Which place is cheaper, Santorini 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 Santorini?
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 Santorini 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 Santorini?
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.
Santorini
Santorini is a volcanic island that is part of the Cyclades group of the Greek Islands. It has some spectacular views, beautiful sunsets, and excellent beaches. As one of the most popular of the Greek Islands to visit, Santorini sees many tourists every year. However, it's for a good reason, as the famous white-washed buildings that spill down the hill, some with blue domes that match the gorgeous color of the water, are set against the beautiful mountainous backdrop of one of the most scenic areas of the Mediterranean. Home to several of these small and scenic towns such as Oia, Kamari, Perissa, and Fira, visitors can explore the large island, enjoy delicious food, swim at the beaches, hike the hills, and sail the blue waters.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best Luxury Tours to Greece, and The Best Budget Tours to Greece.
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Zanzibar Prices
Tanzania PricesSantorini Prices
Greece Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZanzibar $62Santorini $286
The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $62, while the average daily cost in Santorini is $286. 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 Santorini in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZanzibar $24Santorini $134
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZanzibar $48Santorini $268
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Santorini
Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Santorini? 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 Santorini Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zanzibar $11Santorini $40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:
- Luxury Zanzibar Airport Transfer in Range Rover Sport: $300
- Zanzibar Must-see Sights with Lunch and Transfers: $249
- Taxi Transfer To The Rock Restaurant - safe and reliable: $140
- Zanzibar Airport Pickup, Stone Town Tour and Nungwi Transfer: $115
- Private Transfer from Makunduchi to Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport: $98
- Private Transfer from Kizimkazi to Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport: $98
- Private Transfer from Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport to Kizimkazi: $98
- Zanzibar Quad Adventures from Nungwi or Kendwa & Hotel Transfer: $95
- Zanzibar Ferry Terminal Departure Transfers.: $90
- Jet Ski to Zanzibar with photos and video and transfer included: $90
- Private Transfer from Matemwe to Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport: $88
- Private Transfer from Kiwengwa to Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport: $88
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini
Also for Santorini, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport, Port and Hotel Private Transfer in Santorini: $35
- Arrival Private Transfer from Santorini Airport to Athinios Port: $48
- Athinios Port Transfer to Anywhere in Santorini: $29
- Departure Private Transfer Anthinios Port to Santorini Airport: $75
- Departure Private Transfer Anthinios Port to Santorini Airport: $48
- Departure Transfer Athinios Port to Santorini Airport JTR by Suv: $37
- Economy Arrival Transfers From Santorini Airport To All Destinations: $16
- Economy Transfers From & To Santorini Port: $26
- Express Private Transfer Service in Santorini: $14
- Helicopter Transfer between Mykonos & Santorini: $5,960
- Luxury Santorini Catamaran Cruise: Lunch, BBQ, Drinks, Transfers: $135
- Luxury Small-Group Catamaran Cruise with BBQ, Open bar & Transfer: $165
Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Santorini?
Prices for flights to both Santorini 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 $28Santorini $109
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zanzibar
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Zanzibar.
