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

Should you visit Zanzibar or Pittsburgh?

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 Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh?

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.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is a city in western Pennsylvania at the junction of 3 rivers. Set between the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, and a mountain ridge called Mt Washington, Pittsburgh has a unique character that is evident from the moment you arrive. Juxtaposed with the rumbling freight trains and the iconic bridges are the Bladerunner-esque self-driving Uber vehicles, scanning the roads with spinning Lidar scanners. Its Gilded Age sites, including the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, speak to its history as an early-20th-century industrial capital. In the North Shore neighborhood are the modern Andy Warhol Museum, Heinz Field football stadium, and PNC Park baseball stadium. Experiencing periods of boom and bust since its founding, the city is in a boom now, and it's a fun place to visit, with top-notch museums, great gardens and parks, and amazing food.

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 from Anchorage, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles.


Which place is cheaper, Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh is $181. 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 Pittsburgh in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Zanzibar $24
    Pittsburgh $106
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Zanzibar $48
    Pittsburgh $212
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Pittsburgh

Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Pittsburgh? 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 Pittsburgh


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 Pittsburgh Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Zanzibar $11
    Pittsburgh $22

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:

  • From Mystery Day Safari with Transfer: $500
  • Private VIP Ferry Tickets to Daressalam with two way transfers : $260
  • Private Transfer from Zanzibar Airport to Kiwengwa: $200
  • Safari blue tour with Lunch and Transfers: $180
  • Zanzibar Sunset Dhow Cruise with Transfers.: $149
  • Zanzibar:Prison Island,Nakupenda Sandbank Tour with transfer: $141
  • Private Return Transfer From Zanzibar Airport To Paje: $140
  • Off-Road Quad Bike Adventure with hotel transfer: $138
  • Arrival Private Transfer Zanzibar Airport ZNZ to Island by Luxury Car: $125
  • Departure Private Transfer from Island to Zanzibar Airport ZNZ by Luxury Sedan: $125
  • Ferry Zanzibar :Transfer services: $120
  • Jozani Forest and Spice Farm Tour With Transfer: $110

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pittsburgh

Also for Pittsburgh, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Pittsburgh Airport (PIT) to Pittsburgh City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $97
  • Pittsburgh Airport (PIT) to Pittsburgh hotel/address - Arrival Private Transfer: $48
  • Pittsburgh City to Pittsburgh Airport (PIT) - Departure Private Transfer: $48

Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Pittsburgh?

Prices for flights to both Pittsburgh 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
    Pittsburgh $54

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 Pittsburgh

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

  • Pittsburgh's Strip District Food Tour: $70
  • Pittsburgh's Strip District Food Tour: $70

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Zanzibar $13
    Pittsburgh $38

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 Pittsburgh

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Pittsburgh.

  • Eastbound Pennsylvania Turnpike: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $6.22
  • Pittsburgh to Logstown Settler's History: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $6.32
  • Entrance Ticket to AT BLAQK House Collections: $7.00
  • Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Pittsburgh by Crazy Dash: $10
  • Smartphone-Guided Walking Tour of Downtown Pittsburgh: $25
  • Smartphone-Guided Tour of Downtown Pittsburgh Sights & Stories: $28
  • Public Art Walking Tour: $30
  • Pittsburg 101 Tour: $30
  • Pittsburgh 101 Walking History Tour: $32
  • Black & Ghost Tour: $33
  • Downtown History and Architecture Tour: $33
  • Best of the Burgh Walking Tour of Pittsburgh: $33

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Zanzibar $6.86
    Pittsburgh $33

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 Pittsburgh

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Pittsburgh:

  • Pittsburgh Bar Hunt: Party Through Pittsburgh Bar Crawl: $13
  • Wigle Whiskey Rebellion Distillery Tour: $22
  • New! Bites & Brews: Pittsburgh Brewery Walk: $50
  • Bike and Brewery Tour: $69
  • Pittsburgh Signature Guided Brewery Tour: $105


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


Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Pittsburgh?

Zanzibar has a larger population, and is about 26% larger than the population of Pittsburgh. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Pittsburgh, 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.