Which place is cheaper, Saint John or Asheville?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Asheville or Saint John?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Asheville and Saint John. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Asheville or Saint John?
Asheville
Asheville is a beautiful mountain town between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains. It's a popular tourist destination in western North Carolina that attracts hikers, shoppers, and adventurers alike. It's the largest city in the area and is famous for it's liberal mindset and large art community. Local crafts are frequently available for sale in the downtown shops.
Saint John
With the popularity of the Caribbean rising, many islands have become touristy and expensive – but not St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
At only nine miles long and five miles wide, St. John is the smallest of the Virgin Islands, and, many argue, the prettiest. It's the kind of place that has maintained it's cultural identity, but still welcomes visitors from all over the world. With a population of just 5,000, the residents of St. John know everyone and everything happening on the island.
This island is perfect for people who want an undisturbed island getaway at any price. Between resorts and campgrounds there is a spot for everyone on St. John.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to United States of America, and The Best Train & Rail Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAsheville $133Saint John $192
The average daily cost (per person) in Asheville is $133, while the average daily cost in Saint John is $192. 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 Asheville and Saint John in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAsheville $89Saint John $106
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAsheville $178Saint John $212
Compare Hotels in Asheville and Saint John
Looking for a hotel in Asheville or Saint John? 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.
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: Asheville Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Asheville $14Saint John $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Asheville or Saint John?
Prices for flights to both Saint John and Asheville 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
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Food Meals for one dayAsheville $33Saint John $56
Typical Food Prices in Asheville
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Asheville:
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Biltmore Estate Entrance Fee$60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Asheville
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Asheville.
- Electric Bike Tour of Asheville's Best Pizza: $98
- Best Pizza E-bike Tour: $111
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Asheville $16Saint John $23
Typical Entertainment Prices in Asheville
Here are a few typical costs in Asheville for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Massage$40
Tours and Activities in Asheville
Here are a few actual costs in Asheville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Downtown Asheville Tip-Based Sightseeing Walking Tour : $5.00
- Asheville's Historic Smart Phone Guided App (GPS) Walking Tour: $7.75
- Blue Ridge Parkway Asheville Audio Driving Tour: $7.99
- Asheville Historic Highlights: Self-Guided Walking Tour: $9.99
- Blue Ridge Parkway Self-Drive Tour w/ Audio Guide: $13
- Blue Ridge Parkway South Audio Driving Tour: $13
- Blue Ridge Parkway Driving Audio Tour (Asheville ↔ Roanoke): $15
- Asheville Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $21
- Amazing Asheville Amazing Race & Tour: $24
- Gem Mining and Goat Farm Walking Tour in Hendersonville: $26
- Asheville Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour : $27
- Asheville Ghost Tour: A Walk Through Riverside Cemetery & Montford Neighborhood: $27
Tours and Activities in Saint John
Here are a few actual costs in Saint John for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- USVI: Island & Beach Tours in St. Thomas & St. John (2 Days): $199
- St. John: A Private Island Adventure Tour & Trunk Bay Beach: $627
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAsheville $16Saint John $44
Sample the Local Flavors in Asheville
Also in Asheville, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Ultimate Late Night Haunted Pub Crawl: $30
- Asheville Terrors Boos and Brews Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Terrors, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Expert-Led Brewery Walking Tour with Beer Samples: $65
- Downtown Asheville Guided Brewery Walking Tour: $69
- Premier Walking Guided Brewery Tour Through Downtown Asheville: $69
- Electric Bike Brewery Crawl of Asheville: $74
- Guided Craft Brewery Tour with a Snack: $99
- Asheville Signature Guided Brewery Tour: $105
- Great Smoky Mountains Private Wine Tours from Asheville: $230
- Three Vineyards Half Day Private Wine Tour From Asheville: $230
- Private Wine Tour with Dine in Black Mountain from Asheville: $230
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Asheville and Saint John, we can see that Saint John is more expensive. And not only is Asheville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Asheville is in North America and Saint John is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Asheville would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Asheville 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 Saint John would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint John than you might in Asheville.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Asheville Expensive? and Is Saint John Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Asheville or Saint John?
Asheville has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Saint John experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Asheville or Saint John in the Summer?
Both Saint John and Asheville are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The summer months attract visitors to Asheville because of the hiking, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences. Plenty of visitors come to Saint John because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In July, Asheville is generally around the same temperature as Saint John. Daily temperatures in Asheville average around 82°F (28°C), and Saint John fluctuates around 29°C (83°F).
It's quite rainy in Asheville. In July, Asheville usually receives more rain than Saint John. Asheville gets 5.4 inches (137 mm) of rain, while Saint John receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyAsheville 82°F (28°C)Saint John 29°C (83°F)
Should I visit Asheville or Saint John in the Autumn?
Both Saint John and Asheville during the autumn are popular places to visit. The hiking trails, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Asheville this time of year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint John year-round.
Asheville is much colder than Saint John in the autumn. The daily temperature in Asheville averages around 64°F (18°C) in October, and Saint John fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
Saint John gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Asheville usually gets less rain in October than Saint John. Asheville gets 3.4 inches (86 mm) of rain, while Saint John receives 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberAsheville 64°F (18°C)Saint John 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Asheville or Saint John in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Asheville and Saint John. Many travelers come to Asheville for the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Saint John attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the winter, Asheville is much colder than Saint John. Typically, the winter temperatures in Asheville in January average around 44°F (7°C), and Saint John averages at about 26°C (78°F).
Asheville gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Asheville usually receives more rain than Saint John. Asheville gets 3.9 inches (100 mm) of rain, while Saint John receives 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryAsheville 44°F (7°C)Saint John 26°C (78°F)
Should I visit Asheville or Saint John in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Asheville as well as Saint John. Many visitors come to Asheville in the spring for the natural beauty. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint John throughout the year.
In April, Asheville is generally much colder than Saint John. Daily temperatures in Asheville average around 64°F (18°C), and Saint John fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
Asheville receives a lot of rain in the spring. Asheville usually gets more rain in April than Saint John. Asheville gets 4.4 inches (112 mm) of rain, while Saint John receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilAsheville 64°F (18°C)Saint John 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Saint John and Asheville
| Asheville | Saint John | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 44°F (7°C) | 3.9 inches (100 mm) | 26°C (78°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | 47°F (8°C) | 4.3 inches (109 mm) | 26°C (78°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Mar | 55°F (13°C) | 5.4 inches (137 mm) | 26°C (79°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Apr | 64°F (18°C) | 4.4 inches (112 mm) | 27°C (80°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| May | 71°F (22°C) | 3.1 inches (79 mm) | 28°C (82°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jun | 79°F (26°C) | 3.8 inches (96 mm) | 28°C (83°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 82°F (28°C) | 5.4 inches (137 mm) | 29°C (83°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Aug | 81°F (27°C) | 4.6 inches (118 mm) | 29°C (84°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Sep | 75°F (24°C) | 4 inches (101 mm) | 28°C (83°F) | 127 mm (5 in) |
| Oct | 64°F (18°C) | 3.4 inches (86 mm) | 28°C (82°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Nov | 55°F (13°C) | 3.2 inches (81 mm) | 27°C (81°F) | 126 mm (4.9 in) |
| Dec | 47°F (8°C) | 4.1 inches (103 mm) | 26°C (80°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.