A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Dar es Salaam vs. Entebbe for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Dar es Salaam or Entebbe?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dar es Salaam and Entebbe can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Dar es Salaam or Entebbe?

Dar es Salaam

Having grown from a fishing village, Dar es Salaam is now a major city and commercial port on Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast. While it is mainly used as a stopping point on the way to Zanzibar, it has a few unique treasures of its own such as the Kariakoo Market, National Museum, and the open-air Village Museum.

Entebbe

Entebbe is a large city located in Central Uganda. It is about thirty kilometers from the capital city of Uganda, which is Kampala. Lake Victoria, a prominent body of water, is very close to Entebbe as well. Today, the population of Entebbe is over 69,000 people. In Europe, Entebbe is known for its airport, which was once the site of a major hostage situation led by the German and Palestinian militia, back in 1976. Soldiers from the Israeli army freed the hostages in a massive rescue mission. Alternatively, when Queen Elizabeth II heard of her father's death and that she had become the queen, she was at this airport and had to fly from there back to England at once.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Uganda, and The Best 3-Day Tours in Uganda.


Which place is cheaper, Entebbe or Dar es Salaam?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Dar es Salaam is $460, while the average daily cost in Entebbe is $93. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Dar es Salaam and Entebbe in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Dar es Salaam $434
    Entebbe $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Dar es Salaam $868
    Entebbe $82
Compare Hotels in Dar es Salaam and Entebbe

Looking for a hotel in Dar es Salaam or Entebbe? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Dar es Salaam


Hotels in Entebbe


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Dar es Salaam Hotel Prices and Entebbe Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Dar es Salaam $13
    Entebbe $18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dar es Salaam

Also for Dar es Salaam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Airport Transfer from JNIA Airport to Hotels in Dar essalaam: $55
  • Private Transfer from Dar El Salaam to Julius Nyerere Airport (DAR): $73
  • Dar es Salaam Airport Transfer: $75
  • Sunset Cruise - Magic of Zanzibar Sunset With Transfer - Zanzibar: $100
  • Luxury Coach - Dar Es Salaam Airport Transfer to the City Centre/Out ( 22 max): $113
  • Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with Transfers.: $120
  • Private Transfer from Dar es Salaam Airport DAR to Dar es Salaam by Luxury Car: $167
  • Dar Es Salaam City Tour.(private Guide And Transfer) 10 Hrs: $200
  • Dar es salaam-Morogoro-Dar es salaam transfer by luxury car.: $200

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Entebbe

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Entebbe:

  • ENTEBBE AIRPORT: Executive Airport Transfer Package: $95

Is it cheaper to fly into Dar es Salaam or Entebbe?

Prices for flights to both Entebbe and Dar es Salaam change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Dar es Salaam $18
    Entebbe $33

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dar es Salaam

For Dar es Salaam, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Private Swahili Cooking Class: $115
  • Swahili food Cooking Experience: $150

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Dar es Salaam -
    Entebbe $35

Tours and Activities in Dar es Salaam

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dar es Salaam.

  • Private Insightful City Tour of Dar es Salaam: $25
  • City Historical Walking Tour And Street Food.: $40
  • City Walking Tour And Street Food Tasting.: $40
  • Dar Es Salaam:Shore Excursion Tour And Street Food Tasting.: $46
  • Dar es salaam City Tour & Storytelling: $72
  • Spice tour & Stone Town Zanzibar secrets with Lunch - Zanzibar: $75
  • City Tour: $77
  • Dar es salaam full City tour , unforgettable memory: $77
  • Tanzania Private Swahili culture experience: $80
  • The Best/Top Rated Cultural City Tour in Dar es Salaam : $85
  • Dar es Salaam City Tour Tanzania : $89
  • Stone Town & Spice Tour: $90

Tours and Activities in Entebbe

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Entebbe are as follows:

  • 1 DAY BEST OF NGAMBA ISLAND CHIMPANZEE TREK & EQUATOR TOUR: $350
  • 1-Day Best of Entebbe City Guided Walking Tour: $50
  • 1-Day Best of Mabamba Shoebill Tour and Birding Experience: $260
  • 10 Days Murhison Kibale Queen Elizabeth NP & Bwindi NP Tour: $2,980
  • 15-Day Primates and wildlife safari Adventure: $8,000
  • 16 Days Primate, Game and Cultural Tour: $8,541
  • 3 Days Gorilla Tracking Bwindi Forest Tour: $1,820
  • 3day bwindi Gorilla tracking and Batwa experience: $2,200
  • 4 Day Chimpanzee Tracking Tour from Entebbe: $3,372
  • 4 Day Gorilla Experience Tour from Entebbe: $4,735
  • 5 Day Experience of the Primates in Uganda: $5,433
  • 5 Day Gorilla and Wildlife Tour from Entebbe: $5,538

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Dar es Salaam $7.66
    Entebbe $13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dar es Salaam and Entebbe, we can see that Dar es Salaam is more expensive. And not only is Entebbe much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Entebbe would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Entebbe and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Dar es Salaam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dar es Salaam than you might in Entebbe.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dar es Salaam Expensive? and Is Entebbe Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Dar es Salaam or Entebbe?

Dar es Salaam has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Entebbe. When comparing the sizes of Dar es Salaam and Entebbe, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.