Which place is cheaper, Saint John's or Cancun?
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 Cancun or Saint John's?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Cancun and Saint John's can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or Saint John's?
Cancun
In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.
Saint John's
If you've been to St. John's, Antigua, you were likely on a cruise - which means you likely did not have enough time to truly experience the magic of this tiny island getaway.
St. Johns is the capital of the tiny islands of Antigua and Barbuda. Located on Antigua, this tropical city lives up to its status as a tropical paradise. With 365 beaches on the island, you can enjoy the luxury of lounging in the sand every day of the year.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.
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Cancun Prices
Mexico PricesSaint John's Prices
Antigua and Barbuda Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCancun $163Saint John's $272
The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $163, while the average daily cost in Saint John's is $272. 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 Cancun and Saint John's in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCancun $94Saint John's $120
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCancun $188Saint John's $240
Compare Hotels in Cancun and Saint John's
Looking for a hotel in Cancun or Saint John's? 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: Cancun Hotel Prices and Saint John's Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cancun $17Saint John's $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
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Taxi Around Town$1.62
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$13
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$16
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Local Bus (for 2)$1.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Private Transfer Puerto Aventuras: $120
- Airport Transfer (Can-cun, Playa del Carmen & Tulum): $111
- Airport Transfer Cancun: $60
- Airport Transfer to Tulum: $160
- Airport Transfers to Puerto Juarez - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $176
- Airport Transfers to Puerto Morelos - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $152
- Akumal One Way Or Roundtrip Private Transfer: $139
- Akumal One Way or Roundtrip Private Luxury Transfer: $291
- Amazing ATV (single) Cenote and Ziplines with Transfer from Playa del Carmen: $90
- Arrival Private Transfer from Cancun Airport CUN to Tulum by Minivan or Minibus: $155
- Best SpeedBoat and Snorkeling tour with Transfer from Cancun: $29
- Cancún Airport (CUN) Cancun hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $75
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Saint John's
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Saint John's:
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Local Bus$1.52
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Taxi From Airport$6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint John's
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint John's:
- VIP Meet and Greet Fast Track on Arrival at Antigua Airport - without Transfers: $77
- Round-Trip Transfer between Antigua Airport and Antigua Hotels: $36
- Round-Trip Transfer between Antigua Airport and Antigua Hotel: $60
- RJT Airport Private Transfer Round Trip- North: $40
- Private and Group Airport Transfers in Antigua and Barbuda: $60
- Private Transfer from St. John's Port to Antigua Airport (ANU): $41
- Private Transfer Service in Antigua: $80
- Private Round Trip Transfer From Antigua Airport to St. James's Club & Villas: $83
- Private Antigua Airport Round Trip Transfer: $80
- Private Airport Transfers to Antigua and Barbuda: $60
- Never Ending Taxi Service-Islandwide Transfers Round trip Antigua: $100
- JTAT Private Transfers & Tours, Saint John's, Antigua and Barbuda: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or Saint John's?
Prices for flights to both Saint John's and Cancun 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 dayCancun $48Saint John's $117
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour in Cancun with a Local Guide: $61
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Salsa Streets Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $69
- Cancun Food Tour: Market 23, Local Flavors & Downtown Culture: $69
- Cancun Historic Downtown Food Tour with 7+ Authentic Tastings: $76
- Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Cancun Taco & Mexican Food Tour with Tequila Tasting: $79
- Cancun Hands-On Mexican Cooking Class: $79
- Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
- Columbus Romantic Dinner in Cancún: $79
- Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show at Cancun Couples Special: $80
- Cancun Walking Food Tour: Local Food, Markets, and Street Art.: $81
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint John's
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Saint John's.
- City Lime Food Tour: Taste our culture on Antigua's only food tour in the city!: $105
- Local Antigua Rum and Food Tour: $130
- Caribbean Cooking Magic with Culinary ATE Tours: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cancun $34Saint John's $103
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Seasick Pills$0.58
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$98
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cancun's Hidden Gems: A Self-Guided Tour: $8.15
- 7 Days Self Guided AI Audio Tours to Cancun and Yucatan: $12
- Cancun Beach Taco Tour Culinary Journey with Tequila Tasting: $15
- Speedboat jungle tour and snorkel: $15
- Speedboat and Snorkeling Adventure in Cancun: $16
- Full-Day Catamaran Tour to Isla Mujeres from Cancun with Lunch: $17
- Tour to Isla Mujeres with Snorkeling: $17
- Mayan Culture and Speedboat Adventure in Cancun: $18
- Chichen Itza Tour Full day food included: $18
- Isla Mujeres Catamaran Tour with Snorkeling Spinnaker and Lunch: $18
- The best tour to Isla Mujeres Catamaran, open bar& lunch included: $18
- 4X1 VIP Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen Tour: $18
Typical Entertainment Prices in Saint John's
Here are a few typical costs in Saint John's for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entrance to the Museum of Antigua & Barbu$3.00
Tours and Activities in Saint John's
Here are a few actual costs in Saint John's for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- ATV Rugged Adventure- Scenic Exhilarating "four wheeling" fun!: $130
- Adventure Antigua - Eli's Original Eco Tour: $143
- Adventure Antigua - The Xtreme Circumnavigation tour: $221
- Antigua Explorer Tour: $117
- Antigua Harbour Bus Tour Experience: $75
- Antigua Heritage and Horizon Tour: $125
- Antigua Historical Sites Island Tour: $111
- Antigua Island Tour & Stingray Encounter – Small Group Experience: $195
- Antigua Mud Buggy Adventure with Beach Stop - St. Mary's: $145
- Antigua Nice with CulinaryATE Tours: $90
- Antigua Private Beach Hopping Land Tour: $135
- Antigua Reef Riders Self-Drive Boat and Snorkeling Tour: $180
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCancun $13Saint John's $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bar Crawl Madness Tour in Cancun: $115
- Brewery Tour Craft Beer Tasting Cancun Mexico: $130
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and Saint John's, we can see that Saint John's is more expensive. And not only is Cancun much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cancun is in North America and Saint John's 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 Cancun would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cancun 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's would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint John's than you might in Cancun.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cancun Expensive? and Is Saint John's Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or Saint John's?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Saint John's. When comparing the sizes of Cancun and Saint John's, 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.