As of June 2026, the median house price in Zanzibar is about TZS 760 million, or $290,000, or €250,000, while the average house price in Zanzibar is closer to TZS 1.5 billion, or $575,000, or €500,000, because luxury beachfront villas pull the average up.
Get all the data you need about the real estate market in Zanzibar
We constantly update this blog post so house buyers can follow fresh Zanzibar property prices, not old market guesses.
Zanzibar has no official house-price index, so the best way to understand house prices in Zanzibar in 2026 is to compare live listings, developer prices, tax rules and tourism demand.
This guide focuses only on houses in Zanzibar, including villas, townhouses, standalone homes and semi-detached houses, not apartments.
And if you’re planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Zanzibar.
Fact-checked and reviewed by our local expert
Grace Makoye 🇹🇿
Manager of Operations, Zinza Real Estate
How much do houses cost in Zanzibar as of 2026?
What's the median and average house price in Zanzibar as of 2026?
As of 2026, the estimated median house price in Zanzibar is about TZS 760 million, or $290,000, or €250,000, while the average house price in Zanzibar is about TZS 1.5 billion, or $575,000, or €500,000.
For most foreign buyers, the typical house price range in Zanzibar in 2026 is roughly TZS 200 million to TZS 2.35 billion, or $75,000 to $900,000, or €65,000 to €780,000.
The median and average house prices in Zanzibar differ because a small number of beachfront villas, resort homes and large coastal houses above $1 million push the average far above the normal buyer price.
At the median price in Zanzibar in 2026, a buyer can usually expect a clean 3-bedroom house, a townhouse in a managed area, or a small villa away from the very best beachfront plots.
What's the cheapest livable house budget in Zanzibar as of 2026?
As of 2026, the cheapest realistic livable house budget in Zanzibar is about TZS 220 million to TZS 290 million, or $85,000 to $110,000, or €73,000 to €95,000.
At this entry price in Zanzibar, “livable” usually means a simple older house with basic electricity, basic water access, a usable roof, modest finishes and some repairs still needed.
These cheapest livable houses in Zanzibar are usually found in Uroa, Kiwengwa inland, Pongwe inland, Bububu edges, Kiboje, Makunduchi and some parts of Pemba.
The important point is that a cheap house in Zanzibar is only truly cheap if the buyer also budgets for title checks, water storage, fencing, access-road issues and repairs.
How much do 2 and 3-bedroom houses cost in Zanzibar as of 2026?
As of 2026, a typical 2-bedroom house in Zanzibar costs about TZS 460 million to TZS 760 million, or $175,000 to $290,000, or €150,000 to €250,000, while a typical 3-bedroom house costs about TZS 575 million to TZS 1.18 billion, or $220,000 to $450,000, or €190,000 to €390,000.
A realistic 2-bedroom house price range in Zanzibar in 2026 is about TZS 310 million to TZS 890 million, or $120,000 to $340,000, or €104,000 to €294,000.
A realistic 3-bedroom house price range in Zanzibar in 2026 is about TZS 575 million to TZS 1.31 billion, or $220,000 to $500,000, or €190,000 to €432,000.
Moving from a 2-bedroom to a 3-bedroom house in Zanzibar usually adds about 20% to 40%, especially in Paje, Fumba, Nungwi and Kiwengwa where rental demand rewards the extra bedroom.
How much do 4-bedroom houses cost in Zanzibar as of 2026?
As of 2026, a typical 4-bedroom house in Zanzibar costs about TZS 915 million to TZS 1.83 billion, or $350,000 to $700,000, or €303,000 to €605,000.
A realistic 5-bedroom house price range in Zanzibar in 2026 is about TZS 1.57 billion to TZS 2.48 billion, or $600,000 to $950,000, or €518,000 to €821,000.
A realistic 6-bedroom house price range in Zanzibar in 2026 is about TZS 2.09 billion to TZS 6.79 billion, or $800,000 to $2.6 million, or €691,000 to €2.25 million, because many 6-bedroom houses are almost small hospitality assets.
