A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Mexico City vs. Saint John for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Mexico City or Saint John?

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

Should I visit Mexico City 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: Mexico City or Saint John?

Mexico City

Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.

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 2-Week Tours in Mexico, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico.


Which place is cheaper, Saint John or Mexico City?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Mexico City is $214, while the average daily cost in Saint John is $192. 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 Mexico City and Saint John in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mexico City $41
    Saint John $106
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mexico City $82
    Saint John $212
Compare Hotels in Mexico City and Saint John

Looking for a hotel in Mexico City 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.

Hotels in Mexico City


Hotels in Saint John


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: Mexico City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mexico City $13
    Saint John $49
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:


  • Metro
    $1.20
  • Uber Ride
    $4.21

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City

Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Aguascalientes Airport (AGU) Aguascalientes - RoundTrip Transfer: $48
  • Aguascalientes to Aguascalientes Airport (AGU) Departure Transfer: $24
  • Airport Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Business Car: $86
  • Airport Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Luxury SUV/Van: $91
  • Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Business Car: $86
  • Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Luxury SUV: $91
  • Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Luxury SUV/Van: $91
  • Arrival Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Business Car: $86
  • Arrival Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $91
  • Departure Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Business Car: $86
  • Departure Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Luxury SUV: $91
  • International Airport Felipe Angeles(NLU) - Private Transfer To/from Mexico City: $104

Is it cheaper to fly into Mexico City or Saint John?

Prices for flights to both Saint John and Mexico City 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
    Mexico City $27
    Saint John $56
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City

For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch for Two
    $13
  • Coffee and Snacks
    $4.69
  • Dinner for 2
    $27

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City

For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Traveling Spoon Mexican Tacos and Tortillas Private Online Cooking Class: $40
  • Virtual Mexican Cooking Class (private and personalized): $50
  • Veracruz and Boca del Rio Food Tour with Mangroves Boat Trip: $50
  • Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $50
  • Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
  • Uruapan Food Tour: $60
  • 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $66
  • Muchos moles: Multi-variety mole cooking class and feast: $70
  • Mexico City Vegan & Veggie Market Explorer plus Cooking Lesson: $72
  • Street Food Tour with Friends: $75
  • La Roma Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
  • Food Tour with Ride an Electric Bike in Mexico: $80

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mexico City $15
    Saint John $23

Tours and Activities in Mexico City

For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • MUCHO Museum of Chocolate Entrance Ticket: $4.66
  • Double Decker Bus Night Tour: $5.83
  • Franz Mayer Museum Admission Ticket: $5.83
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour-Moctezuma and the Zocalo:The Aztec Empire : $6.99
  • Night Bus Tour Knowing Mexico City: $7.18
  • La Roma's Famous Sights and Local Lore: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
  • Private Tour to the Capuchin Convent Chapel made by Luis Barragan : $8.00
  • Memory and Tolerance Museum Entry Ticket: $8.16
  • Mexico City (Coyoacan) City Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.75
  • Mexico City (Historic Centre) City Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.75
  • Mexico City (Historic Centre) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $8.95
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11

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
  • USVI: Island & Beach Tours in St. Thomas & St. John (2 Days): $199

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mexico City $21
    Saint John $44

Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:

  • Mexico City Pub Crawl: $27
  • CDMX Pub Crawl: Mexico City Bar Crawl: $29
  • Mexico City Bar Crawl: $39
  • Best Bar Crawl at Downtown: $49
  • Nightly Historic Center From Above© Rooftop Bar Crawl +Taco Snack: $129
  • 2 Hours Private Mexican Wine Tasting in Polanco: $155
  • Third Largest Monolith in the World:Bernal with wine tasting: $235
  • Cavas Freixenet Wine Tour from Mexico City: $255


When comparing the travel costs between Mexico City and Saint John, we can see that Mexico City 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. Even though Mexico City is in North America and Saint John is in Caribbean Islands, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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