Which place is cheaper, San Francisco or Zanzibar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zanzibar or San Francisco?
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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco?
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.
San Francisco
San Francisco is a beautiful city that is famous for it's picturesque neighborhoods, liberal character, and stunning location on the bay. Some people describe San Francisco as the United State's most "European City." This title most likely comes from its compact development and its easy walkability. It also has no shortage of parks and public spaces where you can pass some time. The city sits on the end of a peninsula and offers stunning views of the blue bay, rolling green hills, and the striking Golden Gate Bridge.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZanzibar $51San Francisco $222
The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $51, while the average daily cost in San Francisco is $222. 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 San Francisco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZanzibar $24San Francisco $130
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZanzibar $48San Francisco $260
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and San Francisco
Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or San Francisco? 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 San Francisco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zanzibar $11San Francisco $16
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Francisco
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Francisco:
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Taxi to SFO$45
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Golden Gate Bridge Toll$6.00
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Alcatraz Tour$30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Francisco
Also for San Francisco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to San Francisco: $107
- Arrival Private Transfer SFO Airport to San Francisco City by SUV: $245
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Business Car: $108
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Luxury Car: $169
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Luxury SUV: $141
- Arrival Transfer San Francisco Pier to San Francisco City by SUV: $177
- Carmel 1-Way Transfer to/from San Francisco Airport: $535
- Departure Private Transfer San Francisco to SFO Airport by Sedan: $152
- Departure Private Transfer San Francisco to SFO Airport in a SUV: $203
- Departure Private Transfer: San Francisco to Airport SFO in Business Car: $108
- Napa Valley 1-Way Transfer to/from the San Francisco Airport: $400
- Private Airport SUV VIP Transfer from or to SFO to Marin County: $168
Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or San Francisco?
Prices for flights to both San Francisco 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 $17San Francisco $46
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 San Francisco
For San Francisco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- San Francisco Virtual Food Tour with Local Guide: $19
- North Beach and Little Italy Food Tour: $79
- Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise on the Bay: $82
- Secret Food Tours San Francisco: $84
- Mission District Food Tour with Tastings: $85
- Farmers' Market & Ferry Building Food Tour: $87
- Mission District Walking Food Tour: $89
- Chinatown Walking Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco North Beach Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco North Beach and Chinatown - Secret Food Tours: $89
- San Francisco Chinatown Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $89
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zanzibar $13San Francisco $46
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 San Francisco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Francisco.
- Golden Gate Bridge: Self-guided Tour App - Audio + Written: $5.00
- San Francisco’s Chinatown on foot: A Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Leave your heart at the Wharf: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Self Guided Chinatown Tour: Food, History and Culture: $5.99
- San Francisco's Barbary Past: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Embarcadero Self-Guided Audio Smartphone Tour: $5.99
- San Francisco self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $6.46
- The Ghosts of San Francisco Haunted Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Japantown & Stories: $6.99
- Ghosts & Hauntings Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- Secrets of Golden Gate Park Audio Tour: $7.99
- Design in the Financial District Audio Tour: $7.99
For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Museums in San Francisco, The Best Outdoor Activities in San Francisco, and Things to Do In San Francisco on a Rainy Day.
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZanzibar $6.86San Francisco $22
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 San Francisco
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in San Francisco:
- Chinatown San Francisco’s Bar Crawl: An Audio Tour: $4.99
- SF Pub Crawl and Clubbing Experience: $27
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $35
- Ghosts, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- 2 to 3 Hour Bar Crawl in Castro San Francisco: $49
- Wine Tasting on the Bay: $85
- Private Wine Tour Napa or Sonoma from $99 per person up to 7 & Concierge Service: $99
- Small Group: The Ultimate Napa & Sonoma Wine Tour: $109
- Big Bus Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour: $125
- Half-Day Wine Country Tour with Wine Tastings: $126
- From The Ultimate Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour: $139
- The Ultimate Napa & Sonoma Wine Tour: $139
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zanzibar and San Francisco, we can see that San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Francisco 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 San Francisco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or San Francisco?
San Francisco has a larger population, and is about 81% larger than the population of Zanzibar. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and San Francisco, 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 San Francisco?
San Francisco 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 San Francisco in the Summer?
Both San Francisco and Zanzibar during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Zanzibar because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, the summer months attract visitors to San Francisco because of the beaches, the hiking, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
Zanzibar is a little warmer than San Francisco in the summer. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 25°C (77°F) in July, and San Francisco fluctuates around 63°F (17°C).
Zanzibar usually gets more rain in July than San Francisco. Zanzibar gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while San Francisco receives 0.1 inches (2 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyZanzibar 25°C (77°F)San Francisco 63°F (17°C)
Should I visit Zanzibar or San Francisco in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Zanzibar and San Francisco. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Zanzibar year-round. Furthermore, the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to San Francisco this time of year.
In the autumn, Zanzibar is a little warmer than San Francisco. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Zanzibar in October average around 25°C (78°F), and San Francisco averages at about 63°F (17°C).
In October, Zanzibar usually receives more rain than San Francisco. Zanzibar gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while San Francisco receives 1.3 inches (33 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberZanzibar 25°C (78°F)San Francisco 63°F (17°C)
Should I visit Zanzibar or San Francisco in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Zanzibar as well as San Francisco. Zanzibar attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, many travelers come to San Francisco for the museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine.
In January, Zanzibar is generally much warmer than San Francisco. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 28°C (82°F), and San Francisco fluctuates around 50°F (10°C).
Zanzibar usually gets less rain in January than San Francisco. Zanzibar gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while San Francisco receives 3.8 inches (96 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryZanzibar 28°C (82°F)San Francisco 50°F (10°C)
Should I visit Zanzibar or San Francisco in the Spring?
Both San Francisco and Zanzibar are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Zanzibar throughout the year. Also, many visitors come to San Francisco in the spring for the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty.
Zanzibar is much warmer than San Francisco in the spring. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 27°C (81°F) in April, and San Francisco fluctuates around 58°F (14°C).
It's quite rainy in Zanzibar. In April, Zanzibar usually receives more rain than San Francisco. Zanzibar gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while San Francisco receives 1.2 inches (31 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilZanzibar 27°C (81°F)San Francisco 58°F (14°C)
Typical Weather for San Francisco and Zanzibar
| Zanzibar | San Francisco | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 28°C (82°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 50°F (10°C) | 3.8 inches (96 mm) |
| Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 54°F (12°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) |
| Mar | 28°C (83°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 56°F (13°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 269 mm (10.6 in) | 58°F (14°C) | 1.2 inches (31 mm) |
| May | 26°C (78°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 60°F (15°C) | 0.2 inches (5 mm) |
| Jun | 24°C (76°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 62°F (17°C) | 0.1 inches (3 mm) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 63°F (17°C) | 0.1 inches (2 mm) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 64°F (18°C) | 0.1 inches (1 mm) |
| Sep | 25°C (76°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 66°F (19°C) | 0.3 inches (7 mm) |
| Oct | 25°C (78°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 63°F (17°C) | 1.3 inches (33 mm) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) | 57°F (14°C) | 2.8 inches (71 mm) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 51°F (11°C) | 2.7 inches (68 mm) |
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.