You can sleep near the beach in Zanzibar for well under US$60 a night if you skip the resort trimmings. Lighthouse Guesthouse in Nungwi runs from about US$41 (2026, verify), Stonefish Inn in Jambiani from about US$50, and Drifters in Paje and Carpe Diem in Nungwi land around US$54. Expect a fan or basic AC, breakfast and a short walk to the sand rather than a pool and spa.
A budget private room on the first floor of Jazira Palace, a short walk back from the Pwani Mchangani beach, with air-con, a ceiling fan, a workspace and a shared pool in the garden. It is one of the cheapest rooms on this coast at about US$56 a night.
A cheap private room with its own small living room and garden, fan-cooled rather than air-conditioned, with beach access and self check-in. Bring the fan-not-air-con trade-off into your plans for the hot months.
A budget private room filling the whole upper floor of a house near Kendwa, set up for families with a baby (cot, high chair, baby bath) and a small kitchenette.
A whole budget home near Nungwi with a full kitchen, air-con and a ceiling fan, an in-unit washer and self check-in. It rents self-catering and takes longer stays, which makes it handy for anyone settling in for a week or more.
The cheapest stay in Kiwengwa in this batch, Seashore is a budget private room at a small guesthouse with a shared pool, air-con and WiFi, a short walk from the sand.
Smaller and cheaper than the Kidoti bungalow next door, this is a private room with its own patio on the sand at Kidoti Wild Garden, south of Kendwa. Fans not air-con, and you share the grounds, but around US$48 a night is hard to beat.
A budget studio with real sea views, a kitchen and a workspace, air-con and breakfast included per the listing. It sits south of Nungwi toward Kendwa, so factor in the walk or a taxi to Nungwi's bars. It's a private studio, not a whole villa.
A budget guesthouse near Nungwi village with a rare touch for the price, a hot tub, plus air-con and family rooms. It's set back from the beach and geared to travellers watching the budget rather than chasing a sea view.
Jambiani's cheapest pick here at about US$50 a night, Stonefish Inn is a budget bed and breakfast built around getting out on the water: diving, snorkelling, fishing, plus bike and walking tours. Rooms are simple with a restaurant on site; air-con isn't listed, so ask if you need cooling.
It's the social, backpacker end of Paje rather than a quiet retreat, and rooms are simple. Handy for kitesurfers and anyone who wants the beach and a cold beer without the resort price.
The cheapest bed in this group, a budget guesthouse at about US$41 a night with a tour desk that books diving, snorkelling and fishing trips. There's no air-con in the listing and it's a walk to the beach, so it's one for divers and budget travellers over comfort-seekers.
The budget pick, a simple guest house with air-con rooms, a shared kitchen and WiFi at about US$50 a night. It sits away from the old-town core, so factor in a short taxi ride to the sights and the seafront.
A homestay at about US$29 a night, one of the cheapest ways to sleep near Nungwi, with a shared kitchen, a tour desk and diving and snorkelling trips easy to arrange. It's set back from the water and low on frills, so come for the price and the local welcome.
A budget guesthouse with a social streak: shared kitchen, a small restaurant, and a calendar of pub crawls, movie nights and dive trips. Good value at about US$54 a night if you want company and cheap diving.
A three-star bungalow property with a restaurant, room service and family rooms, set back in a garden rather than on the beach.
A budget self-catering apartment set back from the beach, with a kitchen, air-con and WiFi, at about US$35 a night one of the cheapest stays on this stretch. Good for a simple, independent base near Matemwe.
One of the cheapest rooms in Nungwi at about US$23 a night, a simple budget guesthouse with a kitchen, family rooms and a garden a short walk from the village. It's self-catering with no restaurant, so it suits travellers who want a base over service. Worth confirming the room and rate directly before you book.
