Which place is cheaper, Saint John's or Melbourne?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Melbourne or Saint John's?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Melbourne or Saint John's? 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 John's?
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 John's
If you've been to St. John's, Antigua, you were likely on a cruise - which means you likely did not have enough time to truly experience the magic of this tiny island getaway.
St. Johns is the capital of the tiny islands of Antigua and Barbuda. Located on Antigua, this tropical city lives up to its status as a tropical paradise. With 365 beaches on the island, you can enjoy the luxury of lounging in the sand every day of the year.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Water Sports Tour Packages in Australia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMelbourne $179Saint John's $222
The average daily cost (per person) in Melbourne is $179, while the average daily cost in Saint John's is $222. 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 John's in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMelbourne $120Saint John's $120
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMelbourne $240Saint John's $240
Compare Hotels in Melbourne and Saint John's
Looking for a hotel in Melbourne or Saint John's? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Melbourne $20Saint John's $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melbourne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Melbourne:
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Airport Bus$11
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Tram Ride$2.51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melbourne
Also for Melbourne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Luxury Airport Transfers & Best Limo Service in Melbourne: $88
- Melbourne Airport Arrival Or Departure Luxury Car Transfers : $109
- Arrival Transfer Melbourne Airport MEL to Melbourne in Sedan: $115
- Arrival Transfer from Melbourne Airport MEL to Melbourne in Van: $163
- Avalon Airport Transfers: $165
- Ballarat - Melbourne Airport Transfers: $179
- Departure Transfer Melbourne to Melbourne Airport MEL in Sedan: $115
- Departure Transfer from Melbourne to Melbourne Airport MEL in Van: $163
- From Melbourne Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer to Melbourne: $79
- From Lake Mountain Ski Resort Tour with Transfers: $958
- GoBlu-EV: 100% Electric Cabs for Airport & City Transfer in MEL: $33
- MEL Airport: Minibus Private Transfer to Melbourne CBD: $208
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Saint John's
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Saint John's:
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Local Bus$1.52
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Taxi From Airport$6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint John's
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint John's:
- VIP Meet and Greet Fast Track on Arrival at Antigua Airport - without Transfers : $74
- Shared Roundtrip Taxi Transfer from Antigua Airport to Royalton Antigua Resort: $45
- Round-Trip Transfer between Antigua Airport and Antigua Hotels: $32
- Private Transfer from St. John's Port to Antigua Island Hotels: $79
- Private Transfer from St. John's Port to Antigua Airport (ANU): $50
- Private Transfer from Antigua Airport (ANU) to St. John's Port: $50
- Private Transfer from Antigua & Barbuda V.C. Bird Airport (ANU) to island: $113
- Private Roundtrip Airport Transfers & Tour in Antigua & Barbuda: $200
- Private Round Trip Transfer From Antigua Airport To NonSuch Bay: $99
- Private One-Way Antigua Airport Transfer To/From Antigua: $45
- Private Airport Transfers to Antigua and Barbuda: $60
- Private Airport Transfers 1- 2 Pax. Zone C: Hotels: $120
Is it cheaper to fly into Melbourne or Saint John's?
Prices for flights to both Saint John's 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
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Food Meals for one dayMelbourne $31Saint John's $68
Typical Food Prices in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee$2.64
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Pizza$4.62
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Queen Victoria Market: 'Flavours of Australia' Food Tour: $52
- Eynesbury Homestead Dinner and Ghost Tour: $53
- Melbourne Sunset Kayaking Experience with Dinner: $79
- Sunset Kayak Tour with Dinner: $79
- Melbourne Private Multicultural Markets Food Tour: $86
- Pizza Making Party: $89
- Chinese Dumpling Cooking Class with a Drink: $98
- Secret Food Tour: $109
- Chinese Cooking Class Master: $118
- Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise: $122
- Street Food of Asia Cooking Class: $130
- Choose Your Asian Cuisine Cooking Masterclass: $130
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint John's
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Saint John's.
