its own.
The costs that sit either side of the rate
- Underlay: R20 to R60 per m2, more often needed under laminate
- Subfloor levelling: R30 to R80 per m2, and vinyl demands a flatter base
- Old floor removal: R30 to R80 per m2, identical for both
- Labour only: R80 to R320 per m2 if you supply the planks
Vinyl’s flatness requirement is the quiet cost. On a rough slab you can spend the saving twice over on levelling, which is set out in our floor screeding cost guide.
Lifespan, and the cost per year of use
Manufacturers quote wide life ranges because they depend on traffic and water exposure. Working with typical residential figures of 10 to 20 years for laminate and 15 to 25 years for good vinyl, the annual picture changes.
- Laminate at R500 per m2 over 15 years: about R33 per m2 per year
- Vinyl at R670 per m2 over 20 years: about R34 per m2 per year
- Laminate at R300 per m2 over 8 hard years: about R38 per m2 per year
- Vinyl at R850 per m2 over 25 years: about R34 per m2 per year
Those are worked estimates using published price ranges and typical life expectancy, not a guarantee. The point stands though: on a per-year basis, the two land in much the same place, and the cheapest option upfront is not automatically the cheapest over time.
What actually ends a floor’s life
- Water: the number one killer of laminate, and largely a non-issue for vinyl
- Wear layer: once it is through, the plank cannot be refinished
- Joint damage: from dragged furniture and grit at the door
- Sunlight: fading in rooms with big north-facing windows
- Taste: plenty of sound floors get replaced because they look dated
Which rooms suit which floor
This is where the decision really gets made.
- Bedrooms: laminate wins on price, and the room stays dry
- Lounge and dining: either, though laminate feels harder underfoot
- Passages: either, but buy the higher wear rating
- Kitchen: vinyl, because spills are constant
- Bathroom and laundry: vinyl or tile, never laminate
- Coastal and humid homes: vinyl handles moisture in the air far better
Mixing the two through a house is completely normal and usually the cheapest sensible answer. A threshold strip at the doorway is all it takes. Our best flooring Cape Town guide goes deeper on the coastal humidity question.
Feel, noise and repairs
Price aside, these are the differences people notice after a month.
- Sound: laminate is louder underfoot; vinyl is quieter and softer
- Warmth: vinyl feels warmer barefoot, laminate feels harder and cooler
- Look: good laminate still edges most vinyl on realistic timber grain
- Repairs: individual vinyl planks can often be swapped out; laminate usually means lifting back to the damaged board
- Scratches: laminate resists scratching well but chips at the edges
The verdict
Choose laminate if the rooms are dry, the budget is the deciding factor, and you want the most convincing wood look for the money. Choose vinyl if water is anywhere in the picture, if you want a quieter and softer floor, or if the home is coastal and humid. Tile and adhesive standards are published by the South African Bureau of Standards.
If the whole house is being done, price both properly before committing. We break the individual numbers down in our vinyl flooring installation cost and laminate floor installation cost guides.
For a straight recommendation on your rooms, see our flooring and tiling service or send us your room list. The assessment is free and there is no call-out fee.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cost difference between vinyl and laminate?
Installed in 2026, laminate runs R280 to R850 per square metre and vinyl R450 to R850, with mid-range vinyl typically around R650 to R695. Across a 60 square metre living area, a mid laminate saves roughly R10,000 to R12,000 against a mid vinyl before extras.
Is laminate flooring really cheaper than vinyl?
Cheaper to buy, yes, especially at entry level. Over the life of the floor the two land close together, because good vinyl often lasts longer. Vinyl also needs a flatter subfloor, so on a rough slab the levelling cost of R30 to R80 per square metre can erase the laminate saving.
Which lasts longer, vinyl or laminate?
Typical residential expectations are 10 to 20 years for laminate and 15 to 25 years for good quality vinyl, with water exposure being the main difference. Laminate has a fibreboard core that swells permanently once wet, while vinyl shrugs off spills and damp air.
Can you put laminate in a kitchen or bathroom?
Bathrooms, no. Kitchens, only with care and prompt spill clean-up, and many installers advise against it. The core swells irreversibly when water gets into the joints. Vinyl or tile is the correct choice for kitchens, bathrooms and laundries.
Which is better for a coastal Cape Town home?
Vinyl, in most cases. Coastal humidity works on a laminate core continuously rather than as a one-off spill, and it also moves timber-based products through the seasons. Vinyl is dimensionally stable in humid air and is the safer choice near the sea.