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

Should you visit Zanzibar or Leiden?

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 Leiden 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 Leiden?

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.

Leiden

Leiden is a city in the province of South Holland. It is south of the Netherlands capital, Amsterdam, and has a population of about 190,000. It is known for its university, museums, markets, and of course, canals. Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands and is a sister school of Oxford, which is England's oldest university.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best 10-Day Tours from Amsterdam, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Amsterdam.


Which place is cheaper, Leiden 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 Leiden is $189. 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 Leiden in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Zanzibar $26
    Leiden $91
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Zanzibar $52
    Leiden $182
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Leiden

Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar or Leiden? 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 Leiden


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 Leiden Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Zanzibar $12
    Leiden $30

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 Leiden

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

  • Historical Private Tour of Delft and Leiden including Transfer: $262
  • Premium electric transfer from Leiden Area to the Airport: $101
  • Private Tour of The Hague and Leiden including Transfer: $251

Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Leiden?

Prices for flights to both Leiden 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
    Leiden $78

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
    Leiden $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

Tours and Activities in Leiden

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

  • Pilgrims and Painters of Leiden A Self Guided Walking Tour: $6.94
  • Discover Leiden's Highlights: Your Self-Guided GPS Tour: $8.29
  • Pub Trail an adventure full of surprises: $13
  • Hortus Botanicus Entry Ticket: $14
  • Cruise through the Historic City Center with Guide: $15
  • Guided City Canal Cruise: $15
  • The Best of A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
  • Self-Guided City Trail Kids Tour in Noordwijk (4-8 years): $23
  • Windmill cruise through Warmond: $23
  • 90 minutes Self-Guided Walking tour with puzzles in Leiden: $23
  • historical and entertaining city tour in German: $24
  • Escape Tour Leiden -selfguided citygame- find the secret exit!: $24

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Zanzibar $7.20
    Leiden $30


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

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


Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Leiden?

Zanzibar has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Leiden. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar and Leiden, 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 Zanzibar or Leiden?

Leiden has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Zanzibar experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Zanzibar or Leiden in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Zanzibar as well as Leiden. Zanzibar attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, most visitors come to Leiden for the family-friendly experiences during these months.

Zanzibar is a little warmer than Leiden in the summer. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 25°C (77°F) in July, and Leiden fluctuates around 17°C (62°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Leiden. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Zanzibar this time of the year. In the summer, Zanzibar often gets more sunshine than Leiden. Zanzibar gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Leiden receives 204 hours of full sun.

Zanzibar usually gets less rain in July than Leiden. Zanzibar gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Leiden receives 75 mm (3 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Zanzibar 25°C (77°F) 
    Leiden 17°C (62°F)

Should I visit Zanzibar or Leiden in the Autumn?

Both Leiden and Zanzibar are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Zanzibar throughout the year. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Leiden because of the shopping scene.

In the autumn, Zanzibar is much warmer than Leiden. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Zanzibar in October average around 25°C (78°F), and Leiden averages at about 11°C (51°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Zanzibar. Zanzibar usually receives more sunshine than Leiden during autumn. Zanzibar gets 275 hours of sunny skies, while Leiden receives 99 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Zanzibar usually receives less rain than Leiden. Zanzibar gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Leiden receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Zanzibar 25°C (78°F) 
    Leiden 11°C (51°F)

Should I visit Zanzibar or Leiden in the Winter?

Both Leiden and Zanzibar during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Zanzibar because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Leiden this time of year.

It's quite cold in Leiden in the winter. In January, Zanzibar is generally much warmer than Leiden. Daily temperatures in Zanzibar average around 28°C (82°F), and Leiden fluctuates around 2°C (36°F).

It's quite sunny in Zanzibar. In the winter, Zanzibar often gets more sunshine than Leiden. Zanzibar gets 236 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Leiden receives 46 hours of full sun.

Zanzibar usually gets more rain in January than Leiden. Zanzibar gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Leiden receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Zanzibar 28°C (82°F) 
    Leiden 2°C (36°F)

Should I visit Zanzibar or Leiden in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Zanzibar and Leiden. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Zanzibar year-round.

Zanzibar is much warmer than Leiden in the spring. The daily temperature in Zanzibar averages around 27°C (81°F) in April, and Leiden fluctuates around 8°C (46°F).

Zanzibar usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Leiden during spring. Zanzibar gets 155 hours of sunny skies, while Leiden receives 166 hours of full sun in the spring.

Zanzibar gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Zanzibar usually receives more rain than Leiden. Zanzibar gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Leiden receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Zanzibar 27°C (81°F) 
    Leiden 8°C (46°F)

Typical Weather for Leiden and Zanzibar

Zanzibar Leiden
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 28°C (82°F) 78 mm (3.1 in) 2°C (36°F) 66 mm (2.6 in)
Feb 28°C (82°F) 52 mm (2 in) 3°C (37°F) 49 mm (1.9 in)
Mar 28°C (83°F) 131 mm (5.2 in) 5°C (41°F) 63 mm (2.5 in)
Apr 27°C (81°F) 269 mm (10.6 in) 8°C (46°F) 52 mm (2 in)
May 26°C (78°F) 176 mm (6.9 in) 12°C (54°F) 61 mm (2.4 in)
Jun 24°C (76°F) 42 mm (1.7 in) 15°C (59°F) 68 mm (2.7 in)
Jul 25°C (77°F) 31 mm (1.2 in) 17°C (62°F) 75 mm (3 in)
Aug 24°C (75°F) 27 mm (1.1 in) 17°C (62°F) 71 mm (2.8 in)
Sep 25°C (76°F) 28 mm (1.1 in) 14°C (57°F) 67 mm (2.6 in)
Oct 25°C (78°F) 66 mm (2.6 in) 11°C (51°F) 72 mm (2.8 in)
Nov 27°C (80°F) 132 mm (5.2 in) 6°C (43°F) 81 mm (3.2 in)
Dec 27°C (81°F) 116 mm (4.6 in) 3°C (38°F) 80 mm (3.1 in)