A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Arusha vs. Bonaire for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Arusha or Bonaire?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Arusha and Bonaire 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: Arusha or Bonaire?

Arusha

Arusha is a city in East Africa's Tanzania, located at the base of volcanic Mt. Meru. It’s a gateway to safari destinations and to Africa’s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro, lying some 100 kilometers northeast. To the west lies Serengeti National Park, home to wildlife including lions, rhinoceros, giraffes and leopards. Annual migrations feature huge herds of wildebeests crossing its plains. Arusha is Tanzania’s gateway to the northern circuit of stellar national parks and the starting point of many a memorable safari. It’s also a large, sprawling city which offers a nice break from the rigors of life on the African road – it has excellent places to stay and eat and, for the most part, it’s lush and green and enjoys a temperate climate throughout the year. Arusha is a great destination, and you're sure to enjoy your time here, no matter what your interests are.

Bonaire

An island municipality of the Netherlands, Bonaire resides in the Caribbean, east of Central America and north of Venezuela. It is a part of the ABC Islands together with Aruba and Curaçao, and is best known as a tropical vacation destination with many great dive spots, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Tanzania, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Tanzania.


Which place is cheaper, Bonaire or Arusha?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Arusha is $201, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $299. 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 Arusha and Bonaire in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Arusha $134
    Bonaire $155
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Arusha $268
    Bonaire $310
Compare Hotels in Arusha and Bonaire

Looking for a hotel in Arusha or Bonaire? 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.

Hotels in Arusha


Hotels in Bonaire


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: Arusha Hotel Prices and Bonaire Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Arusha $14
    Bonaire $65

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arusha

Also for Arusha, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Arusha Airport & Hotel Transfers: $40
  • Kilimanjaro Airport and Arusha Private Transfer: $59
  • Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha City Center Transfer: $60
  • Kilimanjaro Airport Transfer to Moshi: $65
  • Kilimanjaro Airport Pick Up & Drop Off | Private Transfer Service: $77
  • Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha City Private Transfer: $120
  • Private Transfer from Arusha to Kilimanjaro Airport (KIA): $161

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:

  • Private Transfers between Bonaire airport and any local address : $40
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Port to Bonaire Airport (BON): $59
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Cruise Port to Kralendijk city : $59
  • Airport Transfer Return Included: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Arusha or Bonaire?

Prices for flights to both Bonaire and Arusha 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Arusha $43
    Bonaire $101
Typical Food Prices in Arusha

For Arusha, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • A Quick Lunch (for 2)
    $2.23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arusha

For Arusha, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Traditional Tanzania Cooking Class & Food Market Tour: $43
  • NGO Lifted Strong - Traditional Tanzanian Cooking Class: $50

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bonaire

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bonaire.

  • Dinner at Sea: $95
  • Discover the Flavors of Bonaire with the Bonaire Snack Food Tour: $130

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Arusha $47
    Bonaire $40

Tours and Activities in Arusha

For Arusha, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Arusha Guided Walking City Tour: Culture, History & Local Markets: $20
  • Discover Arusha's Soul: A Guided Walking City Tour. Learn & Live.: $25
  • Street Food and Community Walking Tour: $30
  • Arusha Waterfalls,Coffee farm Tour & Swing(all inclusive): $30
  • Microfinance family farm tour - all proceeds to charity: $35
  • Hidden Arusha Village, Waterfall & Coffee Tour (All-Inclusive): $40
  • Mountain Bike Tour of the Foothills of Mount Meru: $40
  • Lake Duluti Luxury Canoe Tour: $50
  • Private Walking Tour with Giraffes: $55
  • Arusha city tour and Pickup: $55
  • Coffee tour and Buffet Lunch with Kingstone Asilia (Arusha): $55
  • Materuni Waterfall, Chemka Hot Spring and Traditional Coffee Tour: $60

Tours and Activities in Bonaire

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bonaire are as follows:

  • 2 Hours Private Kitesurfing Adventure: $265
  • 4 Hours Open Air Party Bus Tour with Beach Stop in Caribbean: $39
  • 4 hour Individual Island Tour for 1 to 12 persons: $180
  • Aquaspace Sunset Sail and Snorkel Tour on Bonaire with Diner: $130
  • Bonaire Cave Tour: Walk, Climb & Swim: $75
  • Bonaire CaveTour Climb, Snorkel & Explore the Hidden Gems : $83
  • Bonaire Essentials Island Tour: $49
  • Bonaire Landsailing Adventures: $79
  • Bonaire Shore Excursion: The Bonaire Highlights Tour: $83
  • Bonaire island adventure: $110
  • Discover Scuba Diving Experience: $164
  • North & South Highlights Guided Group Tour: $100

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Arusha $11
    Bonaire $33


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Arusha and Bonaire, we can see that Bonaire is more expensive. And not only is Arusha much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Arusha is in Africa and Bonaire is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Arusha would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Arusha 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 Bonaire would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bonaire than you might in Arusha.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Arusha Expensive? and Is Bonaire Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Arusha or Bonaire?

Arusha has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Bonaire. When comparing the sizes of Arusha and Bonaire, 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.