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

Should you visit Dar es Salaam or Saaremaa?

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 Saaremaa can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Dar es Salaam or Saaremaa?

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.

Saaremaa

Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia and it has a unique and rural atmosphere that makes it an interesting place to visit. Saaremaa has remained rural and frozen in time due to its isolated location, particularly during Soviet occupation when it was used as a military base. The island still has working windmills, hand placed stone walls, and old stone churches that feel like you've stepped back in time.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best 2-Week Tours from Tallinn, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Estonia.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dar es Salaam and Saaremaa, we can see that Dar es Salaam is more expensive. And not only is Saaremaa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dar es Salaam is in Africa and Saaremaa is in Europe, 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 Saaremaa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Saaremaa 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 Saaremaa.

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 Saaremaa Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Dar es Salaam or Saaremaa?

Dar es Salaam has a larger population, and is about 180 times larger than the population of Saaremaa. When comparing the sizes of Dar es Salaam and Saaremaa, 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 Saaremaa?

Saaremaa has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Dar es Salaam experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

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

Both Saaremaa and Dar es Salaam are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Dar es Salaam throughout the year. Also, many travelers come to Saaremaa for the beaches, the small town charm, and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Dar es Salaam is generally much warmer than Saaremaa. Daily temperatures in Dar es Salaam average around 25°C (77°F), and Saaremaa fluctuates around 17°C (62°F).

It's quite sunny in Saaremaa. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam usually receives less sunshine than Saaremaa during summer. Dar es Salaam gets 224 hours of sunny skies, while Saaremaa receives 302 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Dar es Salaam usually receives less rain than Saaremaa. Dar es Salaam gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Saaremaa receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the summer.

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

Both Saaremaa and Dar es Salaam during the autumn 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. Furthermore, many visitors come to Saaremaa in the autumn for the small town atmosphere and the natural beauty of the area.

Dar es Salaam is much warmer than Saaremaa in the autumn. The daily temperature in Dar es Salaam averages around 25°C (78°F) in October, and Saaremaa fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).

It's quite sunny in Dar es Salaam. In the autumn, Dar es Salaam often gets more sunshine than Saaremaa. Dar es Salaam gets 275 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Saaremaa receives 101 hours of full sun.

Dar es Salaam usually gets around the same amount of rain in October as Saaremaa. Dar es Salaam gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Saaremaa receives 67 mm (2.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Dar es Salaam and Saaremaa. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Dar es Salaam year-round. Furthermore, most visitors come to Saaremaa for the cuisine during these months.

Saaremaa can be very cold during winter. In the winter, Dar es Salaam is much warmer than Saaremaa. Typically, the winter temperatures in Dar es Salaam in January average around 28°C (82°F), and Saaremaa averages at about -3°C (27°F).

In Dar es Salaam, it's very sunny this time of the year. Dar es Salaam usually receives more sunshine than Saaremaa during winter. Dar es Salaam gets 236 hours of sunny skies, while Saaremaa receives 33 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Dar es Salaam usually receives more rain than Saaremaa. Dar es Salaam gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Saaremaa receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.

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

The spring brings many poeple to Dar es Salaam as well as Saaremaa. Dar es Salaam attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the spring months attract visitors to Saaremaa because of the beaches, the small town charm, and the natural beauty.

The weather in Saaremaa can be very cold. In April, Dar es Salaam is generally much warmer than Saaremaa. Daily temperatures in Dar es Salaam average around 27°C (81°F), and Saaremaa fluctuates around 4°C (38°F).

In the spring, Dar es Salaam often gets less sunshine than Saaremaa. Dar es Salaam gets 155 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Saaremaa receives 196 hours of full sun.

Dar es Salaam receives a lot of rain in the spring. Dar es Salaam usually gets more rain in April than Saaremaa. Dar es Salaam gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Saaremaa receives 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Saaremaa and Dar es Salaam