Which place is cheaper, Saint John's or Cape Town?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cape Town or Saint John's?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cape Town or Saint John's? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Cape Town or Saint John's?
Cape Town
Picture your travel bucket list. Is Cape Town on it? Yes, most people dream of visiting the "Mother City" of South Africa. As one of the most iconic places in the world, Cape Town is a world-class cosmopolitan city full of bustling nightlife, historical backdrops and a large gay community.
Cape Town is the most southern city in Africa with seasons turned upside down. In the southern hemisphere they experience the summer from December to February. During these months days can be hot and dry so be sure to gather in the shade and wear plenty of sunscreen. The winter from June to August is full of rainy days and cold nights.
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 Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCape Town $98Saint John's $222
The average daily cost (per person) in Cape Town is $98, while the average daily cost in Saint John's is $222. 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 Cape Town and Saint John's in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCape Town $39Saint John's $120
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCape Town $78Saint John's $240
Compare Hotels in Cape Town and Saint John's
Looking for a hotel in Cape Town 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: Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cape Town $17Saint John's $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer to Camps Bay Cape Town: $18
- Airport transfers: $22
- 1 Day Durbanville Valley Wine Tasting Tour with Private Transfers: $178
- 1 Day Explore Cape Town Like a Local with Private Guided Transfer: $149
- 1 Day Helderberg Valley Winelands Tour with Private Transfers: $232
- 1 Day Hemel en Aarde Whale Coast Wine Tour with Private Transfers: $205
- 1 Day Tastes of Stellenbosch Wine Tour with Private Transfers: $220
- 1 Day West Coast Wonders Tour with Private Transfers: $177
- 1 Day Wine Lover Wander Connoisseur Tour with Private Transfers: $180
- 1-3 Passenger Private Arrival & Departure Cape Town - Airport Transfers: $54
- 1.Cape Town Airport Transfer (&Private tour trips during yo Stay): $17
- AIRPORT Transfer to and from Cape Town City: $27
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 : $74
- Shared Roundtrip Taxi Transfer from Antigua Airport to Royalton Antigua Resort: $45
- Round-Trip Transfer between Antigua Airport and Antigua Hotels: $32
- Private Transfer from St. John's Port to Antigua Island Hotels: $79
- Private Transfer from St. John's Port to Antigua Airport (ANU): $50
- Private Transfer from Antigua Airport (ANU) to St. John's Port: $50
- Private Transfer from Antigua & Barbuda V.C. Bird Airport (ANU) to island: $113
- Private Roundtrip Airport Transfers & Tour in Antigua & Barbuda: $200
- Private Round Trip Transfer From Antigua Airport To NonSuch Bay: $99
- Private One-Way Antigua Airport Transfer To/From Antigua: $45
- Private Airport Transfers to Antigua and Barbuda: $60
- Private Airport Transfers 1- 2 Pax. Zone C: Hotels: $120
Is it cheaper to fly into Cape Town or Saint John's?
Prices for flights to both Saint John's and Cape Town 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 dayCape Town $42Saint John's $68
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner At Mandela's - Cultural Township Dinner Experience: $28
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $41
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $43
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $55
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $56
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $59
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $61
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $61
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $62
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $71
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $76
- Private Cooking Class and Meal in Local Wynberg Cape Town Home: $80
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
- Discover the Flavors of St. Johns Food Tour: $125
- Private Art Tour or Food Tour: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cape Town $23Saint John's $103
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $2.99
- District Six Museum Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket: $3.24
- Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $3.60
- Kirstenbosch: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.99
- Cape Town 30-minute V&A Harbour Cruise: $4.15
- Hop-On Hop-Off Cape Town Canal Cruise: $4.15
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Down): $4.35
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Up): $4.35
- Meandering through Mouille Point: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.99
- V&A Waterfront: Seal & Harbour Cruise: $5.00
- Sea Point Promenade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: Amble along the amazing False Bay Coast on an audio tour: $5.20
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:
- 6-Hours Guided Stingray Tour in the East Coast of Antigua: $161
- Adventure Antigua - Eli's Original Eco Tour: $125
- Adventure Antigua - The Xtreme Circumnavigation: $190
- Adventure Power Boat Tour Antigua and Private Laviscount Island: $170
- Animal Lovers Dream Tour: $180
- Antigua Historical Sites Island Tour: $75
- Antigua Reef Riders Self-Drive Boat and Snorkeling Tour: $180
- Antigua Round Island Tour: $85
- Antigua Seafood Lunch Cruise From St. John's: $135
- Antigua Shore Excursion: City of St John's Sightseeing Tour: $59
- Antigua Shore Excursion: Round Island Tour: $110
- Antigua Sunset Catamaran Cruise From St. John's: $116
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCape Town $21Saint John's $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Cape Town
Also in Cape Town, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Distillery Tour, rum and gin tasting: $7.13
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.60
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $24
- Drumstruck at Silvermist. Live African Drum Show & Wine tasting: $25
