Which place is cheaper, Meknes or Zanzibar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zanzibar or Meknes?
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 Meknes 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 Meknes?
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.
Meknes
So you love a bustling nightlife with fine restaurants and meaningful historical buildings, but you hate all the tourists. Well, it maybe time to visit Meknes, Morocco. Since most travelers head straight to Fez, that leaves Meknes relatively untouched and remains free of the usual hassles that plague other major destinations.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best Adventure Tours to Morocco, and The Best Cultural Tours in Morocco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZanzibar $52Meknes $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $52, while the average daily cost in Meknes is $46. 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 Meknes in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZanzibar $25Meknes $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZanzibar $50Meknes $52
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Meknes
Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Meknes? 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 Meknes Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zanzibar $11Meknes $1.46
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:
- From Mystery Day Safari with Transfer: $500
- Safari blue tour with Lunch and Transfers: $180
- Prison Island: Private Half Day Trip With Hotel Transfer: $160
- Zanzibar Sunset Dhow Cruise with Transfers.: $149
- Zanzibar:Prison Island,Nakupenda Sandbank Tour with transfer: $141
- Off-Road Quad Bike Adventure with hotel transfer: $138
- Arrival Private Transfer Zanzibar Airport ZNZ to Island by Luxury Car: $125
- Ferry Zanzibar :Transfer services: $120
- Jozani Forest and Spice Farm Tour With Transfer: $110
- Airport Arrival And Departure Private Transfer.: $110
- Fishing Boat Tour with Transfer: $109
- Zanzibar Ferry Terminal Arrival Transfers.: $90
Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Meknes?
Prices for flights to both Meknes 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
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Food Meals for one dayZanzibar $17Meknes $14
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
- An romantic cooking Lesson + Spice Farm Tour: $44
- Zanzibar Cooking Class [Swahili food test ] and Spice farm Private tour: $59
- Spice Tour & Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $60
- Walking Spice Farm with Local Cooking Class: $60
- Local Cooking Class with Spice Tour in Zanzibar: $60
- Zanzibar Spice farm and Cooking Class: $60
- Spice Farm tour & Local cooking lesson with Lunch: $64
- Stone Town Private Food Tour with a Guide: $65
- Spice Farm Tour with Traditional Cooking Lesson: $65
- Traditional Zanzibar Cooking Class including Spice Tour: $68
- Zanzibar Spice Farm Tour and Cooking Class : $75
Typical Food Prices in Meknes
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Meknes:
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Popcorn$0.20
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Spices$2.49
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Meknes
For Meknes, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Fes Medina :Grocery shopping & cooking Class with Fatima: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zanzibar $13Meknes $3.55
Tours and Activities in Zanzibar
Here are a few actual costs in Zanzibar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Full Day Spice Tour, Prison Island and City Tours: $140
- Stonetown Private Half-day Walking Tour: $35
- Zanzibar Spice Tour : $47
- 10 DAYS MOSHI TO ZANZIBAR BIKE TOUR: $4,286
- 2 days tour from Jozani forest to Stone town zanzibar: $270
- 2day Zanzibar adventure: Prison Island & Sandbank (all-incl): $535
- 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 : $33
- 3h Stonetown walking tour (zanzibar): $30
- 3inONE, Private Spice, Stone Town & Prison Island Tours: $155
- 5-Hour Mangapwani Historical Cave Tour in Zanzibar: $69
Tours and Activities in Meknes
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Meknes.
- From Fez: Volubilis, Moulay Idriss and Meknes Full Day Tour: $17
- Fes Volubilis Tour: $45
- From Rabat: Volubilis and Meknes Full-day Tour: $258
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZanzibar $6.91Meknes $2.62
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Meknes
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Meknes:
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Bottle of Wine$4.58
When comparing the travel costs between Zanzibar and Meknes, we can see that Zanzibar is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Zanzibar Expensive? and Is Meknes Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Meknes?
Meknes has a larger population, and is about 35% larger than the population of Zanzibar. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Meknes, 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 Meknes?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.
Should I visit Zanzibar or Meknes in the Summer?
Both Meknes and Zanzibar during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Zanzibar because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Meknes year-round.
Zanzibar usually gets more rain in July than Meknes. Zanzibar gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Meknes receives 0 mm (0 in) of rain this time of the year.
In Meknes, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Zanzibar. In the summer, Zanzibar often gets less sunshine than Meknes. Zanzibar gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Meknes receives 330 hours of full sun.
Zanzibar is around the same temperature as Meknes in the summer. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 25°C (77°F) in July, and Meknes fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyZanzibar 25°C (77°F)Meknes 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Meknes in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Zanzibar and Meknes. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Zanzibar year-round. Meknes attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In October, Zanzibar usually receives more rain than Meknes. Zanzibar gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Meknes receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Meknes this time of the year. In Zanzibar, it's very sunny this time of the year. Zanzibar usually receives more sunshine than Meknes during autumn. Zanzibar gets 275 hours of sunny skies, while Meknes receives 227 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In the autumn, Zanzibar is a little warmer than Meknes. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Zanzibar in October average around 25°C (78°F), and Meknes averages at about 19°C (67°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberZanzibar 25°C (78°F)Meknes 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Meknes in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Zanzibar as well as Meknes. Zanzibar attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Meknes throughout the year.
Zanzibar usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Meknes. Zanzibar gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Meknes receives 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Zanzibar this time of the year. In the winter, Zanzibar often gets more sunshine than Meknes. Zanzibar gets 236 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Meknes receives 165 hours of full sun.
In January, Zanzibar is generally much warmer than Meknes. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 28°C (82°F), and Meknes fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryZanzibar 28°C (82°F)Meknes 12°C (54°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Meknes in the Spring?
Both Meknes and Zanzibar are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Zanzibar throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Meknes because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in Zanzibar. In April, Zanzibar usually receives more rain than Meknes. Zanzibar gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Meknes receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
It's quite sunny in Meknes. Zanzibar usually receives less sunshine than Meknes during spring. Zanzibar gets 155 hours of sunny skies, while Meknes receives 256 hours of full sun in the spring.
Zanzibar is much warmer than Meknes in the spring. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 27°C (81°F) in April, and Meknes fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilZanzibar 27°C (81°F)Meknes 16°C (60°F)
Typical Weather for Meknes and Zanzibar
| Zanzibar | Meknes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 28°C (82°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (83°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 269 mm (10.6 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| May | 26°C (78°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (76°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 0 mm (0 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 1 mm (0 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (76°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 9 mm (0.3 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (78°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 109 mm (4.3 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 109 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.