Is Tanzania expensive? We tell you about the prices for food and alcohol in Zanzibar in 2021. What to try, how much groceries cost in stores and what is the average bill in cafes and restaurants. Travel tips on how to save money.
Exchange rate: 1000 Tanzanian shillings (TZS) ≈ 31 RUB.
Take a look: How to go to Tanzania now - there you will find fresh reviews of tourists, conditions of entry in case of a pandemic and prices for tours. See also the list of open countries.
Food Prices in Zanzibar - 2021
Breakfast for two in a cafe will cost 18-22k TZS. For this money, they will bring you a couple of eggs, sausages, buns, butter and coffee. Lunch at an inexpensive establishment - about 44k TZS for two. For dinner with alcohol, you will spend 80-130k TZS for two.
Prices for food in cafes and restaurants in Zanzibar in 2021:
- poa poa salad - 12k TZS
- harvest soup - 1,5k TZS
- black octopus with potatoes and tomatoes - 13k TZS
- lobster, piece - 25-40k TZS
- grilled octopus and squid - 18k TZS
- grilled whole fish, 300 g - 5k TZS
- fish burger - 14k TZS
- shrimp fries - 20k TZS
- assorted seafood - 24k TZS
- Zanzibar pizza - from 3k TZS
- cup of cappuccino - 4k TZS
- bottle of water, 0.6 l - 2k TZS.
Alcohol prices in Zanzibar
An African country lives by the laws of Islam. There are restrictions on the consumption and sale of alcohol, but not as strict as in the rest of the Muslim world. Most establishments have a beer and wine list. The range in Zanzibar is inferior to non-Muslim countries, and alcohol prices are high.
If you decide to dine in a small restaurant, check if it serves alcoholic drinks. For the inhabitants of Zanzibar, religious principles are more important than profit, so about 20% of the establishments where Muslims run do not sell alcohol.
Alcoholic drinks are sold in specialized stores that are in Stone Town and on one of the most popular beaches of the island - Nungwi. Alcohol is offered in any hotel, however, the more stars there are in the name, the higher the prices per bottle will be.
Tourists recommend inexpensive light beer "Kilimanjaro", "Tusker", "Safari"and"Serengeti"which is made in local breweries. About 90% of the wines sold in Zanzibar are produced in South Africa, 9% in Kenya, and the rest in Tanzania. For lovers of spirits, we recommend trying the local vodka with juniper Cognaga, 0, 5 l costs 10,000 TZS.
Respect Muslim traditions! Try not to drink alcohol in public places, outside hotels and bars.
Prices for alcoholic beverages in hotels and shops in Zanzibar in 2021:
- local beer, 0.5 l - 4.5-9k TZS
- glass of wine - 6k TZS
- portion of spirits, 50 g - 5k TZS
- whiskey, tequila, 1 l - 45.8-57.3k TZS.
Find out when to relax in Zanzibar.
Food prices in Zanzibar shops
On the African island, food prices are lower than in Moscow. Fish, seafood, fruits and vegetables are especially cheap.
Food prices in Zanzibar stores in 2021:
- bread - 700 TZS
- cheese, 1 kg - 10k TZS
- milk, 1 l - 2.3k TZS
- bananas, 1 piece - 100 TZS
- pineapple, 1 pc - 2-3k TZS
- mango, 1 kg - 2-3k TZS
- ground Tanzanian coffee, 100 g - 2k TZS
- juice, 1 l - 3.5-5k TZS
- coca-cola, 0.5 l - 1k TZS
- water, 1.5 l - 1k TZS.
What to try in Zanzibar
Zanzibar cuisine has absorbed the traditions of African, Persian and Arabian cuisine. It is spicy, lightly salted and not spicy. The basis of the local diet is rice side dishes, fried and stewed bananas, fruits, vegetables, fish and seafood. Many dishes are prepared with the addition of coconut milk. Popular drinks include freshly squeezed fruit juices and spiced teas.
We advise you to try:
- burned - cornmeal porridge
- naan - bread
- bears - kebabs
- sorpotel - beef stew and offal with spices
- biryani - a pilaf-like dish of rice and meat
- harvest - spicy potato soup
- kochumburi - tomato salad with onions
- omet mayai - omelet with french fries
- mandazi - triangular donuts
- Zanzibar chocolate - sweetness of sesame seeds with honey.
What you need to know
Zanzibar's cuisine will not surprise meat-eaters with anything, but will delight lovers of fish and seafood. Locals rarely eat meat, although there are meat dishes in restaurants and cafes. The menu usually features about 20 hot dishes: one is chicken, one is beef, and 18 is fish and seafood.
In the villages, there are small establishments for the locals, where they prepare inexpensive food. A portion of soup costs 1000 TZS, fries - 1500 TZS, flatbread capati - 400 TZS. These restaurants look unpretentious, but the food there is delicious.
Zanzibar chefs are in no hurry and adhere to the principle of "life without worries" - Hakuna Matata... Waiting for an order in a crowded place takes 40 minutes. If a restaurant on a remote beach assures you that everything will be made with fresh ingredients, take our word for it. The cook first goes to the local market for the goods, then he will take up the preparation of your lunch. Sometimes you have to wait for hot dishes for a very long time - 1.5-2 hours.
There is no siesta in Zanzibar, but many shops open in the afternoon and stay open until late at night.
It is customary to leave a tip in restaurants and cafes - 10% of the check amount.
How to save money on food in Zanzibar
Eat in places where locals go. Inexpensive restaurants and cafes are set aside from beaches and hotels and are not marked with bright signs.
It is more profitable to buy vegetables and fruits at farmers' markets, and groceries, dairy products and water - in stores. Don't forget to bargain! Skillful bargaining allows you to reduce the price by 1.5-2 times.
Delicious and cheap snack - street food. Tourists love seafood kebabs, grilled potatoes and corn cobs, fried chicken and freshly squeezed cane juice. Larks with street goodies are plentiful in Stone Town. As a rule, they start trading in the evening - after 17: 00-18: 00. A skewer with squid, octopus tentacles or shrimps costs 6-8k TZS, and 0.5 l of fresh fruit is 1000 TZS.
In beach restaurants, beer is sold at 4-6k TZS, and in shops where alcohol is sold - at 3k TZS per 0.5 liter. There are always boxes at the entrance. Put an empty bottle there, and you will be given a cheaper beer - 2.5k TZS each.
We recommend trying out the restaurants that specialize in Zanzibar cuisine - Captain Cook Equinox at Jambiani Beach, The Fisherman at Kendwa Beach and Chit Chat at Stone Town.