- Sip 15 Wines on a 3-Region Wine Tour with Cheese: $38
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $38
- Three Region Wine Tour: $44
- Cape Winelands and Wine Tasting Full Day Tour: $47
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $49
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $51
- Fullday Wine Tour: $51
- Stellenbosch Wine Tour half day from Cape Town: $54
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cape Town and Saint John's, we can see that Saint John's is more expensive. And not only is Cape Town much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cape Town is in Africa 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 Cape Town would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cape Town 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 Cape Town.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cape Town Expensive? and Is Saint John's Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cape Town or Saint John's?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 140 times larger than the population of Saint John's. When comparing the sizes of Cape Town 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.
When is the best time to visit Cape Town or Saint John's?
Cape Town has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Saint John's experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Cape Town or Saint John's in the Summer?
Both Saint John's and Cape Town during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint John's year-round.
Cape Town is cooler than Saint John's in the summer. The daily temperature in Cape Town averages around 21°C (70°F) in January, and Saint John's fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in July.
In Saint John's, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Cape Town. In the summer, Cape Town often gets more sunshine than Saint John'sin July. Cape Town gets 338 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Saint John's receives 245 hours of full sun.
Saint John's gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Cape Town usually gets less rain in January than Saint John'sin July. Cape Town gets 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Saint John's receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyCape Town 21°C (70°F)Saint John's 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Cape Town or Saint John's in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Cape Town and Saint John's. Saint John's attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the autumn, Cape Town is much colder than Saint John's. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Cape Town in April average around 18°C (64°F), and Saint John's averages at about 27°C (80°F)in October.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Saint John's this time of the year. In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. Cape Town usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Saint John's during autumn. Cape Town gets 233 hours of sunny skies, while Saint John's receives 217 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Saint John's receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In April, Cape Town usually receives less rain than Saint John'sin October. Cape Town gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Saint John's receives 228 mm (9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberCape Town 18°C (64°F)Saint John's 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Cape Town or Saint John's in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Cape Town as well as Saint John's. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint John's throughout the year.
In July, Cape Town is generally much colder than Saint John'sin January. Daily temperatures in Cape Town average around 13°C (55°F), and Saint John's fluctuates around 24°C (76°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Saint John's. In the winter, Cape Town often gets less sunshine than Saint John'sin January. Cape Town gets 193 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Saint John's receives 236 hours of full sun.
Cape Town usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Saint John'sin January. Cape Town gets 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Saint John's receives 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryCape Town 13°C (55°F)Saint John's 24°C (76°F)
Should I visit Cape Town or Saint John's in the Spring?
Both Saint John's and Cape Town are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Saint John's because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Cape Town is much colder than Saint John's in the spring. The daily temperature in Cape Town averages around 16°C (61°F) in October, and Saint John's fluctuates around 26°C (78°F)in April.
It's quite sunny in Saint John's. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. Cape Town usually receives more sunshine than Saint John's during spring. Cape Town gets 278 hours of sunny skies, while Saint John's receives 240 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Saint John's. In October, Cape Town usually receives less rain than Saint John'sin April. Cape Town gets 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Saint John's receives 123 mm (4.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilCape Town 16°C (61°F)Saint John's 26°C (78°F)
Typical Weather for Saint John's and Cape Town
| Cape Town | Saint John's | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) |
| Feb | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Mar | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 25°C (76°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Apr | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 123 mm (4.8 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) |
| Jun | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Jul | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 198 mm (7.8 in) |
| Sep | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 236 mm (9.3 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 228 mm (9 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 220 mm (8.7 in) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 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.