How much does property cost in Zanzibar? 2026 prices

Ask what property costs in Zanzibar and you will get five different answers. The market is fragmented across dozens of agencies, developers and private sellers, and very few of them publish prices openly. That makes it hard for an overseas buyer to work out whether a number is fair.

So here is a straight answer, using real asking prices from current listings alongside wider market benchmarks.

The short answer

As of 2026, the median property price in Zanzibar sits at roughly US$118,000, while the average is closer to US$225,000. The gap between those two numbers is the whole story: a relatively small number of high-value beachfront villas pulls the average well above what most buyers actually pay.

Current asking prices on ZanzibarFind run from US$132,900 for a one-bedroom apartment to US$6,500,000 for a 27-villa beachfront resort. Strip out the resort-scale assets and most of the residential market sits in the US$130,000 to US$500,000 band.

What price per square metre actually looks like

Per-square-metre pricing is the most reliable way to compare two properties in different parts of the island. Based on internal area across current listings:

• Skyline 3 Bedroom Penthouse - US$396,000 across 223m², about US$1,776/m²
• The Hills Nungwi 1 Bedroom Suite - US$148,837 across 89m², about US$1,672/m²
• The Hills Nungwi 2 Bedroom Residence - US$165,375 across 103m², about US$1,606/m²
• The Hills Nungwi 3 Bedroom Penthouse - US$500,000 across 328m², about US$1,524/m²
• Raha 1 Bedroom Apartment - US$132,900 across 89m², about US$1,493/m²
• Zuri 2 Bedroom Apartment - US$165,200 across 126m², about US$1,311/m²
• The Clove 2 Bedroom Villa - US$220,000 across 170m², about US$1,294/m²
• The Oasis Villa Estate - US$1,350,000 across 1,500m², about US$900/m²

The three Hills Nungwi units make the pattern unusually clear, because they sit in the same development. The 89m² suite prices at US$1,672/m², the 103m² residence at US$1,606/m², and the 328m² penthouse at US$1,524/m². Same building, same beach, and the rate per square metre falls as the unit gets bigger.

That holds across the island. Smaller units carry a higher rate per square metre, and larger estates can look expensive in absolute terms while being comparatively good value per square metre.

For context, market-wide estimates put refurbished Stone Town apartments at roughly US$1,300 to US$1,800/m², east coast beachfront villas at around US$2,200 to US$2,500/m², and prime city-centre apartments considerably higher.

How location changes the number

Zanzibar is small, but pricing is not uniform. The same budget buys very different things depending on which coast you are on.

• Chukwani - on the west coast near Zanzibar City. Current listings here include apartments from US$132,900 and beachfront villas up to US$643,000. Convenient for the airport and town.
• Nungwi - the northern tip, with the strongest short-let tourism demand on the island. Current listings run from a one-bedroom suite at US$148,837 and a three-bedroom villa at US$250,000 up to a three-bedroom penthouse at US$500,000.
• Paje - the south-east coast, known for kitesurfing and a younger visitor profile. Larger plots are still available here.
• Uroa - the east coast, where resort-scale assets come to market. Currently the top of the range on the platform.
• Stone Town - heritage property, tightly constrained supply, and renovation costs that are easy to underestimate.

We go deeper on the trade-offs in our Zanzibar location guide.

What your budget actually buys

A rough guide, based on what is currently available:

• Under US$150,000 - a one-bedroom apartment, typically in a managed development with shared facilities.
• US$150,000 to US$250,000 - a two-bedroom apartment, or a smaller villa away from the premium beachfront strips.
• US$250,000 to US$500,000 - a three-bedroom villa or a penthouse, including some beachfront positions.
• US$500,000 and above - established beachfront villas, and at the top end, multi-villa estates and resort-scale assets running into the millions.

The costs that are not in the asking price

The headline figure is not the total. Budget for the following:

• Leasehold structure. There is no freehold land ownership in Zanzibar for anyone, local or foreign. Property is held on government-granted leases, and foreign buyers are typically granted 99-year terms.
• Approval and registration. Most residential purchases by foreigners route through an approved condominium project, which carries its own approval process and associated fees.
• Legal and due diligence. Independent title verification is not optional. It is the single most important line item in the budget.
• Service charges. Managed developments carry ongoing fees that materially affect net rental returns.

Our guide on buying property in Zanzibar as a foreign buyer covers the process in full.

Why Zanzibar prices are hard to compare

Unlike mature markets, Zanzibar has no central register of transacted prices. Published figures are asking prices, not sale prices, and the two are not the same. Add a market split across many small agencies, and genuine comparison becomes difficult.

That is the gap ZanzibarFind exists to close. Every listing is published with its price, internal area, and location stated openly, so buyers can compare like with like rather than working from one agent's word.

Where to start

If you are working out a budget, start with per-square-metre rates in two or three areas you are considering, then narrow by property type. You can browse current properties for sale in Zanzibar with prices and areas shown on every listing.

Figures reflect asking prices on current listings and publicly available market estimates as of September 2026. Prices change; always verify current figures and take independent legal advice before committing to a purchase.