Living in Zanzibar

Zanzibar

Spices, raffia, and tourism
Photo by Moses Londo
81
Score

Imagine an island where white sandy beaches meet the clear blue Indian Ocean. Welcome to Zanzibar. This place is known for its rich culture, spice plantations, and history.

Walk around Stone Town’s narrow streets and you’ll find markets, old forts, and the famous Freddie Mercury House. Swim in the warm sea, take a spice tour, or relax on the beach. It’s a spot that mixes a laid-back vibe with interesting bits of history and culture.

The Good

  • 🎉 Decent nightlife
  • 😋 Decent food options
  • 🍜 Streetfood
  • ☀️ Warm weather
  • 🤿 Scuba diving
  • 🏄‍♂️ Surfing
  • ⛱️ Great beach
  • 🥰 Beautiful

The Bad

  • 🏘️ Limited accomodation options
  • 🚌 Limited public transport
  • 🥴 Can get a little rowdy
  • 📸 Very Touristy
  • 🔦 Power cuts
  • 🌉 Poor infrastructure

Living costs

Estimated Monthly Living Cost
Zanzibar
Cheapest () Costliest ()
Tanzania
0%
cheaper than Tanzania median
81st
Cheapest out of 291 RoamRank places
  • The average salary in Zanzibar is
  • It's about 174% cheaper to live in Zanzibar than it is Paris
  • You can expect to spend around $994.09 per month living here

Work

Internet
60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data
PAYG Sim Card
30 Day / Unlimited Data
--
Airalo eSim
Global eSims for Instant Connectivity
Buy
Coffee
Regular (8-10oz)
Co-Working Space
Per Month
--

Living

Apartment (1 bed)
Median Rent Per Month
Apartment (2 beds)
Median Rent Per Month
--
Airbnb (2 beds)
Median Rent Per Month
--
Utilities
Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage Collection Per Month
Water
0.33 liter bottle

Leisure

Meal
Cheap Restaurant
Meal for 2
Mid Range Restaurant
Local Beer
330ml Bottle
Cocktail
Standard Measure
--
Bottle of Wine
Mid range
Gym Membership
Per Month
Cigarettes
20 pack
Cinema
Admission Per Person
--
  • Prices are estimates and should be used as a guide only. We accept no responsibility for inaccuracies in data.
  • Prices adjusted to reflect exchange rates as of 4th Jun 2026

Safety

safe

Zanzibar is generally safe for tourists, with low violent crime rates; petty crime can occur, so it's wise to stay alert in crowded areas.

Internet speed

Poor

Download
7Mbps
Upload
3.6Mbps
Latency
43.1ms
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Time difference

Zanzibar