How Much I Spent in Zanzibar as a Comfort Backpacker

Whenever someone asks, “How much does a trip to Zanzibar cost?”, the honest and slightly annoying answer is: it depends.

Zanzibar can be a backpacking destination, a luxury honeymoon escape, or anything in between. You can sleep in a hostel for less than $25, book a comfortable guesthouse, or spend over $100 and sometimes several hundred dollars per night in a beachfront resort.

Personally, I would describe my travel style as comfort backpacking.

I compare prices, negotiate when appropriate and use shared transportation. But I also enjoy private rooms, beautiful cafés, good restaurants and the occasional treat. I want to manage my money without making saving money the entire purpose of my trip.

So, how much did 12 days in Zanzibar actually cost me?

First, a little context

I spent 12 days and 11 nights in Zanzibar, from 24 July to 4 August 2026.

My itinerary was:

• Stone Town
• Nungwi
• Paje
• Two final nights in Stone Town before taking the ferry to Dar es Salaam

I travelled alone and during high season, which matters when looking at my budget.

As a solo traveller, I could not divide the cost of taxis, private tours or rooms. If you travel with a partner or friends, several of these expenses could be significantly lower per person.

Accommodation prices can also be more attractive during the low season. However, Zanzibar has distinct rainy seasons, and some hotels, restaurants and tour operators may close or reduce their services during the quietest months. It is worth checking what will be available before booking.

Finally, my budget does not include my international flight, as that will vary considerably depending on where you are travelling from.

My total Zanzibar budget

For 12 days and 11 nights, I spent approximately $1,190 in Zanzibar, excluding my international flight.

Accommodation: approximately $421

I spent around $421 for 11 nights, or approximately $38 per night.

I stayed in a mixture of hostels, private rooms and small guesthouses rather than a resort. Some nights were very affordable, while others were more expensive because of the location, room type and high season.

Among the places I stayed were Hostel 197 in Nungwi (I loved it !), BaraBara Eat & Sleep and Tamu House in Paje, and Golden Nap Hostel in Stone Town.

You certainly do not need to change accommodation as frequently as I did. Moving between several places allowed me to experience different parts of the island which I recommend.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Zanzibar has an increasing number of boutique hotels and beachfront resorts. Prices above $100 per night are common, and luxury properties can cost several hundred dollars per night.

Activities: approximately $251

Zanzibar offers an almost endless tourist checklist: snorkelling, diving, dolphin tours, Prison Island, sandbank excursions, spice tours, quad biking, jet skiing, sunset cruises, kitesurfing and much more.

I deliberately did not do everything.

This was partly because of my budget, but also because I did not want to schedule an excursion every day. I wanted time to walk around, meet people, explore different areas and simply enjoy the atmosphere.

My paid experiences included:

• Private South Zanzibar tour: approximately $127
• Sunset boat trip in Nungwi: $15
• Visit to the Mwani seaweed centre: $15
• Bicycle rental in Paje: $5
• Traditional treatment at Mrembo Spa: $89

My private South Zanzibar tour included Jozani Forest, The Rock restaurant, Mtende Beach and Maalum Cave. It was a full-day private experience, which explains why it cost considerably more than my other activities.

The $89 spa treatment was also a personal treat, not an essential backpacking expense. Without it, my activities would have cost approximately $162.

Some boat trips and local excursions can be surprisingly affordable when booked directly on the island. My sunset cruise, for example, cost only $15. The same type of activity may be advertised for considerably more online, especially when booked in advance.

Transportation: approximately $110, including the ferry

Transportation is one of those expenses that can quietly increase your Zanzibar budget.

I paid approximately $70 to travel around the island, including:

• An airport taxi to Stone Town
• A private transfer from Stone Town to Nungwi
• Zanzibus from Nungwi to Paje
• Zanzibus from Paje back to Stone Town
• A few smaller local journeys

Private taxis are convenient, but they become expensive quickly, especially when travelling alone.

Shared transfers, Zanzibus and local dala-dalas are more economical. However, the cheapest option may not always be the easiest or most comfortable when travelling with luggage. Zanzibus was the perfect option for me. I paid 10€ for Nungwi-Paje instead of 40-70$ for private taxi. However it might operate only during high season.

I also paid $40 for the ferry to Dar es Salaam. You may arrive from mainland Tanzania or decide to continue travelling there afterwards, so I chose to include this journey in my total.

Food and drinks: approximately $199

I spent approximately $199 on food and drinks during my 12 days in Zanzibar.

That represents an average of roughly $16.50 per day.

I never spent more than approximately $23 for a full meal, including a drink and sometimes dessert.

However, I did not eat local food as frequently as I probably should have. I visited several cafés and tourist-oriented restaurants, particularly in Paje and Nungwi.

One of the more local places I tried was Corner Paje, and the food was genuinely good. I also tried the famous Lukeman in Stone Town.

Western-style cafés, imported products, beachfront restaurants and alcohol can quickly push food prices closer to what you might pay in Europe. Mixing those places with small local restaurants is a good way to balance both your budget and your experience.

The additional costs people often forget

A Zanzibar budget involves more than accommodation, meals, transportation and excursions.

I also paid for:

• Tanzanian visa: $50
• Mandatory Zanzibar travel insurance: $44
• Airport SIM card: $40
• Additional mobile data: approximately $13
• ATM withdrawal fees
• Tips
• Gifts and souvenirs

I made the classic traveller’s mistake of buying mobile data at the airport. My first SIM package cost $40, whereas buying a SIM card or topping up in town can be considerably cheaper.

ATM fees can also add up. Some machines charge approximately 10,000 Tanzanian shillings per withdrawal, so making several small withdrawals is not ideal.

Individually, these expenses may not look important. Together, the visa, insurance, connectivity and other extras represented more than $200 of my final budget.

How much should you budget for Zanzibar?

Based on my experience, I would suggest the following approximate daily budgets, excluding international flights:

Travel style

Suggested daily budget

Very budget-conscious backpacker

$35–$50

Comfort backpacker

$65–$100

Comfortable holiday with regular activities

$115–$205

Resort or luxury holiday

$230+

These are general estimates, not fixed rules.

Should you book everything in advance?

Personally, I would not book every activity before arriving in Zanzibar.

Online booking may feel convenient and reassuring, but it can also be considerably more expensive. Once you arrive, you can compare offers, speak directly with several operators and negotiate.

Negotiate respectfully, of course. The objective is not to pressure someone into accepting an unfair price. It is simply to understand the local market and avoid automatically accepting the first tourist price offered to you.

If you are travelling with other people, ask whether you can share a driver, boat or guide. The total price may remain similar, but your individual cost will be much lower.

For accommodation, I would book at least the beginning of the trip, especially during high season. After that, maintaining some flexibility can be useful.

Is Zanzibar expensive?

Zanzibar is neither automatically cheap nor automatically expensive.

What makes the difference is often not the destination itself, but the version of Zanzibar you choose to experience.

Private beachfront resorts, daily excursions, Western restaurants, cocktails and private taxis will increase your budget very quickly.

Hostels, local guesthouses, shared transportation, a mixture of local and tourist restaurants, and carefully selected activities can keep the island relatively affordable.

I was not travelling on the smallest budget possible. I wanted comfort, flexibility and a few special experiences. But I did not need a luxury resort or a new excursion every day to enjoy Zanzibar.

That, to me, is what comfort backpacking is about: being careful with your money without making your entire trip about saving money.

Talla