Which place is cheaper, Saint Croix or Melbourne?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Melbourne or Saint Croix?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Melbourne or Saint Croix? 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: Melbourne or Saint Croix?
Melbourne
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, after Sydney. It is also the capital city of the state of Victoria, in southeastern Australia. Melbourne is arguably the best city to experience culture and the arts in Australia. There is a friendly rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney over livability and popularity and Melbourne is definitely the city to visit for its parks, shopping, restaurants, galleries and theaters. Like Sydney, it is situated on the water, at the head of Port Phillip Bay. It's a beautiful city, and although it lacks the major sights that you'll find in Sydney such as the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge, you will never find yourself lacking for entertainment. It is also a wonderful base for exploring many of the nearby highlights, including Grampians National Park, The Great Ocean Road, and Phillip Island where you can view the penguin parade.
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 Scuba Diving Tours in Australia, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Australia.
-
Melbourne Prices
Australia PricesSaint Croix Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMelbourne $195Saint Croix $277
The average daily cost (per person) in Melbourne is $195, while the average daily cost in Saint Croix is $277. 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 Melbourne and Saint Croix in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMelbourne $119Saint Croix $149
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMelbourne $238Saint Croix $298
Compare Hotels in Melbourne and Saint Croix
Looking for a hotel in Melbourne 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.
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: Melbourne Hotel Prices and Saint Croix Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Melbourne $20Saint Croix $35
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melbourne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Melbourne:
-
Airport Bus$10
-
Tram Ride$2.49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melbourne
Also for Melbourne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Melbourne Airport: Express Bus Transfer to/from City Center: $16
- Express Bus Transfer to or from Melbourne City Center: $19
- Melbourne CBD to Melbourne Airport Private Transfer 4 or more: $32
- Melbourne Airport(Tullamarine): Shared Transfer to Melbourne: $32
- MEL Airport to CBD Private transfers 4 or more: $33
- Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport: Shared Transfer to Melbourne: $33
- MEL Airport to City Centre Private Transfer: $40
- Melbourne Airport Private Transfer to City: $44
- Transfer Melbourne Airport MEL to City Centre/St Kilda/Hawthorne: $45
- Airport to City Private Transfer (One-way): $66
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service Melbourne HTL-APT (MEL): $69
- Private Car Transfer Melbourne Airport To CBD: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Croix
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint Croix:
- St.Croix Airport (STX) to St.Croix - Arrival Private Transfer: $91
- St. Croix to St. Croix Airport (STX) - Departure Private Transfer: $91
- St. Croix to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) - Departure Transfer: $84
- Private Transfer from St.Croix hotels to St. Croix Cruise Port : $175
- Private Transfer from St.Croix Cruise Port to St.Croix hotels: $175
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Port to St. Croix Airport (STX): $87
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St. Croix : $180
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Airport to St. Croix Cruise Port : $87
- Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St.Croix - Round-Trip Transfer: $167
Is it cheaper to fly into Melbourne or Saint Croix?
Prices for flights to both Saint Croix and Melbourne 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 dayMelbourne $53Saint Croix $97
Typical Food Prices in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Coffee$2.62
-
Pizza$4.58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Melbourne Flavors: Queen Victoria Market Food Tour: $40
- Multicultural Markets Food Tour – Melbourne’s Global Tastes: $51
- Queen Victoria Market: 'Flavours of Australia' Food Tour: $52
- Queen Victoria Market Early Access Food Tour: $53
- Eynesbury Homestead Dinner and Ghost Tour: $54
- Inner North Street Food Tour: $72
- Sunset Kayak Tour with Dinner: $79
- Melbourne Sunset Kayaking Experience with Dinner: $81
- Melbourne Private Multicultural Markets Food Tour: $86
- Best of Little Italy Dinner Tour: $92
- Carlton a Little Italy Dinner Tour: $93
- Chinese Dumpling Cooking Class with a Drink: $99
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
- A Morning Cultural Experience Through Food Cooking Class St. Croix: $90
- C'sted Sip & Savor Mixology Class with VI Food Tours: $131
- Taste of Twin City Food Tour with VI Food Tours: $145
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Melbourne $27Saint Croix $58
Tours and Activities in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Melbourne Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $4.81
- Melbourne (St Kilda) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $6.41
- Melbourne City Centre Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $6.45
- Melbourne Vampire Quest: Self-Guided Gothic Adventure: $7.20
- Melbourne Self Guided Audio Experience: $9.00
- Immigration Museum Entry Ticket: $9.92
- Melbourne Gardens Explorer Minibus Tour: $9.92
- Scienceworks Entry Ticket: $9.92
- Questo Self-guided Haunted Melbourne Walking Tour: $11
- Melbourne Museum Entry Ticket: $12
- Upside Down House Photo Experience in Australia: $13
- Melbourne Museum Entry Ticket: $13
Tours and Activities in Saint Croix
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Saint Croix are as follows:
- Christiansted's Artisan Shopping Tour: $33
