A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Isla Mujeres vs. Saint Croix for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Isla Mujeres or Saint Croix?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Isla Mujeres and Saint Croix. 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Isla Mujeres or Saint Croix?

Isla Mujeres

About eight miles from the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Isla Mujeres is an island in the Mexican Caribbean Sea. The town, of the same name, has a population of about 13,000. Tourism has grown in the area since the 1970s and today it is a significant part of the island's economy. As such, there are plenty of amenities that cater specifically to visitors. The island's proximity to Cuba make it a common transit point for Cubans in route to the United States.

Saint Croix

Sometimes all you want out of a vacation is the warmth of the sun, the sound of the waves and the taste of a cold drink. No more. No less. That's exactly what you can expect in St. Croix.

The largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix is a place of our leisure and relaxation. It's a bit of an expensive lifestyle for its 50,000 residents and daily visitors, but when you're living on island time, money is never a worry. There are no worries on island time.

This once volcanic island is covered in incredible beaches, stunning mountains, palm tress in the wind and historic colonial towns. While they may be a bit old and rundown, the Danish architecture still stands as a unique part of this island's legacy. Don't expect much window-shopping, though. That was not a feature incorporated in this style of architecture. If you want to know if a store is open, just step on in, but remember, shop hours are also running on island time.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Mexico, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico.


Which place is cheaper, Saint Croix or Isla Mujeres?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Isla Mujeres is $148, while the average daily cost in Saint Croix is $236. 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 Isla Mujeres and Saint Croix in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Isla Mujeres $78
    Saint Croix $149
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Isla Mujeres $156
    Saint Croix $298
Compare Hotels in Isla Mujeres and Saint Croix

Looking for a hotel in Isla Mujeres or Saint Croix? 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.

Hotels in Isla Mujeres


Hotels in Saint Croix


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: Isla Mujeres Hotel Prices and Saint Croix Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Isla Mujeres $35
    Saint Croix $35

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Isla Mujeres

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Isla Mujeres:

  • Private Transfer: Playa Mujeres to Cancun Airport CUN in SUV: $123

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Croix

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint Croix:

  • Private Transfer from St.Croix Cruise Port to St.Croix hotels: $49
  • Private Transfer from St.Croix hotels to St. Croix Cruise Port : $49
  • Private Transfer from St. Croix Airport to St. Croix Cruise Port : $71
  • Private Transfer from St. Croix Cruise Port to St. Croix Airport: $71
  • St. Croix to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) - Departure Transfer: $109
  • Saint Croix Airport (STX) to Saint Croix Hotels -Arrival Transfer: $109
  • Henry E.Rohlsen Airport(STX) to St. Croix island-Arrival Transfer: $109
  • Private Transfer from St. Croix Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St. Croix : $164
  • Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St.Croix - Round-Trip Transfer: $217
  • St Croix Airport to St Croix Hotels Private Round Trip Transfer: $217

Is it cheaper to fly into Isla Mujeres or Saint Croix?

Prices for flights to both Saint Croix and Isla Mujeres 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Isla Mujeres $46
    Saint Croix $56

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Croix

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Saint Croix.

  • A Evening Cultural Experience Through Food Cooking Class St. Croix: $90
  • Taste of Twin City Food Tour with VI Food Tours: $129
  • C'sted Sip & Savor Mixology Class with VI Food Tours: $129

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Isla Mujeres $21
    Saint Croix $58

Tours and Activities in Isla Mujeres

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Isla Mujeres are as follows:

  • Excursion Crystal Boat Tour at the Caribbean: $35
  • Tour Isla Mujeres excursion in Collective Transparent Boat: $37
  • Crystal Boat Tour to Isla Mujeres and Reefs: $43
  • Snorkel Tour at Musa and Manchones Reef: $45
  • Clear Boat Tour "La Isla": $47
  • Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Adventure at the Underwater Museum: $47
  • Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Tour Adventure: $49
  • Snorkel Experience in Underwater Museum: $52
  • Cancun: Isla Mujeres 12 pm Catamaran Tour with Snorkeling: $59
  • UNDER WATER MUSEUM CANCUN SNORKEL ISLA MUJERES - Experience with Ticket: $65
  • Cancun Jungle Kingdom Adventure ATV, Zipline and Cenote : $70
  • Sunrise Snorkeling Experience in Cancun: $70

Tours and Activities in Saint Croix

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Saint Croix are as follows:

  • Grange Estate History and Heritage Private Tour and Luncheon : $60
  • Private Sailing Tour of Pirate Waters and Shipwrecks: $75
  • St Croix Island Tour: $100
  • Parasail Experience in St Croix: $132
  • 30 Minute Private Jetcar Experience in Virgin Islands: $150
  • Horseback Riding Experience: $160
  • 1 Hour Private Jetcar Experience in Virgin Islands : $250

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Isla Mujeres $25
    Saint Croix $27

Sample the Local Flavors in Isla Mujeres

Also in Isla Mujeres, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Isla Mujeres Golf Cart Bar Crawl : $175


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Isla Mujeres and Saint Croix, we can see that Saint Croix is more expensive. And not only is Isla Mujeres much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Isla Mujeres is in North America and Saint Croix 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 Isla Mujeres would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Isla Mujeres 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 Croix would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Croix than you might in Isla Mujeres.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Isla Mujeres Expensive? and Is Saint Croix Expensive?.


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