Which place is cheaper, Lisbon or Zanzibar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Zanzibar or Lisbon?
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 Lisbon 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 Lisbon?
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.
Lisbon
Portugal's capital city of Lisbon continues to grow in popularity as a travel destination. The cultural scene has come to life in recent years and the city itself is stunningly beautiful. It sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and is made up of hills that create a dramatic and scenic layout. The city has many white-bleached limestone buildings, narrow alleyways, and a laidback charm that appeals to visitors.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Portugal, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Portugal.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZanzibar $51Lisbon $140
The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $51, while the average daily cost in Lisbon is $140. 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 Lisbon in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZanzibar $24Lisbon $63
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZanzibar $48Lisbon $126
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Lisbon
Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Lisbon? 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.
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 Lisbon Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zanzibar $11Lisbon $26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:
- transfer from airport to Makunduchi Zanzibar: $44
- Zanzibar:Prison Island,Nakupenda Sandbank Tour with transfer: $141
- Zanzibar:Hotels & Airport Transfer Services: $50
- Stone Town to Airport Private Transfer: $23
- Safari blue tour with Lunch and Transfers: $180
- Private Airport Transfers to Stone Town: $23
- Private Airport Transfer: $50
- One-Way Airport Transfer to Your Hotel: $50
- Jozani Forest and Spice Farm Tour With Transfer: $110
- Island Transfers: $50
- Fishing Boat Tour with Transfer: $109
- Baraka Turtle Aquarium Tour with Hotel Transfers: $80
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lisbon
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Lisbon:
-
Taxi Ride$6.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lisbon
Also for Lisbon, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Private Transfer to Óbidos | Caldas da Rainha: $56
- Airport Private Transfer to Costa da Caparica | Almada | Aroeira: $33
- Airport Private Transfer to Ericeira | Torres Vedras | Campo Real: $55
- Airport Private Transfer to Lisbon: $23
- Airport Transfer - Lisbon: $60
- Airport Transfer: Lisbon Airport LIS to Lisbon in Business Car: $66
- Airport Transfer: Lisbon Airport LIS to Lisbon in Luxury Van: $95
- Airport Transfer: Lisbon to Lisbon Airport LIS in Business Car: $66
- Arrábida Snorkeling Adventure with Transfer from Lisbon: $87
- Arrival Transfer: Lisbon Airport LIS to Lisbon in Luxury Van: $94
- Cascais transfer: Private Transfer to/from Cascais or Lisbon: $59
- Departure Transfer: Lisbon to Lisbon Airport LIS in Business Car: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Lisbon?
Prices for flights to both Lisbon 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 dayZanzibar $17Lisbon $45
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zanzibar
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Zanzibar.
- Half-Day Kuza Cave Swimming Adventure and Cooking Class: $13
- Authentic Street Food Tours in Stone Town, Zanzibar: $40
- Zanzibar Traditional Cooking Class: $49
- An romantic cooking Lesson + Spice Farm Tour: $55
- Zanzibar Cooking Class [Swahili food test ] and Spice farm Private tour: $59
- Zanzibar Cooking Class & Spice Tour : $59
- Zanzibar Spice farm and Cooking Class: $60
- Local Cooking Class with Spice Tour in Zanzibar: $60
- Walking Spice Farm with Local Cooking Class: $60
- Spice Farm tour & Local cooking lesson with Lunch: $64
- Spice Farm Tour with Traditional Cooking Lesson: $65
- Stone Town Private Food Tour with a Guide: $65
Typical Food Prices in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Coffee$2.68
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Soirée Rivage - Sunset cruise with dinner and Party: $25
- Hard Rock Cafe Lisbon with Set Lunch or Dinner : $28
- Tapas Food Tour: $38
- Fado Show and Portuguese Dinner: $48
- Lisbon Food Tour: $53
- Alfama Tour and Live Fado with Traditional Dinner: $54
- 2-Hour Pastel de Nata Cooking Class: $54
- Cooking Pastel de Nata with a glass of wine !: $54
- Legendary Beer Dinner: $54
- Pastel de Nata Cooking Class in Lisbon: $55
- No Diet Club - Unique food tour in Lisbon with many Tastings: $62
- Original Morning Food Tour: $64
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zanzibar $13Lisbon $26
Tours and Activities in Zanzibar
Here are a few actual costs in Zanzibar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 4 hours Spice Tour in Tanzania: $80
- Fair Tourism In Paje: $27
- Spice Tour & Mangapwani Cave Tour: $80
- Stone City, Spice Farm and Prison Island Full Day Tour: $130
- Stonetown Private Half-day Walking Tour: $35
- Zanzibar Spice Tour : $47
- 10 DAYS MOSHI TO ZANZIBAR BIKE TOUR: $4,286
- 2day Zanzibar adventure: Prison Island & Sandbank (all-incl): $538
- 3 HOURS PRISON ISLAND TOUR IN ZANZIBAR: $60
- 3 Hours Private Stone Town Walking Tour : $30
- 3-Day Selous Game Reserve Safari & Cultural tour with Flight: $1,345
- 3-Hour Private City Tour in Zanzibar Island : $26
Tours and Activities in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- See Lisbon Through the Eyes of a Local - Free Walking Tour: $1.08
- Lisbon Walking Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City: $1.12
- Belém Unveiled: A Free Tour Through the Age of Discoveries: $1.29
- Alfama Walking Tour Lisbon: $3.26
- Tower of Saint George’s Castle Church Ticket & Drink: $5.38
- Wonders of Lisbon Walking Tour: $5.38
- Lisbon Cathedral Entry Ticket: $5.38
- Graça Church Entry Ticket with Drink on the Terrace: $5.38
- Lisbon Highlights Self Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $5.38
