A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Zanzibar vs. Flores for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Zanzibar or Flores?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Zanzibar and Flores 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: Zanzibar or Flores?

Zanzibar

Just off the coast of Tanzania lies an entrancing archipelago known as Zanzibar. This gorgeous string of islands is the land of sultans, palaces beaches and spice-filled markets. Once an important trading center, many restorations have been done in recent years to restore Zanzibar to its ancient grandeur - earning its capital city UNESCO World Heritage status in 2000.

Flores

The town of Flores is located in Peten, Guatemala. The main hub is located on an island on Lago Peten Itza, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. On the other side of the causeway are the towns of Santa Elena and San Benito, however, all three are often referred to as Flores. Most people visit the area for its proximity to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal, though the town itself is also charming with colonial buildings and historic churches lining the cobbled streets.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Guatemala, and The Best 3-Day Tours in Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, Flores or Zanzibar?

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 Zanzibar is $66, while the average daily cost in Flores is $43. 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 Zanzibar and Flores in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Zanzibar $26
    Flores $8.73
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Zanzibar $52
    Flores $17
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Flores

Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Flores? 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 Zanzibar


Hotels in Flores


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: Zanzibar Hotel Prices and Flores Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Zanzibar $12
    Flores $7.97

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:

  • Premium Transfer from Zanzibar Airport ⇋ Kiwengwa: $65
  • Premium Transfer from Zanzibar Airport ⇋ Kendwa: $65
  • Jozani Forest Guided Tour, Red Colobus and transfer: $67
  • Zanzibar transfers and Taxi: $35
  • Zanzibar taxi service/airport transfer: $60
  • Zanzibar Taxi & Transfer Services – From Airport to All Resorts: $20
  • Zanzibar Shared Departure Transfer: $56
  • Zanzibar Private Departure Transfer from Paje Beach to the Airport: $40
  • Zanzibar Private Departure Transfer from Paje Beach to the Airport: $44
  • Zanzibar Private Departure Transfer from Nungwi Beach to the Airport: $44
  • Zanzibar Private Departure Transfer from Nungwi Beach to the Airport: $40
  • Zanzibar Private Departure Transfer from Michamvi Beach to the Airport: $40

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Flores

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

  • Bus transfer from Flores, Guatemala to Belize City: $20
  • Private transfer Mundo Maya Airport to Flores Island Hotels: $10
  • Same day Round-Trip VIP Exclusive Transfer to Tikal from Flores : $133
  • Tikal Transfer and Tour Guide From Flores: $90

Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Flores?

Prices for flights to both Flores and Zanzibar 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
    Zanzibar $30
    Flores $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zanzibar

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

  • Zanzibar Traditional Cooking Class: $49
  • Zanzibar Spice Farm Tour and Cooking Class With Lunch: $52
  • Zanzibar Spice Tour & Cooking Class : $59
  • Zanzibar Cooking Class [Swahili food test ] and Spice farm Private tour: $59
  • Spice Tour & Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $60
  • Zanzibar Cooking Lesson: $70
  • Traditional Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $77
  • A Half Day Private Cooking Class At the Spice Farm: $90
  • 5 Hours Guided Spice Tour and Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $101
  • Full-Day Private Tour in Zanzibar with Cooking Class: $110
  • Spice Tour; Secret Garden Restaurant; Stone Town; Dinner at The Rock Restaurant: $130
  • Exclusive Private Sunset Dinner Sail along North Coast Zanzibar: $140

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Zanzibar $13
    Flores $20

Tours and Activities in Zanzibar

Here are a few actual costs in Zanzibar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Dolphin tour,See food lunch ,Aquarium ,Nunqwi beach,Sunset cruse: $145
  • Fair Tourism In Paje: $27
  • Full Day Spice Tour, Prison Island and City Tours: $140
  • Mnemba Island, Nungwi Village & Sea Turtle Experience: $160
  • Stone City, Spice Farm and Prison Island Full Day Tour: $120
  • Stone Town Historical tour: $26
  • Stone town historical walking tour with Mohamed: $30
  • 2 Days Tour In Zanzibar: $180
  • 2 days tour from Jozani forest to Stone town zanzibar: $270
  • 3 Hours Private Stone Town Walking Tour : $20
  • 3-Hour Private City Tour in Zanzibar Island : $25
  • 3h-Zanzibar Archipelago Shared ATV Experience: $79

Typical Entertainment Prices in Flores

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Flores's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Tikal Entrance (for 2)
    $39
  • Map of Tikal
    $3.26

Tours and Activities in Flores

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

  • Shared Guided Sunset Tour in Yaxhá from Flores: $25
  • From Flowers Sunset Tour in Tikal: $25
  • Basic Tour to Tikal Includes Transportation and Guide Service: $25
  • Tikal Ruins Day Tour from Flores: $31
  • Full Day Tikal Sunrise Tour from Flores and Archaeological Tour: $48
  • Tikal National Park Full-Day Guided Tour from Flores: $65
  • From Flowers Eco Tour to Blue Crater All Inclusive: $70
  • All Inclusive Tikal Tour from Flores or Mayan World Airport: $78
  • Tour to Tikal (Awesome): $85
  • Yaxha Day Tour from Flores: $100
  • All Inclusive Tikal Tour from Flores and Airport: $105
  • Full-Day Shared Tour to Tikal from Flores Peten with Lunch: $110

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Zanzibar $7.20
    Flores $21

Typical Alcohol Prices in Flores

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Flores are as follows:


  • Two Margaritas
    $2.61


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

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


Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Flores?

Zanzibar has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Flores. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Flores, 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.