- City Lime Food Tour: Taste our culture on Antigua's only food tour in the city!: $105
- Discover the Flavors of St. Johns Food Tour: $125
- Private Art Tour or Food Tour: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Melbourne $28Saint John's $103
Tours and Activities in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Melbourne:Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $3.23
- Melbourne Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $3.28
- Escape Game and Tour: $6.46
- Marvellous A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Melbourne Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- MoPA Children's Museum Admission Ticket: $9.25
- Melbourne Museum Entry Ticket: $9.91
- Melbourne Gardens Explorer Minibus Tour: $9.91
- Scienceworks Entry Ticket: $9.91
- Immigration Museum Entry Ticket: $9.91
- Questo Self-guided Haunted Melbourne Walking Tour: $11
Typical Entertainment Prices in Saint John's
Here are a few typical costs in Saint John's for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entrance to the Museum of Antigua & Barbu$3.00
Tours and Activities in Saint John's
Here are a few actual costs in Saint John's for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 6-Hours Guided Stingray Tour in the East Coast of Antigua: $161
- Adventure Antigua - Eli's Original Eco Tour: $125
- Adventure Antigua - The Xtreme Circumnavigation: $190
- Adventure Power Boat Tour Antigua and Private Laviscount Island: $170
- Animal Lovers Dream Tour: $180
- Antigua Historical Sites Island Tour: $75
- Antigua Reef Riders Self-Drive Boat and Snorkeling Tour: $180
- Antigua Round Island Tour: $85
- Antigua Seafood Lunch Cruise From St. John's: $135
- Antigua Shore Excursion: City of St John's Sightseeing Tour: $59
- Antigua Shore Excursion: Round Island Tour: $110
- Antigua Sunset Catamaran Cruise From St. John's: $116
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMelbourne $17Saint John's $18
Typical Alcohol Prices in Melbourne
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Melbourne from other travelers:
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Bottle of Wine$5.12
Sample the Local Flavors in Melbourne
Also in Melbourne, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Melbourne Pub Crawl: $17
- Weekly Bar Crawl: 5 Free shots, Club Entry: $19
- Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $26
- Melbourne Halloween Bar Crawl: $33
- Laid back,Small-Group Yarra Valley Wine Tour :Wine,Gin,Cider+more: $86
- Yarra Valley Day Trip with Local Wine Tastings from Melbourne: $102
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour inc lunch with a glass of wine, tastings and chocolate: $116
- Yarra Valley Gourmet Food & Wine Tasting Tour: $129
- Southern Gippsland boutique Wine Tour with Tapas from Melbourne : $139
- Wine Tour Yarra Valley, Vic - inc. 2 course lunch + glass of wine: $165
- Mornington Peninsula Premium Tour with Wine Tasting at Yabby Lake : $172
- Yarra Valley Premium Tour Lunch and Sparkling Wine Tasting at Domaine Chandon: $178
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Melbourne and Saint John's, we can see that Saint John's 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 John's 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 John's would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint John's 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 John's Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Melbourne or Saint John's?
Melbourne has a larger population, and is about 150 times larger than the population of Saint John's. When comparing the sizes of Melbourne and Saint John's, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Melbourne or Saint John's?
Melbourne has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Saint John's experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Melbourne or Saint John's in the Summer?
Both Saint John's and Melbourne during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Melbourne because of the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint John's year-round.
Melbourne is cooler than Saint John's in the summer. The daily temperature in Melbourne averages around 20°C (68°F) in January, and Saint John's fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in July.
In Saint John's, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Melbourne. In the summer, Melbourne often gets more sunshine than Saint John'sin July. Melbourne gets 271 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Saint John's receives 245 hours of full sun.
Saint John's gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Melbourne usually gets less rain in January than Saint John'sin July. Melbourne gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Saint John's receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyMelbourne 20°C (68°F)Saint John's 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Melbourne or Saint John's in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Melbourne and Saint John's. The city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene are the main draw to Melbourne this time of year. Saint John's attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the autumn, Melbourne is much colder than Saint John's. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Melbourne in April average around 15°C (60°F), and Saint John's averages at about 27°C (80°F)in October.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Saint John's this time of the year. Melbourne usually receives less sunshine than Saint John's during autumn. Melbourne gets 170 hours of sunny skies, while Saint John's receives 217 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Saint John's receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In April, Melbourne usually receives less rain than Saint John'sin October. Melbourne gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Saint John's receives 228 mm (9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberMelbourne 15°C (60°F)Saint John's 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Melbourne or Saint John's in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Melbourne as well as Saint John's. Many travelers come to Melbourne for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint John's throughout the year.
In July, Melbourne is generally much colder than Saint John'sin January. Daily temperatures in Melbourne average around 9°C (49°F), and Saint John's fluctuates around 24°C (76°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Saint John's. In the winter, Melbourne often gets less sunshine than Saint John'sin January. Melbourne gets 139 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Saint John's receives 236 hours of full sun.
Melbourne usually gets less rain in July than Saint John'sin January. Melbourne gets 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Saint John's receives 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryMelbourne 9°C (49°F)Saint John's 24°C (76°F)
Should I visit Melbourne or Saint John's in the Spring?
Both Saint John's and Melbourne are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Melbourne in the spring for the beaches and the activities around the city. Plenty of visitors come to Saint John's because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Melbourne is much colder than Saint John's in the spring. The daily temperature in Melbourne averages around 14°C (57°F) in October, and Saint John's fluctuates around 26°C (78°F)in April.
It's quite sunny in Saint John's. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Melbourne. Melbourne usually receives less sunshine than Saint John's during spring. Melbourne gets 216 hours of sunny skies, while Saint John's receives 240 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Saint John's. In October, Melbourne usually receives less rain than Saint John'sin April. Melbourne gets 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Saint John's receives 123 mm (4.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilMelbourne 14°C (57°F)Saint John's 26°C (78°F)
Typical Weather for Saint John's and Melbourne
| Melbourne | Saint John's | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 20°C (68°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Mar | 19°C (65°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 25°C (76°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (60°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 123 mm (4.8 in) |
| May | 13°C (55°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) |
| Jun | 10°C (50°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Jul | 9°C (49°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Aug | 10°C (51°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 198 mm (7.8 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (53°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 236 mm (9.3 in) |
| Oct | 14°C (57°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 228 mm (9 in) |
| Nov | 16°C (61°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 220 mm (8.7 in) |
| Dec | 18°C (65°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 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.