Please note that we give much more detailed data in our pack about the property market in Zanzibar.
How much do new-build houses cost in Zanzibar as of 2026?
As of 2026, a new-build house in Zanzibar usually costs about TZS 730 million to TZS 1.31 billion, or $280,000 to $500,000, or €242,000 to €432,000 for a mainstream townhouse or villa.
New-build houses in Zanzibar usually cost about 25% to 45% more than older resale houses, because buyers pay for clearer documentation, estate management, security, planned roads and more reliable utility systems.
How much do houses with land cost in Zanzibar as of 2026?
As of 2026, a house with land in Zanzibar usually costs about TZS 470 million to TZS 2.1 billion, or $180,000 to $800,000, or €155,000 to €691,000, depending on location and beach access.
In Zanzibar, a “house with land” usually means a home on about 500 to 2,000 square meters, but the real value depends more on lease quality, access and services than on plot size alone.
This matters because foreign buyers in Zanzibar normally deal with registered leasehold interests, so a large plot with weak paperwork can be riskier than a smaller plot inside a managed project.
Thinking of buying real estate in Zanzibar?
Acquiring property in a different country is a complex task. Don't fall into common traps – grab our guide and make better decisions.
Where are houses cheapest and most expensive in Zanzibar as of 2026?
Which neighborhoods have the lowest house prices in Zanzibar as of 2026?
As of 2026, the lowest house prices in Zanzibar are usually in Uroa, Kiwengwa inland, Pongwe inland, Kiboje, Bububu outskirts, Makunduchi and parts of Pemba.
In these cheaper Zanzibar areas, typical house prices in 2026 range from about TZS 200 million to TZS 780 million, or $75,000 to $300,000, or €65,000 to €259,000.
These areas are cheaper because many houses sit back from the beach, have weaker road access, need private water solutions, or are less connected to the short-term rental market.
Which neighborhoods have the highest house prices in Zanzibar as of 2026?
As of 2026, the three highest-priced house areas in Zanzibar are Nungwi and Kendwa, Paje and Jambiani beachfront, and Pingwe and Michamvi.
In these premium Zanzibar areas, typical house prices in 2026 range from about TZS 915 million to TZS 6.5 billion, or $350,000 to $2.5 million, or €303,000 to €2.16 million.
These neighborhoods command the highest house prices in Zanzibar because the best homes combine beach access, tourist rental demand, scarcity of clean coastal plots and professional management options.
The usual buyer in these premium Zanzibar areas is not a local family looking for a primary home, but a foreign lifestyle buyer, rental investor, boutique-villa operator or diaspora buyer.
How much do houses cost near the city center in Zanzibar as of 2026?
As of 2026, a house near central Zanzibar City, including Stone Town, Vuga, Shangani, Mkunazini and nearby central streets, usually costs about TZS 470 million to TZS 1.18 billion, or $180,000 to $450,000, or €155,000 to €389,000.
Near major transit points in Zanzibar, such as the ferry area, Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, the Fumba road and the main road toward Nungwi, houses usually cost about TZS 520 million to TZS 1.3 billion, or $200,000 to $500,000, or €173,000 to €432,000.
Near well-known schools in Zanzibar, including International School of Zanzibar, SOS Hermann Gmeiner School Zanzibar and Feza Schools Zanzibar, family houses usually cost about TZS 650 million to TZS 1.31 billion, or $250,000 to $500,000, or €216,000 to €432,000.
In expat-popular Zanzibar areas such as Fumba, Paje, Jambiani, Nungwi, Kendwa and Kiwengwa, houses usually cost about TZS 730 million to TZS 2.6 billion, or $280,000 to $1 million, or €242,000 to €864,000.
How much do houses cost in the suburbs in Zanzibar as of 2026?
As of 2026, a suburban house in Zanzibar usually costs about TZS 390 million to TZS 1.31 billion, or $150,000 to $500,000, or €130,000 to €432,000.
Suburban houses in Zanzibar are usually 10% to 30% cheaper than comparable city-center houses, unless the suburb is Fumba, where planned infrastructure can make prices higher.
