Which place is cheaper, Seoul 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 Seoul?
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 Seoul 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 Seoul?
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.
Seoul
With a population of more than 11 million, Seoul is easily the largest city in South Korea. It is also the financial, political, and cultural capital of the country and has much to offer open minded travelers. It is often overlooked by travelers who instead head to Tokyo or Shanghai, but Seoul has a wide range of cultural experiences, food options, and historical sights. Seoul is a city of contrasts with ancient traditions, flashy technology, religious temples and a modern youth culture. It is also more affordable than many of the other Asian metropolis' to which it is often compared. If you're looking for an interesting and different experience that is a little off the tourist trail, Seoul can definitely offer that opportunity.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to South Korea, and The Best Adventure Tours to South Korea.
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Zanzibar Prices
Tanzania PricesSeoul Prices
South Korea Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZanzibar $62Seoul $129
The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $62, while the average daily cost in Seoul is $129. 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 Seoul in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZanzibar $24Seoul $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZanzibar $48Seoul $108
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Seoul
Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Seoul? 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 Seoul Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zanzibar $11Seoul $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:
- Zanzibar Taxi & Transfer Services – From Airport to All Resorts: $16
- Zanzibar Airport Transfers Pickup and Drop off/departure: $20
- Private Airport Transfers in Zanzibar To Stone Town: $20
- Zanzibar Airport Transfer and Island Shuttle Service: $20
- Zanzibar Airport Transfers to Hotels: $20
- Zanzibar Departure Transfer from Stone Town Hotels to the Airport: $20
- Private Zanzibar Airport Transfer: $20
- Zanzibar Arrival Transfer: Zanzibar Airport to Hotel: $20
- Zanzibar Airport Hotel Transfer Private Taxi Service: $20
- Airport to Stown Town or Stown Town To Airport transfer: $20
- Private Transfer from Zanzibar airport/port - Pick & Drop off: $25
- Zanzibar Airport Transfer ZNZ Private Taxi Hotel Transfer: $30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Seoul
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Seoul:
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Subway Card$3.61
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Short Taxi Ride$5.05
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Metro Ride$0.97
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Seoul City Pass Plus$7.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seoul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seoul:
- From Round-Trip Transfer to Dae Jang Geum Park: $50
- Gimpo Airport GMP Private Transfer To From Seoul Hotels: $108
- Gimpo Airport to Seoul /Seoul to GMP Private Transfer (1-7pax): $74
- Gimpo International Airport to or from Seoul Private Transfer: $89
- Incheon Airport (ICN) Transfer to Seoul/Suwon/Seongnam/Yongin: $68
- Incheon Airport (ICN): Private Transfer To/From Seoul Hotels: $104
- Incheon Airport Transfer service pick up drop off Seoul ~7 Pax: $89
- Incheon Airport transfer directly to Seoul city: $113
- Incheon International Airport (ICN): Private Seoul Transfer: $95
- Lotte World 1Day Pass+Obesrvatoy+Private round transfer(Seoul): $115
- Lotte World Theme Park Private Transfer: $235
- Premium Seoul Airport Transfer: Affordable & Convenience: $105
Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Seoul?
Prices for flights to both Seoul 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 $28Seoul $51
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
- Private Zanzibar Spices Tour with Traditional Swahili Cooking Lesson: $55
- Zanzibar Cooking Class [Swahili food test ] and Spice farm Private tour: $59
- Spice Tour & Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $60
- Traditional Zanzibar Cooking Class including Spice Tour: $68
- Zanzibar Spice Tour & Cooking Class: $69
- Zanzibar Cooking Lesson: $70
- Zanzibar Cultural Cuisines Cooking Class & Spice Farm Tour: $75
- Traditional Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $77
- 5 Hours Guided Spice Tour and Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $101
- Zanzibar Private Tour & Cooking Class: $110
Typical Food Prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seoul are as follows:
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Rice with Kimchi & Bacon$4.33
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Waffle$0.72
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Dippin' Dots$1.44
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Chicken Fried Rice$3.97
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Chicken Stick$1.44
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Drinking Yoghurt & Mi Chew$1.37
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Lunch Buffet$4.33
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Donut$0.72
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Mushroom Burger$3.75
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Green Tea Ice Cream$2.38
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Udon & Sushi$5.05
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Fresh Burger$3.46
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Soba Noodles Lunch$3.24
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Bibimbap Lunch$3.61
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Fried Rice$3.97
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Vietnamese Dinner$6.85
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Breakfast and Coffee for 2$6.85
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Donut$1.80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seoul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seoul.
