Which place is cheaper, Saint Thomas or Cozumel?
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 Cozumel or Saint Thomas?
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 Cozumel and Saint Thomas can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cozumel or Saint Thomas?
Cozumel
Cozumel is a Caribbean island just off the Yucatan Peninsula. It'as a popular tourist destination because of its beautiful beaches and excellent snorkeling and scuba diving. With crystal clear waters and vibrant colored coral, Cozumel is one of the most popular dive destinations in the area. The island's economy is centered around tourism, and as such, you'll find plenty of amenities for visitors. The prices are comparable to other coastal towns in the area and there is no shortage of activities or attractions nearby.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, and The Best Adventure Tours to Mexico.
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Cozumel Prices
Mexico PricesSaint Thomas Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCozumel $130Saint Thomas $258
The average daily cost (per person) in Cozumel is $130, 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 Cozumel and Saint Thomas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCozumel $67Saint Thomas $131
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCozumel $134Saint Thomas $262
Compare Hotels in Cozumel and Saint Thomas
Looking for a hotel in Cozumel 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: Cozumel Hotel Prices and Saint Thomas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cozumel $22Saint Thomas $37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cozumel
Also for Cozumel, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Cozumel Island Transfers: $300
- Cozumel Cruise Port to Cozumel Island Hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $150
- Cozumel Airport (CZM) to Cozumel Cruise Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $150
- The Ultimate Beachside Cigar Rolling Experience with transfer: $132
- XRAIL Adventure Shared Vehicle with Transfer: $125
- Private Transfer from Cozumel Airport: $110
- Cozumel Airport (CZM) to Cozumel - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $99
- Private Transfer from Cozumel Port to Cozumel Airport (CZM): $90
- Private Transfer from Cozumel Airport (СZM) to Cozumel Port: $90
- Jade Cavern ATV Tour in Cozumel with Beach Break with transfer: $86
- ATV Adventure to Jade Cavern with transfer: $83
- Cozumel Cruise Port to Cozumel island hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $75
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:
- St.Thomas Airport (STT) to St.Thomas - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $265
- ST.Thomas Private Airport One-Way Transfers: $200
- Private Airport Transfer in Luxury Vehicle- St. Thomas, USVI: $189
- Prince Taxi & Tours St.Thomas Airport transfer to Redhook Ferry: $180
- St. Thomas USVI Airport Transfer to the Redhook Ferry: $180
- Vi Top Taxi and Tours Airport Transfer to the Ritz Carlton: $180
- Private Arrival Transfer from Cyril E King Airport to Redhook Bay: $175
- Luxury Airport Transfer to or from St Thomas The Ritz Carlton: $175
- Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI-St. Thomas Airport Transfer to Wyndham Margaritaville: $174
- Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI- St. Thomas - Airport Transfer to Red Hook Ferry: $174
- PARADISE TAXI & TOURS USVI-St. Thomas- Airport Transfer to Ritz Carlton Elysian: $174
- Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI-St Thomas- Airport Transfer Sapphire / Crystal Cove: $174
Is it cheaper to fly into Cozumel or Saint Thomas?
Prices for flights to both Saint Thomas and Cozumel 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 dayCozumel $40Saint Thomas $94
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cozumel
For Cozumel, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Kuza Beach & Flavors Experience-Mexican cooking Class & Beach Day: $89
- Cozumel Food Tour: $90
- Cozumel Food Tour: $110
- Cozumel Cooking Class: $115
- Romantic Gourmet Dinner Experience at Pirate Ship in Cozumel: $120
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:
- St. James Snorkel & Pizza Pi Lunch: $90
- St. John PiZZA Pi Snorkel Sail with Beach Stop, Lunch & Open Bar - Westin: $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
- St. Thomas Dinner Sail to St. John with Open Bar - Ritz-Carlton: $129
- Flavors of St Thomas Walking Food Tour: $145
- 2-Hour Pizza Pi and Snorkel Sail: $175
- Pizza Pi Party- Snorkel & Sunset Cruise: $180
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cozumel $42Saint Thomas $60
Tours and Activities in Cozumel
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cozumel.
- 10 Experiences Taco: $180
- 2 Hours ATV Jungle, Caverns and Mayan Ruins Tour: $80
- 4 Hour Cozumel Turtle Sanctuary Experience on a Luxury Catamarán: $77
- 4 Hour Snorkeling Tour in Cozumel: $50
- 4-Hour Private Tour in Cozumel with Pickup: $95
- A Pirate's Adventure in Cozumel with Captain Draco: $100
- ATV Adventure of Jade Cave El Cedral with Tequila Tasting: $90
- ATV Adventure to Mayan Jade Cavern plus Snorkeling and Lunch: $79
- ATV Jungle Adventure to Hidden Mayan Ruins and Caves: $89
- ATV Seashore + Cenote Combo: Mezcalitos & Mayan Cenote Experience: $80
- ATV Tour El Viejo y Yo Beach Pass with Lunch, Snorkel and Kayaks: $110
- ATV Tour and Cenote Experience in Cozumel: $95
Tours and Activities in Saint Thomas
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Thomas.
- 1 Hour Jet Ski Tour in the Virgin Islands from Westin St. John: $169
- 1-Hour Guided Jet Ski Tour in St. Thomas from Frenchman's Reef: $159
- 3 Hour Kayak and Snorkel Tour: $139
- Aerial Sightseeing Adventure!: $250
- Book Your Private Two and a Half Hour Island Tour today!: $150
- Cocktail Sunset Cruise from Sapphire Beach Resort: $130
- Coral World Ocean Park General Admission Ticket: $29
- Cruise Ship Port Shuttle to St John Ferry: $34
- Cruise Ship Shuttle to Ferry going to St. John: $45
- Discover The Baths of Virgin Gorda Full Day Adventure - Ritz Carlton St. Thomas: $209
- Discover The Baths of Virgin Gorda Full Day Adventure - Westin St. John: $188
- Full-Day Sailing Tour in Virgin Islands National Park: $285
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCozumel $11Saint Thomas $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Cozumel
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cozumel:
- Chocolate Seaside Workshop & Wine Tasting: $54
- Downtown Cozumel & Brewery: $79
- Downtown Cozumel and Brewery Experience: $89
- Rum and Gin at Cozumel First Distillery: $99
- Cozumel Mixology Experience at Distillery: $109
- Cozumel 5-Hour Private Bar Crawl Tour: $110
- Cozumel Rum Tasting & Distillery Experience: $119
Sample the Local Flavors in Saint Thomas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Saint Thomas:
- Da Conch Crawl- Walking Tour and Bar Crawl Downtown St. Thomas: $148
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cozumel and Saint Thomas, we can see that Saint Thomas is more expensive. And not only is Cozumel much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cozumel 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 Cozumel would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cozumel 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 Cozumel.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cozumel Expensive? and Is Saint Thomas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cozumel or Saint Thomas?
Cozumel has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Saint Thomas. When comparing the sizes of Cozumel 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.