Which place is cheaper, Tallinn or Zanzibar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zanzibar or Tallinn?
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 Tallinn 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 Tallinn?
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.
Tallinn
Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. It has a population of more than 430,000 people and is a charming, yet cosmopolitan place to visit. The Old Town is at the center of the city's tourism, and the beauty and architecture is very impressive. The city's close proximity to Helsinki makes it a popular day trip from Finland, but cheap plane flights have also encouraged visitors from around Europe to spend several days in this city. In particular, summer months can become quite crowded.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best 2-Week Tours from Tallinn, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Estonia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZanzibar $51Tallinn $102
The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $51, while the average daily cost in Tallinn is $102. 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 Tallinn in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZanzibar $24Tallinn $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZanzibar $48Tallinn $100
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Tallinn
Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Tallinn? 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 Tallinn Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zanzibar $11Tallinn $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:
- transfer from airport to Makunduchi Zanzibar: $44
- Zanzibar:Prison Island,Nakupenda Sandbank Tour with transfer: $141
- Zanzibar:Hotels & Airport Transfer Services: $50
- Stone Town to Airport Private Transfer: $23
- Safari blue tour with Lunch and Transfers: $180
- Private Airport Transfers to Stone Town: $23
- Private Airport Transfer: $50
- One-Way Airport Transfer to Your Hotel: $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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tallinn
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Tallinn:
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Tram Around Town for Two$1.78
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tallinn
Also for Tallinn, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer from Tallinn Airport or Port to Tallinn City by minibus: $91
- Arrival Private Transfer from Tallinn Airport or Port to Tallinn by Luxury Car : $91
- Arrival private transfer from Tallinn Airport or Port to Tallinn by Luxury Van: $41
- Departure private transfer from Tallinn to Tallinn Airport or Port by Luxury Car: $91
- Departure private transfer from Tallinn to Tallinn TLL Airport by Luxury Van: $41
- From Helicopter transfer to Helsinki: $2,664
- Private Transfer from Tallinn Airport(TLL) to Tallinn Cruise Port: $16
- Private Transfer from Tallinn Cruise Port to Tallinn Airport(TLL): $16
- Private Transfer from Tallinn Cruise Port to Tallinn hotels : $16
- Talinn Airport and City Private Transfer: $44
- Tallinn Airport (TLL) to Tallinn Cruise Port - Round-Trip Privat Transfer: $33
- Tallinn Arrival Private Airport Transfer in Minivan: $118
Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Tallinn?
Prices for flights to both Tallinn 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 $17Tallinn $39
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
Typical Food Prices in Tallinn
For Tallinn, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$8.23
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Dessert$1.23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tallinn
For Tallinn, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Tallinn TV Tower evening dinner (2-course meal): $56
- Tallinn TV Tower evening dinner (3-course meal): $64
- Tallinn Russian Dinner: $84
- Tallinn Food Tour: $116
- Tallinn 3-Hour Estonian Food Tour: $127
- Tallinn Food Tour with Round-trip Transfer Port-City: $137
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zanzibar $13Tallinn $6.03
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 Tallinn
For Tallinn, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Tallinn Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.56
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt and Tour: $7.00
- Aegna Island: Self-Guided Discovery Tour: $8.60
- Tales of Reval Smartphone App Self-Guided GPS Walking Tour: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Tallinn Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Tour to the Paljassaare Special Protection Area: $14
- Terrific Tallinn Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Self-Guided Tour to Most Instagrammable Places in Tallinn: $15
- Virtual Time Travel Experience VR Tallinn 1939/44 I: $16
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZanzibar $6.86Tallinn $16
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 Tallinn
Also in Tallinn, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Mad Monk’s Pub Crawl Tallinn: $22
- Tallinn Pub Crawl (Ex The Epic Bar Crawl): $27
- Tallinn Exclusive Pub & Bar Crawl - Free Drinks, Local Guide: $42
- Tallinn Brewery Fiesta: $72
- Tallinn Guided Bar Crawl: $124
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zanzibar and Tallinn, we can see that Tallinn 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 Tallinn 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 Tallinn would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tallinn 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 Tallinn Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Tallinn?
Zanzibar has a larger population, and is about 2% larger than the population of Tallinn. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Tallinn, 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 Tallinn?
Tallinn 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 Tallinn in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Zanzibar as well as Tallinn. Zanzibar attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the summer months attract visitors to Tallinn because of the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Zanzibar is generally a little warmer than Tallinn. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 25°C (77°F), and Tallinn fluctuates around 17°C (62°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Tallinn. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Zanzibar this time of the year. In the summer, Zanzibar often gets less sunshine than Tallinn. Zanzibar gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Tallinn receives 279 hours of full sun.
Zanzibar usually gets less rain in July than Tallinn. Zanzibar gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Tallinn receives 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyZanzibar 25°C (77°F)Tallinn 17°C (62°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Tallinn in the Autumn?
Both Tallinn and Zanzibar are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Zanzibar throughout the year. Also, the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Tallinn this time of year.
Zanzibar is much warmer than Tallinn in the autumn. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 25°C (78°F) in October, and Tallinn fluctuates around 7°C (44°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Zanzibar. Zanzibar usually receives more sunshine than Tallinn during autumn. Zanzibar gets 275 hours of sunny skies, while Tallinn receives 92 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Zanzibar usually receives around the same amount of rain as Tallinn. Zanzibar gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Tallinn receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberZanzibar 25°C (78°F)Tallinn 7°C (44°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Tallinn in the Winter?
Both Tallinn 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. Also, many travelers come to Tallinn for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Tallinn. In the winter, Zanzibar is much warmer than Tallinn. Typically, the winter temperatures in Zanzibar in January average around 28°C (82°F), and Tallinn averages at about -5°C (22°F).
It's quite sunny in Zanzibar. In the winter, Zanzibar often gets more sunshine than Tallinn. Zanzibar gets 236 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Tallinn receives 25 hours of full sun.
Zanzibar usually gets more rain in January than Tallinn. Zanzibar gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Tallinn receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryZanzibar 28°C (82°F)Tallinn -5°C (22°F)
Should I visit Zanzibar or Tallinn in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Zanzibar and Tallinn. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Zanzibar year-round. Also, many visitors come to Tallinn in the spring for the natural beauty.
Tallinn can get quite cold in the spring. In April, Zanzibar is generally much warmer than Tallinn. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 27°C (81°F), and Tallinn fluctuates around 4°C (39°F).
Zanzibar usually receives less sunshine than Tallinn during spring. Zanzibar gets 155 hours of sunny skies, while Tallinn receives 186 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 Tallinn. Zanzibar gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Tallinn receives 36 mm (1.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilZanzibar 27°C (81°F)Tallinn 4°C (39°F)
Typical Weather for Tallinn and Zanzibar
| Zanzibar | Tallinn | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 28°C (82°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | -5°C (22°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | -6°C (22°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (83°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 269 mm (10.6 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) |
| May | 26°C (78°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (76°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 15°C (58°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (76°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (78°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) | 1°C (34°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | -3°C (27°F) | 55 mm (2.2 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.