Which place is cheaper, Saint John or Cabo San Lucas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cabo San Lucas or Saint John?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Cabo San Lucas and Saint John can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Cabo San Lucas or Saint John?
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas ("Cabo") is on the far southern end of the Baja Peninsula. It has countless resorts and activities for visitors. There are world class golf courses, fine dining options, and five star resorts. Prior to the 1980s, Cabo was a quiet fishing village but with the construction of a nearby airport in 1977, the city rapidly grew into one of Mexico's most popular resort vacation spots. Today, Cabo has one of the country's most vibrant nightlife scenes. It also has plenty of water sport activities, and a great beach scene.
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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Budget Tours to Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCabo San Lucas $116Saint John $192
The average daily cost (per person) in Cabo San Lucas is $116, 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 Cabo San Lucas and Saint John in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCabo San Lucas $53Saint John $106
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCabo San Lucas $106Saint John $212
Compare Hotels in Cabo San Lucas and Saint John
Looking for a hotel in Cabo San Lucas 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: Cabo San Lucas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cabo San Lucas $23Saint John $49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
- Cabo San Lucas Port to San Jose Del Cabo hotels - Arrival Private Transfer : $37
- Los Cabos Luxury Escalade One-Way Airport Transfer: $157
- Private One Way Cabo Airport Transfer: $85
- Airport Transfer to Cabo San Lucas & Pacific side Hotels & Villas Round Trip: $149
- Arrival Share Transfer Service One way from Los Cabos airport to Hotel: $49
- Cabo Airport Private Transfers Van cabo area UP TO 5 PASSENGERS: $70
- Cabo San Lucas Affordable Luxury Transfers : $145
- Cabo San Lucas Airport(CSL): Transfer to Cabo San Lucas Port: $167
- Cabo San Lucas City to Cabo San Lucas Port Private Transfer : $34
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Cabo San Lucas hotels - Arrival Private Transfer : $34
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Cabo San Lucas- Round-Trip Private Transfer: $68
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port: Transfer to Cabo San Lucas hotel: $167
Is it cheaper to fly into Cabo San Lucas or Saint John?
Prices for flights to both Saint John and Cabo San Lucas 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 dayCabo San Lucas $42Saint John $56
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cabo San Lucas
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cabo San Lucas.
- Cabo San Lucas Sunset Cruise with Dinner and Open Bar: $75
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with Domestic Open Bar: $75
- Tasting Cabo San Lucas Like a Local Food Tour: $75
- San Jose del Cabo Morning Food Tour: $80
- Seafood Galore, Los Cabos Food Tour: $80
- Sunset Dinner: $85
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with Tequila & tacos: $85
- Catch of the day dinner in your private villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $90
- San José del Cabo for Meat Lovers Food Tour: $90
- Sunset Dinner on a Pirate Boat: $90
- Private Mexican Cooking Class in Your Cabo San Lucas Villa or Condo: $90
- Sunset Mexican Dinner Cruise and Live Music in Cabo San Lucas: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cabo San Lucas $36Saint John $23
Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Tour to the Arch the bay in the only Clear Boat! OPTIONAL PICKUP: $1.07
- Tour paseo al Arco + bajada en playa: $10
- Cabo San Lucas Arch Tour and Down to Love Beach: $15
- Boat Tour to Cabo San Lucas Arch and Rock Formations: $16
- Los Cabos: Real Estate Tour with Welcome Drink and Coffee: $17
- Cabo San Lucas : Snorkel Tour + Paseo al Arco: $18
- Glass bottom boat tour: $19
- Water Taxi Tour: $20
- Classic Tour to the Arch in Glass Bottom: $21
- Glass Bottom Boat Sightseeing Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $23
- 45-Minute Glass-Bottom-Boat Tour: $23
- Glass Bottom Boat Tour: $23
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 dayCabo San Lucas $24Saint John $44
Sample the Local Flavors in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:
- Los Cabos: Bar Crawl: $82
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cabo San Lucas and Saint John, we can see that Saint John is more expensive. And not only is Cabo San Lucas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cabo San Lucas 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 Cabo San Lucas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cabo San Lucas 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 Cabo San Lucas.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive? and Is Saint John Expensive?.
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.