A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Dar es Salaam vs. Ayutthaya for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Dar es Salaam or Ayutthaya?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dar es Salaam and Ayutthaya can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Dar es Salaam or Ayutthaya?

Dar es Salaam

Having grown from a fishing village, Dar es Salaam is now a major city and commercial port on Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast. While it is mainly used as a stopping point on the way to Zanzibar, it has a few unique treasures of its own such as the Kariakoo Market, National Museum, and the open-air Village Museum.

Ayutthaya

Once the largest city in the world, Ayutthaya, is the example of an ancient capital within a modern city. Located in the central plains of Thailand, this spot is ideally located between China, India and the Malay Archipelago creating the perfect place for trade in Asia. Eighteenth century maps from Holland and France show golden palaces, large ceremony spots and trading vessels from all over the world. Suddenly, in 1767, Ayutthaya experienced a tragic fall from grace with a Burmese invasion burning much of the city to the ground.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Thailand, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Thailand.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Dar es Salaam or Ayutthaya?

Dar es Salaam has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Ayutthaya. When comparing the sizes of Dar es Salaam and Ayutthaya, 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 Dar es Salaam or Ayutthaya?

Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.

Should I visit Dar es Salaam or Ayutthaya in the Summer?

Both Ayutthaya and Dar es Salaam during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Dar es Salaam because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ayutthaya year-round.

Ayutthaya gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Dar es Salaam usually gets less rain in July than Ayutthaya. Dar es Salaam gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Ayutthaya receives 120 mm (4.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

It's quite sunny in Dar es Salaam. In the summer, Dar es Salaam often gets more sunshine than Ayutthaya. Dar es Salaam gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ayutthaya receives 176 hours of full sun.

Dar es Salaam is cooler than Ayutthaya in the summer. The daily temperature in Dar es Salaam averages around 25°C (77°F) in July, and Ayutthaya fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).

Should I visit Dar es Salaam or Ayutthaya in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Dar es Salaam and Ayutthaya. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Dar es Salaam year-round. Ayutthaya attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

October to April in Ayutthaya is the dry season. Also, May to October is the rainy season in Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Dar es Salaam usually receives less rain than Ayutthaya. Dar es Salaam gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Ayutthaya receives 180 mm (7.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Ayutthaya this time of the year. In Dar es Salaam, it's very sunny this time of the year. Dar es Salaam usually receives more sunshine than Ayutthaya during autumn. Dar es Salaam gets 275 hours of sunny skies, while Ayutthaya receives 206 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In the autumn, Dar es Salaam is around the same temperature as Ayutthaya. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Dar es Salaam in October average around 25°C (78°F), and Ayutthaya averages at about 28°C (82°F).

Should I visit Dar es Salaam or Ayutthaya in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Dar es Salaam as well as Ayutthaya. Dar es Salaam attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Ayutthaya throughout the year.

Dar es Salaam usually gets more rain in January than Ayutthaya. Dar es Salaam gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Ayutthaya receives 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Ayutthaya. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Dar es Salaam this time of the year. In the winter, Dar es Salaam often gets less sunshine than Ayutthaya. Dar es Salaam gets 236 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ayutthaya receives 276 hours of full sun.

In January, Dar es Salaam is generally around the same temperature as Ayutthaya. Daily temperatures in Dar es Salaam average around 28°C (82°F), and Ayutthaya fluctuates around 25°C (78°F).

Should I visit Dar es Salaam or Ayutthaya in the Spring?

Both Ayutthaya and Dar es Salaam are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Dar es Salaam throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Ayutthaya because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

The dry season in Ayutthaya is October to April. The rainy season in Ayutthaya is May to October. It's quite rainy in Dar es Salaam. In April, Dar es Salaam usually receives more rain than Ayutthaya. Dar es Salaam gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Ayutthaya receives 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.

It's quite sunny in Ayutthaya. Dar es Salaam usually receives less sunshine than Ayutthaya during spring. Dar es Salaam gets 155 hours of sunny skies, while Ayutthaya receives 262 hours of full sun in the spring.

The heat can be very extreme in Ayutthaya. Dar es Salaam is cooler than Ayutthaya in the spring. The daily temperature in Dar es Salaam averages around 27°C (81°F) in April, and Ayutthaya fluctuates around 31°C (88°F).

Typical Weather for Ayutthaya and Dar es Salaam