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

Should you visit Zanzibar or Palma de Mallorca?

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 Palma de Mallorca 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 Palma de Mallorca?

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.

Palma de Mallorca

Palma de Mallorca is a resort city and capital of the Spanish island, Mallorca, in the western Mediterranean. It is home to landmarks like Gothic cathedrals and medieval fortresses, but is also host to sandy beaches where the city meets the sea in a backdrop of surrounding mountains. Amidst the city itself you will find it easy to get lost in the charm of cobbled lanes, busy markets, boutiques, and historic courtyards.

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 Spain, and The Best 3-Week Tours in Spain.


Which place is cheaper, Palma de Mallorca or Zanzibar?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $51, while the average daily cost in Palma de Mallorca is $148. 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 Palma de Mallorca in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Zanzibar $24
    Palma de Mallorca $74
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Zanzibar $48
    Palma de Mallorca $148
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Palma de Mallorca

Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Palma de Mallorca? 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 Palma de Mallorca


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 Palma de Mallorca Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Zanzibar $11
    Palma de Mallorca $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 Palma de Mallorca

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Palma de Mallorca are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $7.29
  • Bus Ride
    $1.34

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palma de Mallorca

Also for Palma de Mallorca, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Coasteering in South Mallorca with Transfers: $71
  • Mallorca Airport (PMI) to Magaluf - Arrival Private Transfer: $43
  • Arrival Private Transfers : Mallorca Airport PMI to Palma in Business Car: $79
  • Arrival Private Transfers : Mallorca Airport PMI to Palma in Luxury Car: $147
  • Arrival Transfer from Mallorca Airport PMI to Palma by Luxury Car: $123
  • Arrival Transfer from Palma de Mallorca Airport PMI to Palma in Private Car: $103
  • Departure Private Transfer from Palma to PMI Airport by Sedan: $88
  • Departure Private Transfers : Palma to Mallorca Airport PMI in Business Car: $79
  • Departure Private Transfers : Palma to Mallorca Airport PMI in Luxury Van: $130
  • Departure Transfer from Palma to Palma de Mallorca Airport PMI in Private Car: $103
  • Departure Transfer from Palma to Palma de Mallorca Airport PMI in Private Van: $119
  • Departure Transfer to Palma de Mallorca Airport PMI by Van: $134

Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Palma de Mallorca?

Prices for flights to both Palma de Mallorca 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 $17
    Palma de Mallorca $48

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 Palma de Mallorca

For Palma de Mallorca, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Soda
    $2.68

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Palma de Mallorca

For Palma de Mallorca, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Spanish Cooking Class Experience in Palma with 5+ Tastings: $21
  • Spanish Cooking Experience in Mallorca: $109
  • The Award-Winning PRIVATE Food Tour of Mallorca: The 10 Tastings: $130
  • Mediterranean cooking experience in nature: $131
  • 4-Hour Market Visit and Traditional Cooking Workshop in Palma: $147
  • Sailboat Dinner and Movie Night: $650

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Zanzibar $13
    Palma de Mallorca $36

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 Palma de Mallorca

For Palma de Mallorca, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Palma Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour - The Kingdom of Mallorca: $6.99
  • Self-Guided City Walking Tour with Audio Guide: $7.27
  • Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07
  • AbenteuerDate, Palma,Santa Catalina, Tour with Fun Activities in German Language: $9.83
  • AbenteuerDate Alcudia, Interactive Fun Tour in German Language: $9.83
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour - The Legends of Palma: $10
  • Secrets with the Palma Medieval Jewish Quarter Audio Tour: $11
  • Palma: Couple Adventure, fun game and city walk: $11
  • Uncover Secrets of Palma: In-App Audio Tour: $11
  • Mallorca Cathedral Skip The Line Tickets: $13
  • Self-guided tour to must visit places in Mallorca : $14

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Zanzibar $6.86
    Palma de Mallorca $32

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 Palma de Mallorca

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Palma de Mallorca are as follows:


  • Coffee
    $3.32

Sample the Local Flavors in Palma de Mallorca

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Palma de Mallorca:

  • Wine tasting with wines from the smallest wineries in Mallorca: $43
  • Gourmet Tapas and Wine Tour in Alcudia Old Town: $43
  • Guided tour of the Winery with wine tasting, Vineyard and much more!: $49
  • Gourmet Tapas and Wine Tour: $53
  • Gourmet Tapas and Wine Tour in Palma de Mallorca : $54
  • Gastronomic Mallorquin Wine Tasting & local delicacies: $71
  • Wine Tasting Experience with Mallorcan Delights in Alcudia: $87
  • Sa Clasta Mallorca Wine Tours: $158
  • Sa Clasta Wine Tours, Mallorca: $158
  • Mallorca Bodega & Olive Tour with Wine Tasting (full day): $163


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zanzibar and Palma de Mallorca, we can see that Palma de Mallorca 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 Palma de Mallorca 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 Palma de Mallorca would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Palma de Mallorca 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 Palma de Mallorca Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Palma de Mallorca?

