Which place is cheaper, Saint John or Lisbon?
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 Lisbon or Saint John?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Lisbon or Saint John? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Lisbon or Saint John?
Lisbon
Portugal's capital city of Lisbon continues to grow in popularity as a travel destination. The cultural scene has come to life in recent years and the city itself is stunningly beautiful. It sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and is made up of hills that create a dramatic and scenic layout. The city has many white-bleached limestone buildings, narrow alleyways, and a laidback charm that appeals to visitors.
Saint John
With the popularity of the Caribbean rising, many islands have become touristy and expensive – but not St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
At only nine miles long and five miles wide, St. John is the smallest of the Virgin Islands, and, many argue, the prettiest. It's the kind of place that has maintained it's cultural identity, but still welcomes visitors from all over the world. With a population of just 5,000, the residents of St. John know everyone and everything happening on the island.
This island is perfect for people who want an undisturbed island getaway at any price. Between resorts and campgrounds there is a spot for everyone on St. John.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Portugal, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Portugal.
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Lisbon Prices
Portugal PricesSaint John Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLisbon $196Saint John $233
The average daily cost (per person) in Lisbon is $196, while the average daily cost in Saint John is $233. 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 Lisbon and Saint John in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLisbon $74Saint John $106
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLisbon $148Saint John $212
Compare Hotels in Lisbon and Saint John
Looking for a hotel in Lisbon or Saint John? 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: Lisbon Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lisbon $29Saint John $49
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lisbon
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Lisbon:
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Taxi Ride$7.63
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lisbon
Also for Lisbon, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lisbon Airport (LIS) to Lisbon Cruise Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $84
- Airport Private Transfer to Óbidos | Caldas da Rainha: $114
- Airport Private Transfer to Ericeira | Torres Vedras | Campo Real: $51
- Airport Transfer - Lisbon: $66
- Airport Transfer | Cruise Port - Estoril | Cascais | Sintra: $82
- Airport transfer to any destination: $131
- Algarve to Lisbon Airport Transfer: $470
- Arrábida Snorkeling Adventure with Transfer from Lisbon: $96
- Arrival Transfer by Sedan from Lisbon Airport LIS to Lisbon City: $46
- Arrival Transfer: Lisbon Airport LIS to Lisbon in Business Car: $72
- Cascais Aerodrome (CAT) to Lisbon city - Arrival Private Transfer: $64
- Costa da Caparica Private Transfer to/from Lisbon: $36
Is it cheaper to fly into Lisbon or Saint John?
Prices for flights to both Saint John and Lisbon 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 dayLisbon $86Saint John $97
Typical Food Prices in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee$2.93
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pizza Cruise on a Luxury Boat with Open Bar: $29
- Lisbon Sunset DJ Party – Luxury Boat, Pizza & Open Bar: $29
- Lisbon Exclusive Sunset Cruise – Pizza, Open Bar & Dolphins: $29
- Hard Rock Cafe Lisbon with Set Lunch or Dinner : $32
- Sunset DJ Party – Sangria, Pizza & Open Bar : $35
- Traditional Walking Food Tour: $50
- Sangria DJ Party – Luxury Boat, Pizza & Open Bar: $54
- Fado Show and Portuguese Dinner: $57
- Alfama Tour and Live Fado with Traditional Dinner: $58
- Lisbon Sangria – Exclusive Luxury Cruise with Pizza & Music: $59
- Portuguese street food cooking class with Drinks: $59
- Lisbon Fado Experience: Walking Tour, Dinner and Live Music Show: $59
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lisbon $28Saint John $23
Tours and Activities in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Unravel Lisbon an Outdoor Charms Self Guided Tour: $1.18
- Lisbon Walking Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City: $1.24
- Alfama and Mouraria Tour - The oldest neighbourhoods in Lisbon: $1.24
- Lisbon Walking Tour: Historic Strolls of the Old Town: $1.76
- Lisbon Walking Tour - Discover Belém and the Discoveries Age: $1.79
- Lisbon Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $3.37
- Lisbon City Center Tour - The Unmissable Lisbon: $3.59
- Lisbon Tour in Walled City and Alfama and Old Town: $3.59
- Self Guided Tour in Lisbon with 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.59
- The Moorish Beyond the Tourist Trail Quarter Free Walking Tour: $3.59
- Lisbon Walking Tour: Historic Strolls of the Old Town: $3.61
- Lisbon (Chiado-Baixa) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.52
Tours and Activities in Saint John
Here are a few actual costs in Saint John for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- St. John: A Private Island Adventure Tour & Trunk Bay Beach: $627
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLisbon $21Saint John $44
Sample the Local Flavors in Lisbon
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lisbon:
- Lisbon Port Wine Tasting at Taylors Shop and Tasting Room: $19
- 1-Hour Portuguese Wine Tasting Session: $22
- Pub Crawl with Open Bar, Shots & VIP Club Entry: $23
- Pub Crawl with Open Bar (Premium Upgrade Available): $23
- Lisbon Pub Crawl: Unlimited Drinks, Shots & V.I.P Club Entry: $23
- Lisbon Pub Crawl: $24
- Lisbon Pub Crawl: $24
- Portuguese Wine Tasting: $25
- Guided Port Wine Tasting Apéritif/Digestif: $28
- Port Wine Tasting Apéritif/Digestif at Portuguese Wine Bar: $29
- Beer Tasting in a Classic Brewery: $29
- Lisbon Wine Tasting: $29
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lisbon and Saint John, we can see that Saint John is more expensive. And not only is Lisbon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lisbon is in Europe and Saint John 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 Lisbon would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lisbon 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 John would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint John than you might in Lisbon.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lisbon Expensive? and Is Saint John Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Lisbon or Saint John?
Lisbon has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Saint John experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Lisbon or Saint John in the Summer?
Both Saint John and Lisbon during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Lisbon for the beaches, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint John year-round.
In the summer, Lisbon is cooler than Saint John. Typically, the summer temperatures in Lisbon in July average around 23°C (73°F), and Saint John averages at about 29°C (83°F).
Lisbon usually gets less rain in July than Saint John. Lisbon gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyLisbon 23°C (73°F)Saint John 29°C (83°F)
Should I visit Lisbon or Saint John in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Lisbon and Saint John. The autumn months attract visitors to Lisbon because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area. Saint John attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In October, Lisbon is generally cooler than Saint John. Daily temperatures in Lisbon average around 19°C (66°F), and Saint John fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
Saint John receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Lisbon usually receives less rain than Saint John. Lisbon gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberLisbon 19°C (66°F)Saint John 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Lisbon or Saint John in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Lisbon as well as Saint John. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Lisbon this time of year. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint John throughout the year.
Lisbon is much colder than Saint John in the winter. The daily temperature in Lisbon averages around 12°C (53°F) in January, and Saint John fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).
Lisbon receives a lot of rain in the winter. Lisbon usually gets more rain in January than Saint John. Lisbon gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryLisbon 12°C (53°F)Saint John 26°C (78°F)
Should I visit Lisbon or Saint John in the Spring?
Both Saint John and Lisbon are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Lisbon for the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty. Plenty of visitors come to Saint John because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the spring, Lisbon is much colder than Saint John. Typically, the spring temperatures in Lisbon in April average around 16°C (60°F), and Saint John averages at about 27°C (80°F).
In April, Lisbon usually receives less rain than Saint John. Lisbon gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilLisbon 16°C (60°F)Saint John 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Saint John and Lisbon
| Lisbon | Saint John | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | 13°C (55°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Mar | 14°C (58°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 127 mm (5 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 126 mm (4.9 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
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.