- Guided Street Food Tour at Namdaemun Market: $45
- Seoul Night Run for Local-Favorite Korean BBQ Dinner: $50
- [Wine & K-BBQ] A Perfect Pairing Dinner in Sinchon: $51
- Korean Grandma Cooking Class l Gimbap & Kimchi Pancake l Seoul: $52
- Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals;Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $57
- Seoul Street Food Tour at Mangwon Market: $59
- Kimchi Dishes Cooking Class with Wine Pairing: $61
- Explore Seoul's Flavors on Group Cooking Class Adventure: $63
- Gwangjang Market Netflix Food Tour: $64
- Dinner at a Local's Hanok & Seoul's Night Life: $66
- Guided City Wall Sunset Hike with Korean Dinner: $67
- Cooking Class in Seoul with Korean Grandma: $68
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zanzibar $13Seoul $26
Tours and Activities in Zanzibar
Here are a few actual costs in Zanzibar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Stone Town Self Audio Guide Tour With Tourist Map: $6.00
- Zanzibar Unveiled From Slaves to Sultans Audio Tour: $7.15
- Stone Town Guided Walking Tour: Shopping, Culture & History: $16
- Guided Stone Town Tour In Zanzibar: $18
- Stone Town Walking Tour in Zanzibar: $18
- Stone Town Tour: $20
- Zanzibar Stone Town Walking Tour: $20
- 3 Hours Private Stone Town Walking Tour: $20
- Fruits & Spices Adventure: $21
- Zanzibar : Stone Town Tour,history without transport: $22
- Discover the Hidden Histories of Stone Town Walking Tour: $22
- Stone Town Walking Tour: $25
Typical Entertainment Prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Seoul are as follows:
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Palace Tickets$5.77
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Movie Ticket$5.77
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Kimchi Museum$2.16
Tours and Activities in Seoul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seoul are as follows:
- Seoul Ghost Tour: Self-Guided Haunted Walk: $5.95
- Seoul Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
- Seoul Changdeokgung Palace Hanbok Experience Hanboknam (내국인불가): $7.10
- Bukchon Hanok Village Seoul Walking Tour with Audioguide: $7.73
- Alternative A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Ginseng Museum Entry Ticket with Tea Tasting: $8.83
- Gwanghwamun Tour l 120 Minutes to Understand South Korea: $10
- Undercity Core Techno Party Ticket: $11
- Skip the Line: Figure Museum W Ticket (내국인 불가): $11
- Insadong Running Man Themed Activity Experience Center: $13
- Elysian Gangchon Winter Ski + Eobi Ice Valley Day Tour fr Seoul: $14
- bukchon Hanbok Experience at hanboknam: $14
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZanzibar $6.70Seoul $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Seoul
Also in Seoul, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Seoul Pub Crawl by Absolute: $20
- The Seoul Pub Crawl Official: $22
- Pub Crawl: $25
- The Seoul Pub Crawl [official]: $26
- LGBTQ+ Pub Crawl and Drag Show with Local Drag Queen: $28
- Soju Tasting at Distillery - story of 3 pigs: $46
- Rice Wine Tasting with Sommelier - Finest Makgeolli (& Soju): $46
- Soju Tasting at Distillery: $51
- Premium Pub Crawl with Open Bottles: $57
- Craft Makgeolli Brewery Tour & Tasting Experience: $67
- Learn and Craft Makgeolli in a Traditional Brewery: $78
- Chunpoong Makgeolli Brewery Tour: $80
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zanzibar and Seoul, we can see that Seoul 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 Seoul is in Asia, 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 Seoul would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Seoul 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 Seoul Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Seoul?
Seoul has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Zanzibar. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Seoul, 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 Seoul?
Seoul 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 Seoul in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Zanzibar and Seoul. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Zanzibar year-round. Furthermore, most visitors come to Seoul for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Zanzibar is generally around the same temperature as Seoul. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 25°C (77°F), and Seoul fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).
In Zanzibar, it's very sunny this time of the year. Zanzibar usually receives more sunshine than Seoul during summer. Zanzibar gets 224 hours of sunny skies, while Seoul receives 121 hours of full sun in the summer.
Seoul receives a lot of rain in the summer. In July, Zanzibar usually receives less rain than Seoul. Zanzibar gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Seoul receives 369 mm (14.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyZanzibar 25°C (77°F)Seoul 26°C (78°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Seoul in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Zanzibar as well as Seoul. Zanzibar attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the autumn months attract visitors to Seoul because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene.
Zanzibar is much warmer than Seoul in the autumn. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 25°C (78°F) in October, and Seoul fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Seoul. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Zanzibar this time of the year. In the autumn, Zanzibar often gets more sunshine than Seoul. Zanzibar gets 275 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Seoul receives 204 hours of full sun.
Zanzibar usually gets more rain in October than Seoul. Zanzibar gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Seoul receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberZanzibar 25°C (78°F)Seoul 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Seoul in the Winter?
Both Seoul and Zanzibar are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Zanzibar throughout the year. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Seoul this time of year.
It's quite cold in Seoul in the winter. In the winter, Zanzibar is much warmer than Seoul. Typically, the winter temperatures in Zanzibar in January average around 28°C (82°F), and Seoul averages at about -3°C (27°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Zanzibar. Zanzibar usually receives more sunshine than Seoul during winter. Zanzibar gets 236 hours of sunny skies, while Seoul receives 163 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Zanzibar usually receives more rain than Seoul. Zanzibar gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Seoul receives 23 mm (0.9 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryZanzibar 28°C (82°F)Seoul -3°C (27°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Seoul in the Spring?
Both Seoul 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. Also, many travelers come to Seoul for the activities around the city.
In April, Zanzibar is generally much warmer than Seoul. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 27°C (81°F), and Seoul fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
In Seoul, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the spring, Zanzibar often gets less sunshine than Seoul. Zanzibar gets 155 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Seoul receives 205 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Zanzibar. Zanzibar usually gets more rain in April than Seoul. Zanzibar gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Seoul receives 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilZanzibar 27°C (81°F)Seoul 13°C (55°F)
Typical Weather for Seoul and Zanzibar
| Zanzibar | Seoul | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 28°C (82°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | -3°C (27°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | -0°C (32°F) | 25 mm (1 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (83°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 269 mm (10.6 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| May | 26°C (78°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (76°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 369 mm (14.5 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 294 mm (11.6 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (76°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (78°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 0°C (33°F) | 22 mm (0.9 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.