Zanzibar has a larger population, and is about 7% larger than the population of Palma de Mallorca. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Palma de Mallorca, 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 Palma de Mallorca?

Palma de Mallorca 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 Palma de Mallorca in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Zanzibar as well as Palma de Mallorca. Zanzibar attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Palma de Mallorca because of the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.

In the summer, Zanzibar is around the same temperature as Palma de Mallorca. Typically, the summer temperatures in Zanzibar in July average around 25°C (77°F), and Palma de Mallorca averages at about 24°C (76°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Palma de Mallorca. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Zanzibar this time of the year. In the summer, Zanzibar often gets less sunshine than Palma de Mallorca. Zanzibar gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Palma de Mallorca receives 334 hours of full sun.

Zanzibar usually gets more rain in July than Palma de Mallorca. Zanzibar gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Palma de Mallorca receives 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Zanzibar 25°C (77°F) 
    Palma de Mallorca 24°C (76°F)

Should I visit Zanzibar or Palma de Mallorca in the Autumn?

Both Palma de Mallorca 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, the hiking trails, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Palma de Mallorca this time of year.

In October, Zanzibar is generally a little warmer than Palma de Mallorca. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 25°C (78°F), and Palma de Mallorca fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).

It's quite sunny in Palma de Mallorca. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Zanzibar. Zanzibar usually receives more sunshine than Palma de Mallorca during autumn. Zanzibar gets 275 hours of sunny skies, while Palma de Mallorca receives 204 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Zanzibar usually receives more rain than Palma de Mallorca. Zanzibar gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Palma de Mallorca receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Zanzibar 25°C (78°F) 
    Palma de Mallorca 19°C (66°F)

Should I visit Zanzibar or Palma de Mallorca in the Winter?

Both Palma de Mallorca 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. Furthermore, many travelers come to Palma de Mallorca for the shopping scene and the cuisine.

Zanzibar is much warmer than Palma de Mallorca in the winter. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 28°C (82°F) in January, and Palma de Mallorca fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).

It's quite sunny in Zanzibar. In the winter, Zanzibar often gets more sunshine than Palma de Mallorca. Zanzibar gets 236 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Palma de Mallorca receives 164 hours of full sun.

Zanzibar usually gets more rain in January than Palma de Mallorca. Zanzibar gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Palma de Mallorca receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Zanzibar 28°C (82°F) 
    Palma de Mallorca 11°C (52°F)

Should I visit Zanzibar or Palma de Mallorca in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Zanzibar and Palma de Mallorca. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Zanzibar year-round. Furthermore, many visitors come to Palma de Mallorca in the spring for the beaches and the natural beauty.

In the spring, Zanzibar is much warmer than Palma de Mallorca. Typically, the spring temperatures in Zanzibar in April average around 27°C (81°F), and Palma de Mallorca averages at about 14°C (57°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Palma de Mallorca this time of the year. Zanzibar usually receives less sunshine than Palma de Mallorca during spring. Zanzibar gets 155 hours of sunny skies, while Palma de Mallorca receives 210 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 Palma de Mallorca. Zanzibar gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Palma de Mallorca receives 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Zanzibar 27°C (81°F) 
    Palma de Mallorca 14°C (57°F)

Typical Weather for Palma de Mallorca and Zanzibar

Zanzibar Palma de Mallorca
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 28°C (82°F) 78 mm (3.1 in) 11°C (52°F) 41 mm (1.6 in)
Feb 28°C (82°F) 52 mm (2 in) 12°C (53°F) 34 mm (1.3 in)
Mar 28°C (83°F) 131 mm (5.2 in) 12°C (54°F) 32 mm (1.3 in)
Apr 27°C (81°F) 269 mm (10.6 in) 14°C (57°F) 46 mm (1.8 in)
May 26°C (78°F) 176 mm (6.9 in) 17°C (63°F) 34 mm (1.3 in)
Jun 24°C (76°F) 42 mm (1.7 in) 22°C (71°F) 8 mm (0.3 in)
Jul 25°C (77°F) 31 mm (1.2 in) 24°C (76°F) 7 mm (0.3 in)
Aug 24°C (75°F) 27 mm (1.1 in) 25°C (77°F) 18 mm (0.7 in)
Sep 25°C (76°F) 28 mm (1.1 in) 23°C (73°F) 35 mm (1.4 in)
Oct 25°C (78°F) 66 mm (2.6 in) 19°C (66°F) 58 mm (2.3 in)
Nov 27°C (80°F) 132 mm (5.2 in) 15°C (58°F) 58 mm (2.3 in)
Dec 27°C (81°F) 116 mm (4.6 in) 12°C (54°F) 38 mm (1.5 in)