Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or Dar es Salaam?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Dar es Salaam or Puerto Vallarta?
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 Puerto Vallarta can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dar es Salaam or Puerto Vallarta?
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.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta remains a popular tourist destination with Americans, particularly during spring break when students flock to the area. The area is quite beautiful and has many gorgeous beaches, interesting jungles and waterfalls nearby, and no shortage of luxury resorts and four star restaurants. Many of the locals speak English and are friendly and open to helping tourists with directions or general information. Puerto Vallarta's popularity means that its prices are some of the highest in Mexico, particularly during holidays when the area can get quite crowded.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Dar es Salaam Prices
Tanzania PricesPuerto Vallarta Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDar es Salaam $493Puerto Vallarta $128
The average daily cost (per person) in Dar es Salaam is $493, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $128. 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 Dar es Salaam and Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDar es Salaam $452Puerto Vallarta $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDar es Salaam $904Puerto Vallarta $114
Compare Hotels in Dar es Salaam and Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a hotel in Dar es Salaam or Puerto Vallarta? 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: Dar es Salaam Hotel Prices and Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dar es Salaam $14Puerto Vallarta $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dar es Salaam
Also for Dar es Salaam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Dar es Salaam Airport Transfers Comfortable Ride to Your Hotel: $60
- Private Transfer from Dar El Salaam to Julius Nyerere Airport (DAR): $106
- Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with Transfers.: $120
- Private Layover Tour with Airport Transfer: $120
- Transfer/Airport pick up and drop off: $192
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- PVR VIP Round trip transfer Airport Conrad Punta Mita Airport: $299
- Private AC Airport Transfer to Sayulita: $200
- Privat Transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport PVR to Punta de Mita: $184
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Sayulita hotels - Private Arrival Transfer: $155
- Sayulita hotels to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) – Private Departure Transfer : $155
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Puerto Vallarta Port-RoundTrip Private Transfer: $143
- Private Transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Puerto Vallarta hotels: $141
- Punta de Mita to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) - Private Departure Transfer : $140
- Private transfer round trip Vallarta Airport to your hotel in a luxury vehicle: $129
- Private Transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) for 4-7 people to Nayarit: $102
- Airport-Hotel Transfers: $89
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR): $83
Is it cheaper to fly into Dar es Salaam or Puerto Vallarta?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta and Dar es Salaam 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 dayDar es Salaam $33Puerto Vallarta $58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Taco Adventure Evening Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $55
- Seafood Lover's Tour with Vallarta Food Tours : $59
- Winner 2025 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Mexican Cooking Class, Tequila Tasting & Unlimited Margaritas: $89
- Mexican Cooking Class and Tequila Tasting: $95
- Sayulita Tacos and Tequila Food Tour : $99
- Market Visit and Mexican Cooking Class: $106
- Private Mexican Cooking Class & Tequila Cocktail at Tanya’s Home: $108
- Authentic Cooking Class in Puerto Vallarta with Local Chef, Manu: $119
- Puerto Vallarta- Market tour and Cooking Experience : $134
- Rhythms of the night, sunset cruise, open bar & oceanfront dinner: $159
- Night Rhythms - Alma - Show and Dinner in Puerto Vallarta: $209
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dar es Salaam -Puerto Vallarta $17
Tours and Activities in Dar es Salaam
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dar es Salaam.
- Private Insightful City Tour of Dar es Salaam: $34
- Daressalaam city sightseeing private tour: $55
- Private Tour to Jozani Forest Reserve Half-Day Guided Tour from Zanzibar: $90
- The Best/Top Rated Cultural City Tour in Dar es Salaam : $90
- Full Day Private Tour in Dar es Salaam City: $90
- Dar es Salaam City Tour - Everyday: $97
- Dar es Salaam City Walking tour - Explore the Life of the Local People!: $100
- Stone Town & Spice Tour: $110
- Bagamoyo Tour: $120
- Dar es Salaam Guided City Experience (Shared Group): $130
- Dar Es Salaam City Tour (Full Day With Private Guide And Car): $140
- Dar Es Salaam City Tour: $150
Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- 1/2 Day Puerto Vallarta Botanical Garden tour: $50
- 2 Hour Private Surfing Experience in Puerto Vallarta: $98
- 2 Hour and 30 Minutes Walking Tour in 5 De Diciembre: $45
- 3 hours private snorkeling tour in Misaloya, Puerto Vallarta: $275
- 4-Hour Whale Watching Cruise in Puerto Vallarta: $119
- ALL INCLUSIVE Snorkeling and Zipline Cruise: $85
- ATV Adventure in Puerto Vallarta (Single): $105
- ATV Doble in Puerto Vallarta Mountain and Waterfall Tour: $120
- ATV Jorullo Bridge Tour: $174
- ATV Single Jungle Adventure-Waterfalls, Tequila & Local Culture": $105
- ATV Tour: $129
- ATV Tour Off Road And Waterfall: $119
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDar es Salaam $7.97Puerto Vallarta $22
Sample the Local Flavors in Puerto Vallarta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
- Premium Tequila Tasting Puerto Vallarta Distillery: $18
- Puerto Vallarta Pub Crawl: $22
- Mexican Wine Tasting Experience: $38
- Secret Agave Bar Crawl in Vallarta: $98
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dar es Salaam and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Dar es Salaam is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Vallarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dar es Salaam is in Africa and Puerto Vallarta is in North America, 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 Puerto Vallarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta.
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 Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dar es Salaam or Puerto Vallarta?
Dar es Salaam has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Puerto Vallarta. When comparing the sizes of Dar es Salaam and Puerto Vallarta, 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.
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.