Should you visit Daytona Beach or Saint Augustine?
Should I visit Daytona Beach or Saint Augustine? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, Florida, located on the Atlantic coast, is a wildly popular tourist destination for people from all over the world due to great beaches, spring break fun, and NASCAR races. Tourists come to enjoy the warm Florida weather, the beautiful beaches, the activities, the boardwalk, the nightlife, and many other things the city has to offer. The beaches around Daytona are famous for their hard-packed sand, which makes them easy for cars to drive on. For this reason, Daytona has a history of automobile racing, and is home to dozens of races that take place throughout the year, the most famous of which is the Daytona 500. Naturally, Daytona is also home to NASCAR headquarters. But it's so much more than just a race destination, as it's also a fun and family-friendly destination that attractions a wide range of visitors.
Saint Augustine
St. Augustine is the oldest European-established settlement in the United States. Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon landed nearby and claimed the land now known as Florida in the name of Spain in 1513. They had originally named the land La Florida, which means "Land of Flowers". The city was founded by Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles in 1565. Sir Francis Drake and John Davis burnt the city to the ground in 1586 and 1665 respectively, but St. Augustine soon became strong enough to fend off such attacks. Florida was purchased by the United States from Spain in 1819; it seceded during the Civil War, during which St. Augustine was occupied by Union forces.
Which city is cheaper, Saint Augustine or Daytona Beach?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Daytona Beach is $169, while the average daily cost in Saint Augustine is $127. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Daytona Beach and Saint Augustine in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $67. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Daytona Beach the cost is $134 on average.
A hotel room in Saint Augustine is about $138 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $42 per day to get around in Daytona Beach.
The cost of a taxi ride in Saint Augustine is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $31 per person, per day, on local transportation in Saint Augustine.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Daytona Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Daytona Beach:
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Daytona Beach & surrounding areas Private 14 passenger Luxury Mini-bus transfer:
$62
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Daytona Beach International Airport One Way Transfer:
$43
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Private Transfer from Daytona to Orlando (MCO) Airport:
$377
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Private Transfer from Daytona to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport:
$228
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Private Transfer from Daytona to Port Canaveral:
$360
Is it cheaper to fly into Daytona Beach or Saint Augustine?
Prices for flights to both Saint Augustine and Daytona Beach 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
Daytona Beach food costs typically run travelers around $64 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
While meal prices in Saint Augustine can vary, the average travelers spends about $39 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Saint Augustine should cost around $16 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Saint Augustine is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Daytona Beach $64
Saint Augustine $39
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $22 per person, per day in Daytona Beach. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Entertainment and activities in Saint Augustine typically cost an average of $14 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Daytona Beach
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Daytona Beach are as follows:
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Zipline Adventure through Tuscawilla Park:
$41
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Small-Group Sailing Tour in Daytona Beach:
$49
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Historic Pub and Bar Pedal Bus Tour of Beach Street:
$54
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Hopcycles Pedal Bus 2 Hour South Tour:
$54
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Dolphin and Manatee Stand Up Paddleboard Tour in Daytona Beach:
$56
Alcohol
The average person spends about $34 on alcoholic beverages in Daytona Beach per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Saint Augustine may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $20 per day on alcoholic beverages.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Daytona Beach and Saint Augustine, we can see that Daytona Beach is more expensive. And not only is Saint Augustine much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Saint Augustine would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Saint Augustine 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 Daytona Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Daytona Beach than you might in Saint Augustine.
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