- Lisbon Walking Tour: $5.38
- A Self-Guided Audio Tour From Príncipe Real to Downtown Lisbon: $5.53
- Príncipe Real to Downtown A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayZanzibar $6.86Lisbon $20
Sample the Local Flavors in Zanzibar
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Zanzibar:
- Pub Crawl & Club Experience: $30
Sample the Local Flavors in Lisbon
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lisbon:
- Pub Crawl with Open Bar, Shots, & VIP Club Entry: $17
- Pub Crawl with Unlimited Drinks and VIP Club Entry: $18
- Pub Crawl Lisbon - 1 Hour of Unlimited Beer and Sangria and more!: $19
- 1-Hour Portuguese Wine Tasting Session: $20
- Lisbon Pub Crawl: $21
- Pub Crawl with Open Bar and VIP Club Entry: $21
- Lisbon Pub Crawl: $22
- Lisbon Wild Pub Crawl : $22
- Private Bar Crawl in Lisbon: $22
- Pub Crawl Walking Tour with Shots and Drinking Games: $22
- Beer Tasting in a Classic Brewery: $27
- Pub Crawl Lisbon: $27
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zanzibar and Lisbon, we can see that Lisbon 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 Lisbon 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 Lisbon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lisbon 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 Lisbon Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Lisbon?
Lisbon has a larger population, and is about 28% larger than the population of Zanzibar. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Lisbon, 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 Zanzibar or Lisbon?
Lisbon has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Zanzibar experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Zanzibar or Lisbon in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Zanzibar as well as Lisbon. Zanzibar attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, many visitors come to Lisbon in the summer for the beaches, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
Zanzibar is around the same temperature as Lisbon in the summer. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 25°C (77°F) in July, and Lisbon fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Lisbon. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Zanzibar this time of the year. In the summer, Zanzibar often gets less sunshine than Lisbon. Zanzibar gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lisbon receives 352 hours of full sun.
Zanzibar usually gets more rain in July than Lisbon. Zanzibar gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Lisbon receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyZanzibar 25°C (77°F)Lisbon 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Lisbon in the Autumn?
Both Lisbon and Zanzibar are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Zanzibar throughout the year. Also, most visitors come to Lisbon for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
In the autumn, Zanzibar is a little warmer than Lisbon. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Zanzibar in October average around 25°C (78°F), and Lisbon averages at about 19°C (66°F).
It's quite sunny in Lisbon. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Zanzibar. Zanzibar usually receives more sunshine than Lisbon during autumn. Zanzibar gets 275 hours of sunny skies, while Lisbon receives 213 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Zanzibar usually receives less rain than Lisbon. Zanzibar gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Lisbon receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberZanzibar 25°C (78°F)Lisbon 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Lisbon in the Winter?
Both Lisbon and Zanzibar during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Zanzibar because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, the winter months attract visitors to Lisbon because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In January, Zanzibar is generally much warmer than Lisbon. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 28°C (82°F), and Lisbon fluctuates around 12°C (53°F).
It's quite sunny in Zanzibar. In the winter, Zanzibar often gets more sunshine than Lisbon. Zanzibar gets 236 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lisbon receives 144 hours of full sun.
Lisbon gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Zanzibar usually gets less rain in January than Lisbon. Zanzibar gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Lisbon receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryZanzibar 28°C (82°F)Lisbon 12°C (53°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Lisbon in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Zanzibar and Lisbon. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Zanzibar year-round. Also, the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty are the main draw to Lisbon this time of year.
Zanzibar is much warmer than Lisbon in the spring. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 27°C (81°F) in April, and Lisbon fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Lisbon this time of the year. Zanzibar usually receives less sunshine than Lisbon during spring. Zanzibar gets 155 hours of sunny skies, while Lisbon receives 235 hours of full sun in the spring.
Zanzibar gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Zanzibar usually receives more rain than Lisbon. Zanzibar gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Lisbon receives 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilZanzibar 27°C (81°F)Lisbon 16°C (60°F)
Typical Weather for Lisbon and Zanzibar
| Zanzibar | Lisbon | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 28°C (82°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (83°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 269 mm (10.6 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| May | 26°C (78°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (76°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (76°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (78°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.