The most popular Zanzibar suburbs for house buyers are Fumba, Chukwani, Mazizini, Bububu, Mbweni and Kombeni, with Fumba behaving more like a planned town than a normal suburb.
What areas in Zanzibar are improving and still affordable as of 2026?
As of 2026, the best improving but still affordable areas in Zanzibar are Fumba edges, Kombeni, Chukwani, Bububu, Kiwengwa inland, Uroa and Makunduchi.
In these improving Zanzibar areas, typical house prices in 2026 range from about TZS 200 million to TZS 915 million, or $75,000 to $350,000, or €65,000 to €303,000.
The main sign of improvement is not just more tourists, but better road access, planned housing nearby, more buyer interest from Zanzibar City workers and spillover from expensive coastal villages.
Get fresh and reliable information about the market in Zanzibar
Don't base significant investment decisions on outdated data. Get updated and accurate information.
What extra costs should I budget for a house in Zanzibar right now?
What are typical buyer closing costs for houses in Zanzibar right now?
Buyer closing costs for a house in Zanzibar usually total about 6% to 10% of the purchase price, and messy title or lease situations can push the total closer to 15%.
The main closing costs in Zanzibar are stamp duty near 1%, possible land-lease stamp duty near 1%, legal fees around 1% to 2%, registration costs, survey checks, valuation costs and possible agency fees.
The largest closing cost for many Zanzibar house buyers is usually the combined legal, registration and due-diligence work, because a safe lease transfer matters more than saving a small fee.
We cover all these costs and what are the strategies to minimize them in our property pack about Zanzibar.
How much are property taxes on houses in Zanzibar right now?
Annual property tax on a normal house in Zanzibar is usually very low, often only about TZS 10,000 to TZS 50,000, or about $4 to $20, or about €3 to €17, before land rent and service charges.
Zanzibar property tax is charged once a year under ZRA rules, while land rent is normally paid each year according to the specific land lease agreement.
How much is home insurance for a house in Zanzibar right now?
Home insurance for a house in Zanzibar usually costs about 0.25% to 0.6% of rebuild value per year, so a TZS 780 million house, or $300,000, or €259,000, may cost around TZS 2.1 million to TZS 4.7 million, or $800 to $1,800, or €690 to €1,555 per year.
The main factors that affect Zanzibar home insurance are beach exposure, salt-air corrosion, storm risk, building quality, pool and staff areas, security, rental use and the cost of replacing imported fittings.
What are typical utility costs for a house in Zanzibar right now?
Typical monthly utility costs for a normal 2-bedroom or 3-bedroom house in Zanzibar are about TZS 210,000 to TZS 650,000, or $80 to $250, or €69 to €216.
The usual monthly utility breakdown in Zanzibar is about TZS 130,000 to TZS 780,000 for electricity, TZS 25,000 to TZS 130,000 for water, TZS 80,000 to TZS 210,000 for internet, TZS 25,000 to TZS 80,000 for cooking gas, and sometimes TZS 80,000 to TZS 650,000 for generator fuel or backup power.
What are common hidden costs when buying a house in Zanzibar right now?
Common hidden costs when buying a house in Zanzibar often add about TZS 13 million to TZS 130 million, or $5,000 to $50,000, or €4,300 to €43,000, depending on condition and title quality.
Typical inspection fees in Zanzibar are about TZS 780,000 to TZS 2.1 million, or $300 to $800, or €260 to €690, for a basic building check, and about TZS 2.1 million to TZS 5.2 million, or $800 to $2,000, or €690 to €1,730, for a deeper villa or structural inspection.
Other hidden costs in Zanzibar include boundary surveys, access-road rights, roof repairs, waterproofing, septic work, water tanks, pressure pumps, termite treatment, generator setup, solar backup, fencing and salt-air maintenance.
The hidden cost that surprises first-time Zanzibar house buyers most is usually water and backup infrastructure, because a beautiful house can still need tanks, pumps, filters and generator support.
Get to know the market before buying a property in Zanzibar
Better information leads to better decisions. Get all the data you need before investing a large amount of money.
