Which place is cheaper, Santiago 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 Santiago?
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 Santiago 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 Santiago?
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.
Santiago
Santiago is the capital city of Chile. It is centrally located in the long and narrow country, making it a good jumping off point to explore everywhere else. It's convenient location means that you can go skiing in the Andes one day, and hang out at the beach the next.
Santiago has a cool semi-arid climate that is similar to Mediterranean climates. The summers, which are between November and March, are warm and dry. The temperatures climb to around 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The winters, between June and August, are humid with cold mornings. The daily highs are around 55 degrees Fahrenheit and the lows stay a few degrees above freezing. Rain is more common in the winter months and the dry season is between December and March.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.
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Zanzibar Prices
Tanzania PricesSantiago Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZanzibar $62Santiago $161
The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $62, while the average daily cost in Santiago is $161. 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 Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZanzibar $24Santiago $117
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZanzibar $48Santiago $234
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Santiago? 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 Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zanzibar $11Santiago $5.81
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:
- Zanzibar Airport Private Transfer Anywhere: $12
- Airport and Hotels Transfers: $15
- Premium Private Transfer in Zanzibar – Airport, Hotels, Beaches: $20
- Zanzibar Airport Transfers Pickup and Drop off/departure: $20
- Zanzibar Taxi & Transfer Services – From Airport to All Resorts: $20
- Private Airport Transfers to Stone Town and Beyond: $20
- Abeid Amani Karume Airport Pick-Up & Hotel Transfer in Zanzibar: $20
- Zanzibar Departure Transfer from Stone Town Hotels to the Airport: $20
- Zanzibar Airport Transfers to Hotels: $20
- Zanzibar Airport Private Transfer to/from Hotel: $20
- Airport Taxi and Hotel Transfer Service in Zanzibar: $20
- Airport to Stown Town or Stown Town To Airport transfer: $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santiago
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santiago:
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Metro Ride$1.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Airport Transfer and Halfday City tour Santiago de Chile: $362
- Airport Transfer: Santiago Airport SCL to Santiago by Luxury Van: $105
- Airport Transfer: Santiago to Santiago Airport SCL by Luxury Van: $105
- Arrival Transfer from Santiago Airport SCL to Santiago de Chile: $82
- Arrival Transfer: Airport SCL to Santiago by Luxury Van: $105
- Casas del Bosque Winery + RE Wineries : Exclusive Tour + Transfer: $220
- City Tour Santiago with Exclusive Guide + Private Transfer: $270
- City tour santiago with excursion to valparaiso and airport transfer: $150
- Clos Apalta Winery - Tour with Private Transfer: $300
- Departure Transfer: Santiago to Airport SCL by Luxury Van: $105
- From Viña Santa Rita Tour w/Transfer: $120
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour, Concha y Toro, Private Transfer from Santiago: $262
Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago 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 $28Santiago $24
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
- Private Zanzibar Spices Tour with Traditional Swahili Cooking Lesson: $55
- Local Cooking Class with Spice Tour in Zanzibar: $60
- Zanzibar Cooking Lesson: $70
- Traditional Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $77
- Zanzibar Spice & Night Market: Cooking & Street Food Tour: $80
- Cooking Class Tour: $90
- A private half day spice farm with a cooking lesson: $90
- Zanzibar Sunset Dinner Dhow Cruise Kendwa Nungwi: $130
- Exclusive Private Sunset Dinner Sail along North Coast Zanzibar: $140
- Spice Tour; Secret Garden Restaurant; Stone Town; Dinner at The Rock Restaurant: $140
- Private Dinner on Sandbank in Zanzibar: $150
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$2.02
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Hamburger$2.69
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Dinner$28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santiago
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santiago.
