A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Zanzibar vs. Lausanne for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Zanzibar or Lausanne?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Zanzibar and Lausanne can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Zanzibar or Lausanne?

Zanzibar

Just off the coast of Tanzania lies an entrancing archipelago known as Zanzibar. This gorgeous string of islands is the land of sultans, palaces beaches and spice-filled markets. Once an important trading center, many restorations have been done in recent years to restore Zanzibar to its ancient grandeur - earning its capital city UNESCO World Heritage status in 2000.

Lausanne

Located on Lake Geneva, Lausanne is the capital city of French-speaking region of Vaud, Switzerland. The slopes of Lake Geneva's shores are known for growing wine, while the city of Lausanne sprawls across three hills. The city is also home to the International Olympic Committee, the Olympic Museum, and lakeshore Olympic Park, as well as an old town that dates to medieval times.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best Luxury Tours to Switzerland, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Switzerland.


Which place is cheaper, Lausanne or Zanzibar?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $62, while the average daily cost in Lausanne is $319. 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 Zanzibar and Lausanne in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Zanzibar $24
    Lausanne $159
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Zanzibar $48
    Lausanne $318
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Lausanne

Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Lausanne? 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 Zanzibar


Hotels in Lausanne


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: Zanzibar Hotel Prices and Lausanne Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Zanzibar $11
    Lausanne $48

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:

  • Abeid Amani Karume Airport Pick-Up & Hotel Transfer in Zanzibar: $20
  • AirPort & Sea Ferry Transfer Zone: $47
  • Airport Taxi and Hotel Transfer Service in Zanzibar: $20
  • Airport and Hotels Transfers: $15
  • Airport to Stown Town or Stown Town To Airport transfer: $20
  • Airport/port Transfer: $70
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Airport to Nungwi Beach Zanzibar: $40
  • Half Day Zanzibar City Tour with Airport Transfer: $30
  • Jet Ski to Zanzibar with photos and video and transfer included: $90
  • Premium Private Transfer in Zanzibar – Airport, Hotels, Beaches: $20
  • Private Airport Transfers to Stone Town and Beyond: $20
  • Private Airport transfers to any hotel in Zanzibar (Arrivals): $30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lausanne

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lausanne:

  • Lausanne accommodation to Geneva Airport (GVA) - Departure Private Transfer: $176
  • Private Transfer from Geneva Airport to Évian-les-Bains: $173
  • Taxi, Airport Transfer and Limousine Service in Switzerland: $252

Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Lausanne?

Prices for flights to both Lausanne and Zanzibar 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
    Zanzibar $28
    Lausanne $125

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zanzibar

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Zanzibar.

  • Authentic Street Food Tours in Stone Town, Zanzibar: $40
  • Zanzibar Walking Spice Farm with Local Cooking Class: $50
  • Private Zanzibar Spices Tour with Traditional Swahili Cooking Lesson: $55
  • Local Cooking Class with Spice Tour in Zanzibar: $60
  • Traditional Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $77
  • Cooking Class Tour: $90
  • A private half day spice farm with a cooking lesson: $90
  • A Half Day Private Cooking Class At the Spice Farm: $107
  • Zanzibar Sunset Dinner Dhow Cruise Kendwa Nungwi: $130
  • Zanzibar Full-Day Tour Jozani Forest and Swahili Cooking Class: $130
  • Exclusive Private Sunset Dinner Sail along North Coast Zanzibar: $140
  • Spice Tour; Secret Garden Restaurant; Stone Town; Dinner at The Rock Restaurant: $140

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lausanne

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lausanne.

  • Taste Lausanne – A Full Swiss Food Tour by Do Eat Better: $223

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Zanzibar $13
    Lausanne $44

Tours and Activities in Zanzibar

Here are a few actual costs in Zanzibar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Zanzibar Unveiled From Slaves to Sultans Audio Tour: $7.08
  • Nyange Sandbank & Snorkelling tour with BBQ lunch: $12
  • Stone Town Hidden Gems: Historical Walking Tour with Local Guide: $13
  • Private Stone Town Cultural & Historical Walking Tour - Zanzibar: $16
  • Private Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage Tour: $16
  • Guided Stone Town Tour In Zanzibar: $18
  • Zanzibar Stone Town Walking Tour Experience: $18
  • Stone Town Walking Tour in Zanzibar: $18
  • Stone Town Guided Walking Tour: Shopping, Culture & History: $18
  • Stone Town tour: $18
  • Zanzibar Spice Farm Tour & Exotic Fruit Lunch: $19
  • Zanzibar Green Tour Spice Farm and Butterfly Centre: $20

Tours and Activities in Lausanne

Here are a few actual costs in Lausanne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Medieval A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
  • Lausanne (City Center) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.99
  • Lausanne Ouchy District City Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.99
  • Lausanne Exploration Game and City Tour on your Phone: $9.42
  • Lausanne Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $12
  • Layers of A Self-Guided Tour: $12
  • The Olympic Museum Entry Ticket: $25
  • The Olympic Museum Entrance Ticket in Lausanne: $26
  • Guided group walking tour of the old town of Lausanne: $26
  • Chaplin's World Entrance Ticket: $39
  • Round trip cruise from Vevey to Chillon: $39
  • Boat cruise from Lausanne to Evian: $56

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Zanzibar $6.75
    Lausanne $31


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zanzibar and Lausanne, we can see that Lausanne is more expensive. And not only is Zanzibar much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Zanzibar is in Africa and Lausanne is in Europe, 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 Zanzibar would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Zanzibar 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 Lausanne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lausanne than you might in Zanzibar.

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


Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Lausanne?

Zanzibar has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Lausanne. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Lausanne, 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.