Should you visit Fort Lauderdale or Saint Petersburg?
Should I visit Fort Lauderdale or Saint Petersburg? 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.
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is located in the state of Florida along the Atlantic coast. It has a population of more than 170,000 people and is famous for its beaches and boating culture. There is also an elaborate system of canals in the city. Fort Lauderdale proper is considered to be part of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan area that has a population of more than 5.5 million people.
Saint Petersburg
Located at the base of the Tampa Bay peninsula of Florida, Saint Petersburg is a city known for its pleasant weather, coastal activities, and downtown arts scene. Nicknamed the "Sunshine City," Saint Petersburg is also a popular location for golfing, boating, fishing and beachgoing in addition to the usual entertainment options to be found in a thriving city.
Which city is cheaper, Saint Petersburg or Fort Lauderdale?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Fort Lauderdale is $146, while the average daily cost in Saint Petersburg is $163. 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 Fort Lauderdale and Saint Petersburg in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $154 for a double occupancy room in Fort Lauderdale.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $202 in Saint Petersburg For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The average traveler spends about $39 per day in Fort Lauderdale for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
Saint Petersburg food costs typically run travelers around $39 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Fort Lauderdale
$39
Saint Petersburg
$39
Typical Food prices in Fort Lauderdale
Some typical examples of dining costs in Fort Lauderdale are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Fort Lauderdale
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Fort Lauderdale.
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Mai-Kai Dinner and Polynesian Show:
$47
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All You Can Eat BBQ Dinner and Show at Tropical Isle with Sightseeing Cruise:
$60
Typical Food prices in Saint Petersburg
For Saint Petersburg, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Petersburg
For Saint Petersburg, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Enjoy Russian Delicacies in St Petersburg: Cooking Demo and Meal with a Local:
$80
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Private Dining: Russian dinner in a traditional St. Petersburg apartment:
$91
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Cooking Class and a Dinner with a Local Family (8 people max):
$92
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Off-the-tourist Path Food Tour:
$103
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Local Market Tour and Cooking Demo with a Homemade Russian Meal in St Petersburg:
$107
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Borscht and cabbage pie cooking class and dinner for small private groups:
$109
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FOOD TOUR. St.Petersburg:
$150
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Private Cooking Class: Learn the secrets of Borsch and Beef Stroganoff:
$166
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Private Cooking Class: Russian Blini with Red Caviar and Shchi soup:
$179
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Private Cooking Class: Russian Shchi soup and Blini with Red Caviar:
$187
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Fort Lauderdale is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $41 per person, per day, on local transportation in Fort Lauderdale.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Saint Petersburg than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $38 on transportation in Saint Petersburg on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fort Lauderdale
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Fort Lauderdale:
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Transfer From Fort Lauderdale to Airport/Port:
$25
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Private Airport Transfer: Fort Lauderdale Int. Airport (FLL) to Fort Lauderdale:
$28
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Private Airport Transfer: Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale Int. Airport (FLL):
$28
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Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami Cruise Port Transfer:
$34
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Private Arrival Transfer: FLL Fort Lauderdale Airport to Fort Lauderdale City:
$41
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Private Departure Transfer from Fort Lauderdale City to Fort Lauderdale Airport:
$41
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Private Arrival Transfer: Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami City or Miami Beach:
$55
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Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Fort Lauderdale Airport to City:
$57
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Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Fort Lauderdale City to Airport:
$57
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Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL) to Port Everglades - Arrival Private Transfer:
$62
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Petersburg
Also for Saint Petersburg, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Airport Transfer: from St Petersburg to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$28
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St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport (LED) to hotel - Arrival Private Transfer:
$36
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St. Petersburg to St.Petersburg Pulkovo Airport - Departure Private Transfer:
$36
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Private Transfer from Peterhof Palace to St. Petersburg City Center:
$36
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Private Transfer from St. Petersburg City Center to Peterhof Palace:
$37
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Departure Private Transfer St Petersburg City to Pulkovo Airport LED - LuxuryVan:
$39
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Departure Private Transfer St. Petersburg to Pulkovo Airport LED by Business Car:
$61
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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED by Business Car:
$63
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St Petersburg Transfer from city hotels or Cruise port to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$68
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Departure Private Transfer St Petersburg City to Pulkovo Airport LED - LuxuryCar:
$80
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Fort Lauderdale typically cost an average of $12 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Sightseeing expenses in Saint Petersburg, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $11 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Fort Lauderdale
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Fort Lauderdale are as follows:
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Jungle Queen Afternoon Sightseeing Cruise:
$29
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Everglades Eco Adventure: 2-Hour Sawgrass Recreation Park:
$25
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Florida Keys: Full-Day Kayak and Snorkel Reef Adventure:
$239
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Beach Cruiser Bike Rentals in Fort Lauderdale:
$11
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Fort Lauderdale Historical Walking Tour:
$12
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1-Hour Interactive Pirate Adventure Cruise in Fort Lauderdale (Family-Friendly):
$23
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90-Minute Narrated Sightseeing Cruises:
$23
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Fort Lauderdale Daily Sightseeing Cruise - On the Venice of America:
$27
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Everglades Airboat Tour & Gator Boys Alligator Rescue Show from Fort Lauderdale:
$37
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Island Time Boat Cruise:
$45
Tours and Activities in Saint Petersburg
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Saint Petersburg are as follows:
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2-Day Small-Group Visa-Free Tour - Top Highlights of St Petersburg:
$20
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1.5-Hours Saint Petersburg's Metro Tour Hidden Treasures:
$25
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Mini-Group 2-Day Shore Excursion of St Petersburg Must-Sees and Boat Cruise:
$25
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Saint Petersburg Drawbridges Tour:
$41
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Half Day Walking Tour Well Courtyards Tour in Saint Petersburg:
$44
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Guided Tour Peter and Paul Fortress, Cathedral and Prison:
$56
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Private Tours:
$64
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Half Day Bike City Tour in Saint Petersburg:
$75
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Private Tour of "Erarta" Galleries:
$76
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St Petersburg Communist walking tour + Museum of Russian political history:
$77
Alcohol
The average person spends about $27 on alcoholic beverages in Fort Lauderdale per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
The average person spends about $33 on alcoholic beverages in Saint Petersburg per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Fort Lauderdale
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Fort Lauderdale are as follows:
When comparing the travel costs between Fort Lauderdale and Saint Petersburg, we can see that Saint Petersburg is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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