- Legacy Family Tour Lunch or Dinner Pairing 4 Strokes: $40
- Street Food Tour in Santiago with a Local Guide: $58
- Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $82
- 4-Hour Boozy Chilean Cooking Class in Santiago: $85
- Food Tour STGO, Eat like Locals!: $99
- Traditional Dinner Show in Santiago: $107
- Lastarria Food Tour: Wine, Bites & Social Culinary Experience: $109
- Santiago Food Tour: Bohemian Flavors and Local Gems: $109
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai with Wine refill and transportation: $114
- Small-Group Tour: Night City Tour with Santa Lucia Hill and Dinner Show: $116
- Private Dinner & Chilean Folk Show with Transfers: $116
- Alyan Winery Sunset with Wine Tastings and Dinner: $117
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zanzibar $13Santiago $51
Tours and Activities in Zanzibar
Here are a few actual costs in Zanzibar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Stone Town Hidden Gems: Historical Walking Tour with Local Guide: $13
- Private Stone Town Cultural & Historical Walking Tour - Zanzibar: $16
- Guided Stone Town Tour In Zanzibar: $18
- Stone Town Private Tour in Zanzibar: $18
- Zanzibar Stone Town Walking Tour Experience: $18
- Stone Town tour: $18
- Stone Town Walking Tour in Zanzibar: $18
- Zanzibar Spice Farm Tour & Exotic Fruit Lunch: $19
- Zanzibar Green Tour Spice Farm and Butterfly Centre: $20
- Zanzibar Stone Town Walking Tour: $20
- City tours zanzibar: $20
- Stone Town Tour: $20
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- Santiago Cathedral's Bell Tower Official Tour: $9.00
- A historical tour of Santiago, Chile: $18
- Cable Car Admission Ticket: $18
- Santiago City Tour: Living History and Local Food Tasting: $20
- Guided City Tour through the historic center of Santiago: $23
- Private Guided Walking Tour of the City Center: $24
- Guided Walking Tour of the Historical Old Town: $25
- Yungay, Memory, Art, and Neighborhood Walking Tour: $25
- Santiago : Highlights Walking Tour With A Guide: $26
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial español: $27
- Guided Walking Tour through the Historic Center: $29
- Andes Snow Experience Farellones Valle Nevado and from Santiago: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZanzibar $6.75Santiago $9.02
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago
Also in Santiago, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Traditional Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Official English: $27
- Ludwig's Original Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $34
- Premium Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Spanish official: $45
- "Premium Wine Tour" Viña Cousiño Macul Official english: $45
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $59
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Wine Tasting: $60
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $63
- Undurraga Wine tour: $70
- Santa Carolina History and Wine Tasting in Santiago: $70
- Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $75
- Undurraga Wine Tasting Tour from Santiago: $75
- Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zanzibar and Santiago, we can see that Santiago 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 Santiago is in South 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 Santiago would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santiago 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 Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Zanzibar. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Santiago, 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 Santiago?
Santiago 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 Santiago in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Zanzibar and Santiago. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Zanzibar year-round.
In July, Zanzibar is generally a little warmer than Santiagoin January. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 25°C (77°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
In July, Zanzibar usually receives more rain than Santiagoin January. Zanzibar gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryZanzibar 25°C (77°F)Santiago 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Santiago in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Zanzibar as well as Santiago. Zanzibar attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Zanzibar is much warmer than Santiago in the autumn. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 25°C (78°F) in October, and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F)in April.
Zanzibar usually gets more rain in October than Santiagoin April. Zanzibar gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilZanzibar 25°C (78°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Santiago in the Winter?
Both Santiago and Zanzibar are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Zanzibar throughout the year.
In the winter, Zanzibar is much warmer than Santiago. Typically, the winter temperatures in Zanzibar in January average around 28°C (82°F), and Santiago averages at about 9°C (48°F)in July.
In January, Zanzibar usually receives around the same amount of rain as Santiagoin July. Zanzibar gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyZanzibar 28°C (82°F)Santiago 9°C (48°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Santiago in the Spring?
Both Santiago and Zanzibar during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Zanzibar because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In April, Zanzibar is generally much warmer than Santiagoin October. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 27°C (81°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Zanzibar. Zanzibar usually gets more rain in April than Santiagoin October. Zanzibar gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberZanzibar 27°C (81°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Typical Weather for Santiago and Zanzibar
| Zanzibar | Santiago | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 28°C (82°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (83°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 269 mm (10.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 26°C (78°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (76°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (76°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (78°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 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.