Which place is cheaper, Mexico City or Zanzibar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Zanzibar or Mexico City?
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 Mexico City 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 Mexico City?
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.
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico.
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Zanzibar Prices
Tanzania PricesMexico City Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZanzibar $62Mexico City $225
The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $62, while the average daily cost in Mexico City is $225. 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 Mexico City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZanzibar $24Mexico City $41
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZanzibar $48Mexico City $82
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Mexico City
Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Mexico City? 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 Mexico City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zanzibar $11Mexico City $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:
- Premium Transfer from Zanzibar Airport ⇋ Nungwi: $65
- Premium Transfer from Zanzibar Airport ⇋ Kiwengwa: $65
- Premium Transfer from Zanzibar Airport ⇋ Kendwa: $65
- Zanzibar transfers and Taxi: $35
- Zanzibar VIP Transfer in Range Rover Sport: $300
- Zanzibar Tour in Secret Beach, Kuza Cave and Jozani with transfer: $120
- Zanzibar Taxi & Transfer Services – From Airport to All Resorts: $20
- Zanzibar Sea Fishing Boat Tour experience with Transfer: $85
- Zanzibar Quad Adventures from Nungwi or Kendwa & Hotel Transfer: $95
- Zanzibar Private Transfer – From Airport to Any Hotel: $50
- Zanzibar Private Round Trip Airport Transfer: $88
- Zanzibar Private Departure Transfer from Paje Beach to the Airport: $40
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
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Metro$1.15
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Uber Ride$4.03
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Aguascalientes Airport (AGU) Aguascalientes - RoundTrip Transfer: $83
- Aguascalientes to Guanajuato Airport (BJX) - Departure Transfer: $99
- Airport Transfer to Hotel in Mexico City: $74
- Airport Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $105
- Airport Transfer: Mexico Airport NLU to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $210
- Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Business Car: $93
- Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Luxury SUV: $105
- Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport NLU by Luxury SUV: $210
- Arrival Private Transfer Mexico City Airport MEX to Mexico by Car: $93
- Arrival Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $105
- Arrival Transfer: Mexico Airport NLU to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $210
- Balloon Flight in Teotihuacan Transfers and Breakfast Included: $236
Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Mexico City?
Prices for flights to both Mexico City 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 $28Mexico City $46
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
- Zanzibar Cooking Lesson: $70
- 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
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$13
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Coffee and Snacks$4.49
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Dinner for 2$26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Mexico City Coyoacan Food Tour & Optional Frida Kahlo Museum: $20
- Cable Car, Cultural Spaces, and Traditional Food Tour: $40
- San Juan Market Food Tour Exotic Bites & Flavors: $55
- Coyoacan Market Food Tour Urban Eats & Local Legends: $55
- Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
- Mexico : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $58
- CDMX Historic Center Food Tour: $59
- Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $63
- 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $65
- 3h Cooking Class in 8 Recipes & Drinks: $68
- Street Food Tour with Michelin-Starred Taco: $70
- Roma–Condesa: Haute Cuisine and Renowned Restaurants Food Tour: $70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zanzibar $13Mexico City $15
Tours and Activities in Zanzibar
Here are a few actual costs in Zanzibar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Days Tour In Zanzibar: $180
- 2 days tour from Jozani forest to Stone town zanzibar: $270
- 3 Hours Private Stone Town Walking Tour: $20
- 3 hours Spice Tour in Tanzania: $80
- 3-Hour Private City Tour in Zanzibar Island: $25
- 4h Quad Adventures in Nungwi / Kendwa: $135
- A Full Day Private Tour To Prison Island + Nakupenda + Stone Town: $150
- A Half Day Private Dolphins And Snorkeling Tour To Mnemba Island: $95
- A Half Day Private Nungwi Village Tour (With Turtles Aquarium): $78
- A Half Day Private Prison Island Tour: $106
- A Half Day Private Stone Town Tour: $85
- A Half Day Private Tour To Jozani Forest: $87
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- MUCHO Museum of Chocolate Entrance Ticket: $4.65
- Mexico City Coyoacán, Frida Kahlo Exploration Game and Tour: $5.02
- Mexico City (Coyoacan) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $5.12
- Flavors of the past: A Pre-Hispanic drink tour in Mexico city.: $5.91
- Mexico City Self-Guided Audio Experience: $6.00
- Hidden Gems of Exploration Game and Tour: $6.63
- Puebla Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h and 26 Audio Comments: $6.96
- Mexico City Walking Tour 2h40 and 24 audio reviews: $7.15
- Mexico City Jewish History Smartphone Guided Audio Walking Tour: $7.75
- La Roma's Famous Sights and Local Lore: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $8.39
- Night City Tour in a Double Decker Bus: $10
- KidZania Cuicuilco Entrance Ticket: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZanzibar $6.75Mexico City $20
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- CDMX Pub Crawl: Guided Pub Crawl with Party Games: $24
- Mexico City Pub Crawl: $26
- THE MEXICO CITY PUB CRAWL: A real chilango night: $35
- Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $100
- Mexican Wine Tasting with Food Pairing: $126
- The Mexican Wine Tasting and Pairing: $127
- Distillery Tour and Lucha Libre Spirits and Showdown: $127
- Private Cheese and Wine Tour to Queretaro: $511
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zanzibar and Mexico City, we can see that Mexico City 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 Mexico City is in North America, 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 Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City 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 Mexico City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Mexico City?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Zanzibar. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Mexico City, 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.
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.