Should you visit Fort Lauderdale or Saint Petersburg?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Fort Lauderdale and Saint Petersburg. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is located on the Atlantic coast of Florida, not far from Miami, and is famous for its beaches and boating culture. An elaborate system of canals runs through the city, adding to the charm and coastal lifestyle. Plenty of restaurants, shops, watersports, and other things to do can be found here in addition to the beautiful beaches. The city is family-friendly and also caters to older travelers as well as younger generations. While it's not an inexpensive place to visit, the prices are on par with other cities in southeastern Florida. The beach is lined with high-rise condos and hotels that tend to be expensive, while a few blocks back from the shore you'll find plenty of nice houses along with shops, restaurants, and fun activities for all ages. And since Fort Lauderdale is part of the Miami metro area, you can easily get to all of the other beach areas, cities, and activities in the nearby metropolitan areas as well.
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
Fort Lauderdale 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.
Food in Saint Petersburg costs travelers about $39 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Fort Lauderdale $39
Saint Petersburg $39
Typical Food prices in Fort Lauderdale
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Fort Lauderdale:
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
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Saint Petersburg:
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
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Private Cooking Class: Hands-on Siberian Pelmeni Making Workshop:
$188
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Private Cooking Class: Siberian Pelmeni, Stolichny salad and Borsch:
$212
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.
To get around in Saint Petersburg, the average visitor spends $38 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fort Lauderdale
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Fort Lauderdale:
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Private Transfer from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport:
$851
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Private Transfer from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando (MCO) Airport:
$754
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Transfer from Fort Lauderdale Airport to Orlando:
$750
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Private Transfer from Fort Lauderdale to Port Canaveral:
$710
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Private Ft Lauderdale to Orlando Transfer up to 11-One Price-Mercedes Sprinter:
$699
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Party Bus Limo Sprinter Transfer Service things to do Miami Beach #dreamridellc:
$450
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Fort Lauderdale Transfer Luxury Suv:
$281
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Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL) to Boynton Beach - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$274
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Private transfer from or to MIA , FLL airports and Miami & Lauderdale FL:
$250
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Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL) to Delray Beach - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$246
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Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL) to Doral - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$229
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Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL) to Boca Raton - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$197
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Petersburg
Also for Saint Petersburg, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Departure Private Transfer St Petersburg City to Pulkovo Airport LED - LuxuryCar:
$80
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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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Private Airport Transfer: from St Petersburg to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$28
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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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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED by Business Car:
$63
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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED in Luxury Car:
$103
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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED in Luxury Van:
$89
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St Petersburg Departure Private Transfers from St Petersburg City to Airport LED:
$84
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St Petersburg Transfer from city hotels or Cruise port to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$68
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St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport (LED) to hotel - Arrival Private Transfer:
$36
Is it cheaper to fly into Fort Lauderdale or Saint Petersburg?
Prices for flights to both Saint Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale 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.
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.
In Saint Petersburg, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $11 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Fort Lauderdale
Here are a few actual costs in Fort Lauderdale for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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1 Hour Central Park Guided Electric Bike Tour:
$49
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1-Hour Bike Tour of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park:
$47
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1-Hour Interactive Pirate Adventure Cruise in Fort Lauderdale (Family-Friendly):
$23
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2 Hour Fort Lauderdale Guided Electric Bike Tour:
$60
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2 Hour Venice Of America Jet Ski Adventure & Exploration Tour of Fort Lauderdale:
$225
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3 Hour All Inclusive 007 Millionaires Row Jet Ski Adventure Fort Lauderdale:
$307
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5-Day Miami+Key West+Palm Beach+Fort Lauderdale Tour (Miami Departure)(MIA5-A):
$579
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90-Minute Narrated Sightseeing Cruises:
$23
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90-Minute Snorkel & Seabob Underwater Guided Reef Tour in Fort Lauderdale:
$139
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Airport to Cruise Shuttle Private Group Transportation:
$580
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Beach Cruiser Bike Rentals in Fort Lauderdale:
$11
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Champagne Sunset Cruise Ft. Lauderdale:
$58
Tours and Activities in Saint Petersburg
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Petersburg.
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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
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Evening River and Canal Cruise Visas Included:
$86
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Revolutionary Petersburg City Tour:
$86
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Fort Lauderdale may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $27 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Saint Petersburg, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $33.
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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