- Zanzibar Traditional Cooking Class: $49
- Zanzibar Walking Spice Farm with Local Cooking Class: $50
- Zanzibar Cooking Class [Swahili food test ] and Spice farm Private tour: $59
- Spice Tour & Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $60
- Local Cooking Class with Spice Tour in Zanzibar: $60
- Zanzibar Spice Tour & Cooking Class: $69
- Zanzibar Cultural Cuisines Cooking Class & Spice Farm Tour: $75
- Traditional Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $76
- 5 Hours Guided Spice Tour and Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $100
- A Half Day Private Cooking Class At the Spice Farm: $107
- Zanzibar Private Tour & Cooking Class: $110
- Spice Farm with Cooking Class + Lunch and Stone town (City tour): $130
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santorini
For Santorini, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Farm to Table Food Tour Experience in Santorini: $94
- Santorini Caldera Sunset Sailing Cruise with Dinner and Wine: $94
- Santorini Family Farm Food & Wine Tour with Cooking Class: $100
- Award-Winning Santorini Cooking Class with Greek Chef: $127
- Cooking Class in Traditional cave house in Santorini!: $129
- Cooking Class with Private Chef - prepare & enjoy local menu: $129
- Santorini Sunset Sailing Cruise: Dinner, BBQ, Open Bar, Transfers: $129
- Sunset Sea Kayak with Light Dinner with Pick-up Option: $141
- Luxury Santorini Sunset Cruise: Dinner, BBQ, Open Bar, Transfers: $141
- Santorini : Night Hike, Wine Tasting and Dinner: $164
- Small Group Cooking Lesson & Wine Tasting at Award-Winning Winery: $165
- Clandestine Dinner by Petra Kouzina: $176
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zanzibar $13Santorini $40
Tours and Activities in Zanzibar
Here are a few actual costs in Zanzibar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3 Hours Private Stone Town Walking Tour: $20
- 5 HOURS Stone Town Tour Including Pick-up and Drop off: $70
- 8 Days Zanzibar Discovery Adventure: $220
- A Half Day Private Dolphins And Snorkeling Tour To Mnemba Island: $95
- A Half Day Private Stone Town Tour: $85
- A Half Day Private Tour To Jozani Forest: $87
- A Half Day Private Tour to Spice Farm: $80
- A Private Full Day Tour To Stone Town & Spice Farm: $90
- A Stone Town Private Tour Experience in Zanzibar: $35
- Baraka Aquarium and Dolphin Sightseeing with Sunset Cruise: $115
- Baraka Aquarium; Jozani Forest Tour; Kuza Cave; Paje Beach; The Rock Restaurant: $150
- Baraka Aquarium; The Island Pongwe; Spice Tour; The Secret Garden; The Rock: $130
Tours and Activities in Santorini
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.
- Caldera, Villages and Sunsets Experience in Santorini: $2.29
- Skip the Line Lost Atlantis Experience Ticket: $16
- Ticket for Akrotiri Archaeological Site: $33
- Sunset Cruise Santorini Volcano: $35
- Santorini Volcano and Hot Springs Cruise Tour from Fira Old Port: $35
- Santorini Caldera Cruise Tour (Volcano, Hot Springs, Thirassia): $41
- Santorini Tour Of Caldera with Glass Bottom Boat: $44
- Santorini Tour of Caldera with Glass bottom Boat: $44
- Santorini Sunset Cruise in Caldera: $45
- Hiden gems private tour: $47
- Santorini Shore Excursion: Private Tour with Tender Port Pickup: $47
- Sunset In Oia & Santorini Traditional Villages Bus Tour: $48
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZanzibar $6.72Santorini $28
Sample the Local Flavors in Zanzibar
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Zanzibar:
- Thrilling Pub Crawl In Zanzibar. Visit 3 Unique Bars: $26
Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini
Also in Santorini, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Art and Wine Tour in a Historic Santorini Winery: $41
- Santorini Ftelos Brewery Guided Tour and Beer Tasting Experience: $41
- Top Sights of Santorini with Wine Tasting and Sunset in Oia: $52
- Visit to a Wine Museum and Wine Tasting in Santorini: $91
- Santorini Wine & Village Experience–Megalochori &Wine Tasting(4h): $94
- Santorini Private Wine Tour with Local Wineries & Tastings: $100
- Caldera Views, Cliffside Villages, and Santorinian Wine Tasting: $100
- Premium Wine Tasting with Caldera Views: $105
- Guided ATV Tour with Wine Tasting: $106
- Santorini Wine Tour with sunset in Oia: $129
- Santorini wine tasting and Traditional Cave Settlement Tour: $134
- Private Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting 4 or 5hour duration: $170
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zanzibar and Santorini, we can see that Santorini 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 Santorini 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 Santorini would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santorini 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 Santorini Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Santorini?
Santorini has a larger population, and is about 49% larger than the population of Zanzibar. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Santorini, 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.