What do locals and expats say about the market in Zanzibar as of 2026?
Do people think houses are overpriced in Zanzibar as of 2026?
As of 2026, many locals see foreign-buyer houses in Zanzibar as overpriced, while many expats see the same prices as high but still explainable in Fumba, Paje, Nungwi, Kendwa and Stone Town-adjacent areas.
Well-priced Zanzibar houses in clean, rentable areas often sell in about 2 to 4 months, while ordinary inland houses can take 4 to 9 months and overpriced luxury villas can sit for 9 to 18 months.
The main reason people call Zanzibar house prices too high is that foreign-buyer prices have moved far away from local incomes, especially near beaches with rental demand.
Compared with 2024 and 2025, sentiment in 2026 is more selective, because buyers still want Zanzibar but are more careful about overpaying for weak title, poor access or bad construction.
Are prices still rising or cooling in Zanzibar as of 2026?
As of 2026, house prices in Zanzibar are still rising in the best-documented and most rentable areas, but the wider market is becoming more selective.
Our estimate is that foreign-buyer house prices in Zanzibar are up about 6% to 10% year over year in 2026, with stronger growth in Fumba, Paje, Nungwi and Kendwa.
Over the next 6 to 12 months, the most likely path is slower but positive price growth in good areas, while overpriced beachfront villas and unclear-title houses may need discounts to sell.
Don't lose money on your property in Zanzibar
100% of people who have lost money there have spent less than 1 hour researching the market. We have reviewed everything there is to know. Grab our guide now.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it’s in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Zanzibar, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can, and we don’t throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we’ve listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why this source is reliable | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| Office of the Chief Government Statistician Zanzibar | It is Zanzibar’s official statistics office. | We used it for population, inflation, GDP and tourism context. We used it to check whether house-price pressure is backed by real demand. |
| OCGS ZANSIS database | It is Zanzibar’s official statistical database. | We used it for longer-term Zanzibar population and tourism background. We used it to understand demand in Unguja beyond listing prices. |
| Bank of Tanzania Monthly Economic Review | It is Tanzania’s official central bank report. | We used it for inflation, tourism receipts and external-sector context. We used it to test whether Zanzibar’s market is still demand-supported. |
| Zanzibar Revenue Authority stamp duty | It is the official tax authority page. | We used it for stamp-duty treatment on property transfers. We used it to estimate buyer closing costs in Zanzibar. |
| Zanzibar Revenue Authority land lease and property tax | It explains official land-rent and property-tax rules. | We used it for annual property tax and land-rent logic. We used it to separate official taxes from private service charges. |
| Zanzibar Utilities Regulatory Authority | It regulates Zanzibar’s utility tariffs. | We used it for electricity, water, gas and petroleum tariff methodology. We used it because official tariffs are stronger than expat cost blogs. |
| Zanzibar Water Authority | It is Zanzibar’s official water utility. | We used it to identify the public water supplier. We used it to flag why water reliability can change by area. |
| Fumba Town | It is Zanzibar’s largest planned residential town. | We used it for Fumba Town scale, planning and infrastructure context. We used it to compare managed new-build prices with older resale houses. |
| CPS Africa Fumba Town Living | It is the developer sales channel for Fumba stock. | We used it for new-build and managed-community price anchors. We used it to estimate the premium paid for infrastructure and documentation. |
| Properstar Tanzania houses | It aggregates live international house listings. | We used it as a main live-listing sample for house prices. We excluded apartments and land-only offers where possible. |
| RE/MAX Tanzania Zanzibar | It is an established agency network with Zanzibar listings. | We used it as a cross-check against portal prices. We used it to validate that coastal villas shape the foreign-buyer house market. |
| JamesEdition Zanzibar luxury homes | It tracks high-end international property listings. | We used it for luxury and beachfront villa price checks. We used it to avoid understating the high end of Zanzibar house prices. |
Buying real estate in Zanzibar can be risky
An increasing number of foreign investors are showing interest. However, 90% of them will make mistakes. Avoid the pitfalls with our comprehensive guide.