Which place is cheaper, Queenstown 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 Queenstown?
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 Queenstown 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 Queenstown?
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.
Queenstown
Queenstown is a popular tourist destination on New Zealand's South Island. It is beautifully surrounded by the Southern Alps and sits on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. Across the lake you will find a stunning view of the Remarkables, a dramatic mountain range. The town itself is quite touristy, but prices still remain reasonable. There are options for all travel budgets, whether you're a backpacker hoping to save a few dollars or a family looking for some luxury accommodation. Despite its natural and tranquil setting, Queenstown is actually very much a party town, particularly during the peak seasons. Don't be surprised to find people out enjoying themselves until the early hours of the morning. If you're not into the party scene and are hoping to get a decent night's sleep, consider staying a little outside of town. About an hour outside of Queenstown you'll find Wanaka, which is a much smaller and peaceful town without the party scene.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best Bicycle Tours in New Zealand, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand.
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Zanzibar Prices
Tanzania PricesQueenstown Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZanzibar $62Queenstown $123
The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $62, while the average daily cost in Queenstown 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 Queenstown in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZanzibar $24Queenstown $52
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZanzibar $48Queenstown $104
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Queenstown
Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Queenstown? 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 Queenstown Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zanzibar $11Queenstown $9.63
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:
- Zanzibar Taxi & Transfer Services – From Airport to All Resorts: $16
- Premium Private Transfer in Zanzibar – Airport, Hotels, Beaches: $20
- Zanzibar Airport Hotel Transfer Private Taxi Service: $20
- Zanzibar Airport Transfer and Island Shuttle Service: $20
- Zanzibar Airport Transfers to Hotels: $20
- Private Transfer from Abeid Amani Karume Airport to Zanzibar: $20
- Zanzibar Airport Transfer Private Taxi to Hotels in Zanzibar: $20
- Private Zanzibar Airport Transfer: $20
- Private Airport Transfers to Stone Town and Beyond: $20
- Airport Taxi and Hotel Transfer Service in Zanzibar: $20
- Zanzibar Airport Transfers to Hotels: $20
- Zanzibar Aiport transfer services: $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Queenstown
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Queenstown:
- From Cardrona Ski/Snowboard Rentals & Transfer: $165
- One way transfer to Remarkable or Coronet Peak Ski Fields: $186
- Private Transfer from Wanaka to Queenstown Airport: $169
- QUEENSTOWN Best Private Airport Transfer:1 Way from/to Hotel: $51
- Queenstown Airport to Towncenter Transfer: $74
- Queenstown International Airport To and From City Center Transfer: $43
- Queenstown International Airport to City Hotels Transfer: $37
- Queenstown Premium Private Airport and Departure Transfers: $102
- Queenstown Private Airport Transfer: Door to Door Service: $28
- Queenstown private transfer: $76
- Queenstown to Mt Cook One Way Scenic Transfer: $121
- Queenstown to Wanaka Transfer: $218
Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Queenstown?
Prices for flights to both Queenstown 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 $28Queenstown $59
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zanzibar
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Zanzibar.
- Zanzi Nights Stone Town Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $45
- Zanzibar Traditional Cooking Class: $49
- Zanzibar Walking Spice Farm with Local Cooking Class: $50
- Zanzibar Traditional Cooking Class and Spice Farm: $59
- Zanzibar Spice Tour & Cooking Class: $69
- Zanzibar Cooking Lesson: $70
- Cooking Class Tour: $75
- Zanzibar Cultural Cuisines Cooking Class & Spice Farm Tour: $75
- Spice Farm Tour with Traditional Cooking Lesson: $77
- Zanzibar Spice and Night Market Cooking and Street Food Tour: $80
- 5 Hours Guided Spice Tour and Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $97
- A Half Day Private Cooking Class At the Spice Farm: $107
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Queenstown
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Queenstown.
- Bar Crawl with 5 Free Shots and Pizza: $17
- Skyline Queenstown Gondola with Lunch or Dinner: $80
- Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown: $108
- Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch: $129
- Queenstown Wine & Food Tour: Scenery, Tastings & Delicious Lunch!: $157
- Queenstown Dinner & Wine Experience (Adults Only) 3 Iconic Venues: $280
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zanzibar $13Queenstown $20
Tours and Activities in Zanzibar
Here are a few actual costs in Zanzibar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Podcast Tour Zanzibar City The Black Gold and the Broken Chains: $5.48
- Private Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage Tour: $14
- Zanzibar Private Spice Farm Tour With Optional Lunch: $17
- Guided Stone Town Tour In Zanzibar: $17
- Stone Town Private Tour in Zanzibar: $17
- Stone Town tour: $18
- Stone Town Guided Walking Tour: Shopping, Culture & History: $18
- Zanzibar Stone Town Private Walking Tour With Old Slave Market: $18
- Stone Town Hidden Gems: Historical Walking Tour with Local Guide: $20
- Stone Town Walking Tour Explore Zanzibar's Historical Heart: $20
- Zanzibar Sunset Dhow Cruise with Traditional Drums and Fruits: $20
- Zanzibar Spice Tour to Mussa Village: $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Queenstown
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Queenstown are as follows:
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Skyline Gondola (for 2)$28
Tours and Activities in Queenstown
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Queenstown are as follows:
- Queenstown on Foot: An Audio Tour: $5.00
- Queenstown to Wānaka: A Self-Guided Gibbston Valley Driving Tour: $7.99
- Hidden Underwater Theatre Experience: $8.47
- Queenstown Self Guided Walking Tour with an APP: $9.99
- From the Green to the Grave: An Audio Tour of Queenstown: $12
- Queenstown to Milfordsound Self Guided Drive Tour with an APP: $15
- Escape Adventure: $20
- The Dreamery Interactive Sensory Journey Entry Ticket: $22
- Fear Factory Haunted House Admission Ticket: $23
- Private Race Car Simulation Experience: $25
- Odyssey Sensory Maze Entry Ticket: $28
- Kawarau Zipride! (Family Fun Experience): $28
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZanzibar $6.76Queenstown $8.41
Sample the Local Flavors in Queenstown
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Queenstown:
- Ice Bar Crawl: $23
- Marlborough Wine Tour: Self-Guided GPS Audio Driving Guide: $23
- Kinross Winery: Valli Wine Tasting Experience: $26
- Queenstown NZ Wine Tour: Self-Guided Drive or Bike Audio Guide: $29
- Bike The Wineries (Full-Day) - Bike & Wine Tour: $66
- Bike & Wine Tour: Arrowtown to Valley of the Vines: $70
- Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours: $73
- Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $95
- Queenstown's Original Premium Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour: $101
- Small Group Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $129
- Classic Wine Tour: $135
- Arrowtown Wine Tour: $141
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zanzibar and Queenstown, we can see that Queenstown 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 Queenstown is in Pacific, 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 Queenstown would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Queenstown 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 Queenstown Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Queenstown?
Zanzibar has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Queenstown. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Queenstown, 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.