Which place is cheaper, Saint Petersburg or Zanzibar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Zanzibar or Saint Petersburg?
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 Saint Petersburg 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 Saint Petersburg?
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.
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a beautiful city that sits on the eastern edge of the Baltic Sea. Its historical city center is threaded with canals and architecturally impressive buildings, leaving little doubt as to why this city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the second largest city in Russia, but perhaps a favorite among travelers. The metropolitan area has a population of over 5 million as well as an impressive culture with fascinating museums, restaurants, and architecture. The city has no shortage of sights and attractions, and many days can be passed while you wander its intricate streets.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, and The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZanzibar $52Saint Petersburg $63
The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $52, while the average daily cost in Saint Petersburg is $63. 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 Saint Petersburg in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZanzibar $25Saint Petersburg $36
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZanzibar $50Saint Petersburg $72
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Saint Petersburg
Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Saint Petersburg? 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.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zanzibar $11Saint Petersburg $7.29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:
- Zanzibar:Prison Island,Nakupenda Sandbank Tour with transfer: $141
- Zanzibar:Hotels & Airport Transfer Services: $50
- Stone Town to Airport Private Transfer: $23
- Splash Transfer: $60
- Safari blue tour with Lunch and Transfers: $180
- Private Airport Transfer: $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
- Airport_Hotel and Destination Transfer Service: $29
- Airport/Port&Hotel transfer service: $58
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Saint Petersburg
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Saint Petersburg:
-
Metro Passes$1.34
Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Saint Petersburg?
Prices for flights to both Saint Petersburg 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 dayZanzibar $17Saint Petersburg $18
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 Traditional Cooking Class: $49
- Zanzibar Cooking Class [Swahili food test ] and Spice farm Private tour: $59
- Zanzibar Spice farm and Cooking Class: $60
- Spice Tour & Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $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
- Traditional Zanzibar Cooking Class including Spice Tour: $68
- Spice Farm Tour with Traditional Cooking Lesson: $77
Typical Food Prices in Saint Petersburg
For Saint Petersburg, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Lunch for Two$4.61
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zanzibar $13Saint Petersburg $18
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
- Full Day Spice Tour, Prison Island and City Tours: $140
- Half-Day Walking Tour in Zanzibar City's Spice Island: $63
- Stonetown Private Half-day Walking Tour: $35
- Zanzibar Spice Tour : $47
- 10 DAYS MOSHI TO ZANZIBAR BIKE TOUR: $4,286
- 2 Hours Private Stone Town City Tour: $50
- 2day Zanzibar adventure: Prison Island & Sandbank (all-incl): $533
- 3 Hours Private Stone Town Walking Tour : $30
- 3-Day Selous Game Reserve Safari & Cultural tour with Flight: $1,345
- 3h Stonetown walking tour (zanzibar): $30
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayZanzibar $6.91Saint Petersburg $9.68
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zanzibar and Saint Petersburg, we can see that Saint Petersburg 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 Saint Petersburg 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 Saint Petersburg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Petersburg 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 Saint Petersburg Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Saint Petersburg?
Saint Petersburg has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Zanzibar. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Saint Petersburg, 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 Saint Petersburg?
Saint Petersburg 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 Saint Petersburg in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Zanzibar as well as Saint Petersburg. Zanzibar attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In July, Zanzibar is generally a little warmer than Saint Petersburg. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 25°C (77°F), and Saint Petersburg fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Saint Petersburg. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Zanzibar this time of the year. In the summer, Zanzibar often gets less sunshine than Saint Petersburg. Zanzibar gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Saint Petersburg receives 267 hours of full sun.
Zanzibar usually gets less rain in July than Saint Petersburg. Zanzibar gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Saint Petersburg receives 77 mm (3 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyZanzibar 25°C (77°F)Saint Petersburg 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Saint Petersburg in the Autumn?
Both Saint Petersburg and Zanzibar are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Zanzibar throughout the year.
Zanzibar is much warmer than Saint Petersburg in the autumn. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 25°C (78°F) in October, and Saint Petersburg fluctuates around 6°C (42°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Zanzibar. Zanzibar usually receives more sunshine than Saint Petersburg during autumn. Zanzibar gets 275 hours of sunny skies, while Saint Petersburg receives 70 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Zanzibar usually receives around the same amount of rain as Saint Petersburg. Zanzibar gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Saint Petersburg receives 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberZanzibar 25°C (78°F)Saint Petersburg 6°C (42°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Saint Petersburg in the Winter?
Both Saint Petersburg 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 Saint Petersburg can be very cold. In the winter, Zanzibar is much warmer than Saint Petersburg. Typically, the winter temperatures in Zanzibar in January average around 28°C (82°F), and Saint Petersburg averages at about -8°C (18°F).
It's quite sunny in Zanzibar. In the winter, Zanzibar often gets more sunshine than Saint Petersburg. Zanzibar gets 236 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Saint Petersburg receives 22 hours of full sun.
Zanzibar usually gets more rain in January than Saint Petersburg. Zanzibar gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Saint Petersburg receives 38 mm (1.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryZanzibar 28°C (82°F)Saint Petersburg -8°C (18°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Saint Petersburg in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Zanzibar and Saint Petersburg. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Zanzibar year-round.
It's quite cold in Saint Petersburg in the spring. In April, Zanzibar is generally much warmer than Saint Petersburg. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 27°C (81°F), and Saint Petersburg fluctuates around 4°C (40°F).
Zanzibar usually receives less sunshine than Saint Petersburg during spring. Zanzibar gets 155 hours of sunny skies, while Saint Petersburg 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 Saint Petersburg. Zanzibar gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Saint Petersburg receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilZanzibar 27°C (81°F)Saint Petersburg 4°C (40°F)
Typical Weather for Saint Petersburg and Zanzibar
| Zanzibar | Saint Petersburg | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 28°C (82°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | -8°C (18°F) | 38 mm (1.5 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | -7°C (20°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (83°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | -2°C (28°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 269 mm (10.6 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| May | 26°C (78°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (76°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 16°C (62°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (76°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (78°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | -5°C (24°F) | 48 mm (1.9 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.