- Frederiksted Moke Tour: $75
- Guided Kayak Tour of Salt River Bay Ecology and History: $115
- Horseback Riding Experience: $160
- Parasail Experience in St Croix: $132
- Private Sailing Tour of Pirate Waters and Shipwrecks: $175
- St Croix Island Tour: $118
- St. Croix Ghost Tour of Historic Christiansted: $45
- The Frederiksted St. Croix Sea Turtles Snorkeling Tour: $89
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayMelbourne $17Saint Croix $27
Typical Alcohol Prices in Melbourne
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Melbourne from other travelers:
-
Bottle of Wine$5.07
Sample the Local Flavors in Melbourne
Also in Melbourne, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Melbourne Christmas Bar Crawl: $15
- Melbourne Pub Crawl (Batmania Tours): $19
- Weekly Bar Crawl: 5 Free shots, Club Entry: $20
- Melbourne Halloween Bar Crawl: $24
- Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $26
- MELBOURNE Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Tour: $26
- Melbourne Music Venue Pub Crawl with History + 2 Free Drinks: $26
- Laid back, Yarra Valley Wine Tour: Wine, Cider, Gin, Beer + Choc: $87
- New Chocolate and wine tasting tour in the Yarra Valley: $89
- Cruise Ship Friendly Yarra Valley Wine Tour with Port Pickup: $114
- Yarra Valley: Bus Wine Tour with Lunch and a Glass of Wine: $116
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour & Lunch & Gin/Beer Option: $129
Sample the Local Flavors in Saint Croix
Also in Saint Croix, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Farm to Bottle Tour at Prosperity Farm Distillery: $35
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Melbourne and Saint Croix, we can see that Saint Croix is more expensive. And not only is Melbourne much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Melbourne is in Pacific 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 Melbourne would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Melbourne 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 Melbourne.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Melbourne Expensive? and Is Saint Croix Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Melbourne or Saint Croix?
Melbourne has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Saint Croix experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Melbourne or Saint Croix in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Melbourne as well as Saint Croix. The summer months attract visitors to Melbourne because of the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint Croix throughout the year.
Melbourne is cooler than Saint Croix in the summer. The daily temperature in Melbourne averages around 20°C (68°F) in January, and Saint Croix fluctuates around 29°C (83°F)in July.
Melbourne usually gets less rain in January than Saint Croixin July. Melbourne gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Saint Croix receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyMelbourne 20°C (68°F)Saint Croix 29°C (83°F)
Should I visit Melbourne or Saint Croix in the Autumn?
Both Saint Croix and Melbourne are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene are the main draw to Melbourne this time of year. Plenty of visitors come to Saint Croix because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the autumn, Melbourne is much colder than Saint Croix. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Melbourne in April average around 15°C (60°F), and Saint Croix averages at about 28°C (82°F)in October.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Saint Croix. In April, Melbourne usually receives less rain than Saint Croixin October. Melbourne gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Saint Croix receives 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberMelbourne 15°C (60°F)Saint Croix 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Melbourne or Saint Croix in the Winter?
Both Saint Croix and Melbourne during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Melbourne for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint Croix year-round.
In July, Melbourne is generally much colder than Saint Croixin January. Daily temperatures in Melbourne average around 9°C (49°F), and Saint Croix fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).
Melbourne usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Saint Croixin January. Melbourne gets 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Saint Croix receives 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryMelbourne 9°C (49°F)Saint Croix 26°C (78°F)
Should I visit Melbourne or Saint Croix in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Melbourne and Saint Croix. Many visitors come to Melbourne in the spring for the beaches and the activities around the city. Saint Croix attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Melbourne is much colder than Saint Croix in the spring. The daily temperature in Melbourne averages around 14°C (57°F) in October, and Saint Croix fluctuates around 27°C (80°F)in April.
In October, Melbourne usually receives less rain than Saint Croixin April. Melbourne gets 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Saint Croix receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilMelbourne 14°C (57°F)Saint Croix 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Saint Croix and Melbourne
| Melbourne | Saint Croix | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 20°C (68°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Mar | 19°C (65°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (60°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| May | 13°C (55°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jun | 10°C (50°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 9°C (49°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Aug | 10°C (51°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (53°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 127 mm (5 in) |
| Oct | 14°C (57°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Nov | 16°C (61°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 126 mm (4.9 in) |
| Dec | 18°C (65°F) | 47 mm (1.9 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.