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

Should you visit Dar es Salaam or Surfers Paradise?

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 Surfers Paradise can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Dar es Salaam or Surfers Paradise?

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.

Surfers Paradise

A tourist mecca, Surfers Paradise is one of the most popular travel destinations along Australia's famed Gold Coast. The beach stretches for miles and there is an endless supply of almost constant parties. You'll find high rise apartments lined up along the shore and plenty of shopping areas, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars. Travelers from around the world visit the area, and it's a right of passage for Australia's teens to vacation in or near Surfers Paradise. For many travelers, Surfers Paradise comes across as little more than a mass marketed, over commercialized, party destination, but for others it is a vacation dream. Prices are highly inflated so you have to keep your whits about you to avoid being ripped off. Surfers Paradise is a destination of extremes and it conjures up extreme emotions in many travelers, be it positive or negative.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Luxury Tours to Australia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Australia.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dar es Salaam and Surfers Paradise, we can see that Dar es Salaam is more expensive. And not only is Surfers Paradise much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dar es Salaam is in Africa and Surfers Paradise is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Surfers Paradise would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Surfers Paradise 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 Surfers Paradise.

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 Surfers Paradise Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Dar es Salaam or Surfers Paradise?

Dar es Salaam has a larger population, and is about 150 times larger than the population of Surfers Paradise. When comparing the sizes of Dar es Salaam and Surfers Paradise, 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.

When is the best time to visit Dar es Salaam or Surfers Paradise?

Surfers Paradise has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Dar es Salaam experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Dar es Salaam or Surfers Paradise in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Dar es Salaam and Surfers Paradise. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Dar es Salaam year-round. Also, many travelers come to Surfers Paradise for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Dar es Salaam is generally around the same temperature as Surfers Paradisein January. Daily temperatures in Dar es Salaam average around 25°C (77°F), and Surfers Paradise fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Surfers Paradise this time of the year. In Dar es Salaam, it's very sunny this time of the year. Dar es Salaam usually receives less sunshine than Surfers Paradise during summer. Dar es Salaam gets 224 hours of sunny skies, while Surfers Paradise receives 256 hours of full sun in the summer.

Surfers Paradise receives a lot of rain in the summer. In July, Dar es Salaam usually receives less rain than Surfers Paradisein January. Dar es Salaam gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Surfers Paradise receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Dar es Salaam or Surfers Paradise in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Dar es Salaam as well as Surfers Paradise. Dar es Salaam attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, many visitors come to Surfers Paradise in the autumn for the hiking trails and the shopping scene.

Dar es Salaam is a little warmer than Surfers Paradise in the autumn. The daily temperature in Dar es Salaam averages around 25°C (78°F) in October, and Surfers Paradise fluctuates around 22°C (71°F)in April.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Surfers Paradise. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Dar es Salaam this time of the year. In the autumn, Dar es Salaam often gets more sunshine than Surfers Paradisein April. Dar es Salaam gets 275 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Surfers Paradise receives 214 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Surfers Paradise. Dar es Salaam usually gets less rain in October than Surfers Paradisein April. Dar es Salaam gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Surfers Paradise receives 101 mm (4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Dar es Salaam or Surfers Paradise in the Winter?

Both Surfers Paradise and Dar es Salaam are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Dar es Salaam throughout the year. Also, most visitors come to Surfers Paradise for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.

In the winter, Dar es Salaam is much warmer than Surfers Paradise. Typically, the winter temperatures in Dar es Salaam in January average around 28°C (82°F), and Surfers Paradise averages at about 15°C (59°F)in July.

It's quite sunny in Surfers Paradise. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Surfers Paradise during winter. Dar es Salaam gets 236 hours of sunny skies, while Surfers Paradise receives 226 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Dar es Salaam usually receives more rain than Surfers Paradisein July. Dar es Salaam gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Surfers Paradise receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Dar es Salaam or Surfers Paradise in the Spring?

Both Surfers Paradise and Dar es Salaam during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Dar es Salaam because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, the spring months attract visitors to Surfers Paradise because of the beaches.

In April, Dar es Salaam is generally a little warmer than Surfers Paradisein October. Daily temperatures in Dar es Salaam average around 27°C (81°F), and Surfers Paradise fluctuates around 21°C (69°F).

In Surfers Paradise, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the spring, Dar es Salaam often gets less sunshine than Surfers Paradisein October. Dar es Salaam gets 155 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Surfers Paradise receives 259 hours of full sun.

Surfers Paradise gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam usually gets more rain in April than Surfers Paradisein October. Dar es Salaam gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Surfers Paradise receives 103 mm (4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Surfers Paradise and Dar es Salaam