Which place is cheaper, Saint Thomas or Cabo San Lucas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Cabo San Lucas or Saint Thomas?
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 Thomas 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 Thomas?
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 Thomas
Saint Thomas is a beautiful island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Together with St. John, St. Croix, and Water Island, it forms the unincorporated territory of the United States. The island is also home to the territorial capital and port of Charlotte Amalie. The island's population is just over 50,000, which is slightly less than half of the territory's total population.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Cabo San Lucas Prices
Mexico PricesSaint Thomas Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCabo San Lucas $159Saint Thomas $258
The average daily cost (per person) in Cabo San Lucas is $159, while the average daily cost in Saint Thomas is $258. 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 Thomas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCabo San Lucas $57Saint Thomas $131
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCabo San Lucas $114Saint Thomas $262
Compare Hotels in Cabo San Lucas and Saint Thomas
Looking for a hotel in Cabo San Lucas or Saint Thomas? 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 $25Saint Thomas $37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
- Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Transfer from Airport to the Pacifica Area: $293
- Airport Transfers to Cabo San Lucas Pacifico Hotels RT: $290
- Cabo San Lucas Port to San Jose Del Cabo hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $287
- Transfer to Cabo San Lucas from Round Trip Airport: $268
- Private Airport Transfers in Los Cabos: $253
- Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Transfer from Airport to Tourist Corridor Area: $236
- Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Airport Transfer: $236
- Private Escalade Airport Transfer in Los Cabos: $220
- Private Round Trip Transfer to San José del Cabo Art Walk: $215
- Los Cabos Luxury Tesla Transfer from Airport to San José del Cabo Area: $214
- Private Or Shared Airport Transfers: $210
- Private Transfer to Cabo San Lucas from Cabo Airport: $210
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Saint Thomas
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Saint Thomas are as follows:
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Scooter Rental$65
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Taxi Ride$5.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Thomas
Also for Saint Thomas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Cyril E. King Airport STT to Charlotte Amalie RoundTrip Transfer: $204
- Exclusive Airport Transfers (up to 4 persons) One-Way: $135
- PARADISE TAXI & TOURS USVI-St. Thomas- Airport Transfer to Ritz Carlton Elysian : $170
- PARADISE TAXI & TOURS USVI-St.Thomas-Airport Transfer to Marriott Frenchman Cove: $110
- Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI- St. Thomas - Airport Transfer to Red Hook Ferry: $160
- Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI- St.Thomas Airport Transfer to Bolongo Bay / Limetree: $110
- Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI-St Thomas- Airport Transfer Sapphire / Crystal Cove : $160
- Prince Taxi & Tours St.Thomas Airport transfer to Redhook Ferry: $200
- Prince Taxi ST.Thomas Airport transfer to Yacht Haven/Bluebeards: $175
- Prince Taxi USVI ST.Thomas Airport transfer to Westin : $180
- Prince Taxi USVI-ST.Thomas Airport Transfer to Ritz Carlton : $180
- Private Airport Transfer in Luxury Vehicle- St. Thomas, USVI: $179
Is it cheaper to fly into Cabo San Lucas or Saint Thomas?
Prices for flights to both Saint Thomas 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 $80Saint Thomas $94
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.
- Authentic Mexican Legacy Cooking Class in Cabo San Lucas: $75
- San Jose del Cabo Food Tour & Visit to the Market: $79
- Flavors of Authentic Mexican Food Tour: $79
- San Jose del Cabo Morning Food Tour: $84
- San José del Cabo for Meat Lovers Food Tour: $90
- Sunset Mexican Dinner Cruise and Live Music in Cabo San Lucas: $95
- Parrillada dinner with a Private Chef in your villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose: $95
- Jumbo Shrimp Dinner in Your Private Villa or Condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $99
- Cabo San Lucas Sunset Dinner Cruise with Open Bar: $99
- Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Music & Open Bar on Cabo Wave: $99
- Sunset E-bike Beach Ride with Mexican Dinner and Margaritas: $109
- San Jose del Cabo City Highlights with Tequila Tasting and Dinner: $110
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Thomas
For Saint Thomas, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Flavors: Cultural Cooking Class, St Thomas, USVI, USA : $81
- St. John Sail with Bar and Hors d'Oeuvres to Lovango Dinner: $119
- Sunset & Harbor Lights Dinner Sail from the Marriott's Frenchman's Cove: $119
- Afternoon Snorkel, Pizza & Sunset Tour departing from St. Thomas & St. John: $120
- Local Experience, St. John U.S. Virgin Islands Food Tour: $125
- Pizza Pi Shuttle (Official) - Jet Ski Trip St Thomas: $148
- St. John PiZZA Pi Snorkel Sail with Beach Stop, Lunch & Open Bar - Westin: $149
- Christmas Cove and Pizza Pi Happy Hour Sail Tour: $185
- Turtles, Pizza Pi & Sunset trip: $295
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cabo San Lucas $39Saint Thomas $60
Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Beach ATV y Camel Ride y Sky Bike Adventure: $140
- Camel Ride, UTV, and The Arch Tour with Lunch & Tequila Tasting!: $249
- OffRoad 4X4 UTV Adventure with unlimited Lunch & Tequila : $199
- Platinum Snorkel Tour : $239
- Traditional Tequila Tasting Experience with Jorge Cuervo: $87
- "Exclusive Cabo San Lucas Trimaran Experience with Snorkeling": $180
- 1 Hour Jet Ski Adventure : $180
- 2 Tank Tour in Cabo San Lucas Reserve, Certified Divers with MANTA: $138
- 2 in 1 Tour | Arc Tour with Beach Drop: $20
- 2-Hour ATV Riding Experience in San Jose del Cabo: $110
- 2-Hour Camel Ride Beach and Desert Adventure Experience: $120
- 2.10 Hour Sunset Tour on Catamaran in Cabo San Lucas : $75
Tours and Activities in Saint Thomas
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Thomas.
- Nature and Sightseeing Tour at Phantasea Tropical Botanical Garden: $16
- Children's Treasure Hunt Walking Tour: $25
- Coral World Ocean Park General Admission Ticket: $29
- Cruise Ship Shuttle to Ferry going to St. John: $34
- Rum Tasting Experience in the Old Barrel House: $35
- Admission Ticket to Coral World & Coki Point Beach with Snorkeling: $40
- St. Thomas Sightseeing Tour with a Guide: $40
- Guided Tour of Coral World Ocean Park & Happy Hour: $40
- St. Thomas Ghost Tour of Historic Charlotte Amalie : $41
- Prince taxi & Tours St.Thomas Virgin Islands-Island Scenic Tour: $45
- Guided Kayak Tour from Margaritaville: $48
- Guided Kayak Tour from Elysian: $48
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCabo San Lucas $26Saint Thomas $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:
- Wine Tasting Sunset Cruise Tour in San Jose del Cabo: $280
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cabo San Lucas and Saint Thomas, we can see that Saint Thomas 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 Thomas 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 Thomas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Thomas 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 Thomas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cabo San Lucas or Saint Thomas?
Cabo San Lucas has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Saint Thomas. When comparing the sizes of Cabo San Lucas and Saint Thomas, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.