Which place is cheaper, Ottawa or Zanzibar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zanzibar or Ottawa?
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 Ottawa 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 Ottawa?
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.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada, located on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River. A city of many ethnic populations, Ottawa is uniquely bilingual with English as the first language of the population's majority and French as a close second. It is best known as the nation's capital, which is centered on Parliament Hill, an architectural landmark as well as the seat of government.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Canada, and The Best Coach Bus Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZanzibar $51Ottawa $123
The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $51, while the average daily cost in Ottawa is $123. 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 Ottawa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZanzibar $24Ottawa $18
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZanzibar $48Ottawa $36
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Ottawa
Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Ottawa? 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 Ottawa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zanzibar $11Ottawa $7.27
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ottawa
Also for Ottawa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Airport YOW Private Arrival/Departure Shuttle Transfer : $52
- Ottawa to Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier Airport (YOW) - Departure Private Transfer: $66
- Private Arrival Transfer from Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Airport YOW: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Ottawa?
Prices for flights to both Ottawa 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 $17Ottawa $17
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ottawa
For Ottawa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Oh Canada Eh!? Dinner Musical : $71
- Taste of the ByWard Market Food Tour: $79
- Evening Taste of the ByWard Market Food Tour: $82
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zanzibar $13Ottawa $40
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 Ottawa
For Ottawa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.46
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $6.46
- Ottawa Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Explore Canada Through Ottawa's Eyes with Walking Tours Through The City: $6.68
- Ottawa's Hidden History: A Self Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- A Self Guided Audio Tour of Ottawa's Hidden History: $6.99
- Ottawa Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Ottawa by Wacky Walks: $10
- Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Ottawa by Operation City Quest: $10
- Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Ottawa by Crazy Dash: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZanzibar $6.86Ottawa $18
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 Ottawa
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Ottawa:
- Epic Ottawa Bar Crawl: By Let’s Roam: $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zanzibar and Ottawa, we can see that Ottawa 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 Ottawa 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 Ottawa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ottawa 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 Ottawa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Ottawa?
Ottawa has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Zanzibar. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Ottawa, 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 Ottawa?
Ottawa 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 Ottawa in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Zanzibar as well as Ottawa. Zanzibar attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Zanzibar is a little warmer than Ottawa in the summer. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 25°C (77°F) in July, and Ottawa fluctuates around 21°C (71°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Ottawa. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Zanzibar this time of the year. In the summer, Zanzibar often gets less sunshine than Ottawa. Zanzibar gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ottawa receives 268 hours of full sun.
Zanzibar usually gets less rain in July than Ottawa. Zanzibar gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Ottawa receives 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyZanzibar 25°C (77°F)Ottawa 21°C (71°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Ottawa in the Autumn?
Both Ottawa and Zanzibar are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Zanzibar throughout the year.
In the autumn, Zanzibar is much warmer than Ottawa. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Zanzibar in October average around 25°C (78°F), and Ottawa averages at about 9°C (48°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Zanzibar. Zanzibar usually receives more sunshine than Ottawa during autumn. Zanzibar gets 275 hours of sunny skies, while Ottawa receives 116 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Zanzibar usually receives less rain than Ottawa. Zanzibar gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Ottawa receives 75 mm (3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberZanzibar 25°C (78°F)Ottawa 9°C (48°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Ottawa in the Winter?
Both Ottawa 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.
The weather in Ottawa can be very cold. In January, Zanzibar is generally much warmer than Ottawa. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 28°C (82°F), and Ottawa fluctuates around -10°C (14°F).
It's quite sunny in Zanzibar. In the winter, Zanzibar often gets more sunshine than Ottawa. Zanzibar gets 236 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ottawa receives 93 hours of full sun.
Zanzibar usually gets more rain in January than Ottawa. Zanzibar gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Ottawa receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryZanzibar 28°C (82°F)Ottawa -10°C (14°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Ottawa in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Zanzibar and Ottawa. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Zanzibar year-round.
Zanzibar is much warmer than Ottawa in the spring. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 27°C (81°F) in April, and Ottawa fluctuates around 6°C (44°F).
Zanzibar usually receives less sunshine than Ottawa during spring. Zanzibar gets 155 hours of sunny skies, while Ottawa receives 180 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 Ottawa. Zanzibar gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Ottawa receives 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilZanzibar 27°C (81°F)Ottawa 6°C (44°F)
Typical Weather for Ottawa and Zanzibar
| Zanzibar | Ottawa | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 28°C (82°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | -10°C (14°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | -9°C (16°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (83°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | -2°C (28°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 269 mm (10.6 in) | 6°C (44°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| May | 26°C (78°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (76°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 21°C (71°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (76°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (78°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | -7°C (20°F) | 73 mm (2.9 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.