Which place is cheaper, Saint John's or Mexico City?
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 Mexico City or Saint John's?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Mexico City 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: Mexico City or Saint John's?
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'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 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Luxury Tours to Antigua and Barbuda, and The Best Adventure Tours to Antigua and Barbuda.
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Mexico City Prices
Mexico PricesSaint John's Prices
Antigua and Barbuda Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMexico City $215Saint John's $272
The average daily cost (per person) in Mexico City is $215, while the average daily cost in Saint John's is $272. 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's in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMexico City $39Saint John's $120
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMexico City $78Saint John's $240
Compare Hotels in Mexico City and Saint John's
Looking for a hotel in Mexico City 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: Mexico City Hotel Prices and Saint John's Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mexico City $12Saint John's $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
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Metro$1.10
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Uber Ride$3.85
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: $80
- Airport Transfer to Hotel in Mexico City: $56
- Airport Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Business Car: $90
- Airport Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $102
- Airport Transfer: Mexico Airport NLU to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $204
- Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Business Car: $90
- Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Luxury SUV: $102
- Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport NLU by Luxury SUV: $204
- Arrival Private Transfer Mexico City Airport MEX to Mexico by Van: $89
- Arrival Transfer: Airport MEX to Mexico City by Business Car: $90
- Arrival Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $102
- Balloon adventure: transfer+breakfast in the cave+guided pyramids: $225
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:
- Shirley's Heights Sunset Party Transfer: $100
- Round-Trip Transfer between Antigua Airport and Antigua Hotels: $36
- Round-Trip Transfer between Antigua Airport and Antigua Hotel: $60
- Round Trip - Antigua Airport Private Transfer West Side Hotels: $30
- RJT Airport Private Transfer West Side Hotels: $35
- Private Transfer from St. John's Port to Antigua Airport (ANU): $40
- Private Transfer Service in Antigua: $80
- Private Round Trip Transfer From Antigua Airport to St. James's Club & Villas: $83
- Private One-Way Transfer From Antigua Airport To Antigua: $47
- Private Airport Transfers to Antigua and Barbuda: $60
- Private Airport Transfers 1- 2 Pax. Zone B: Hotels: $130
- Private Airport Transfers 1- 2 Pax. Zone A: Hotels: $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Mexico City or Saint John's?
Prices for flights to both Saint John's 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
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Food Meals for one dayMexico City $44Saint John's $117
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$12
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Coffee and Snacks$4.29
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Dinner for 2$25
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:
- Mexico City Coyoacan Food Tour & Optional Frida Kahlo Museum: $20
- Private Street Food Tour Mexico City - Best rated: $35
- Cable Car, Cultural Spaces, and Traditional Food Tour: $40
- Polanco Food Tour: 5 Tastings, Tacos, Mezcal & Churros: $49
- Coyoacan Market Food Tour Urban Eats & Local Legends: $51
- San Juan Market Food Tour Exotic Bites & Flavors: $51
- Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
- Mexico : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $58
- Street Food Tour in Mexico with a Local Guide: $60
- 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $61
- Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $63
- Tamales Cooking Class in Mumu’un Baj: $67
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
- Local Antigua Rum and Food Tour: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mexico City $14Saint John's $103
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Mexico City Self-Guided Tour: Historic Center & Beyond: $1.12
- MUCHO Museum of Chocolate Entrance Ticket: $4.65
- Mexico City Coyoacán, Frida Kahlo Exploration Game and Tour: $4.72
- Mexico City Coyoacan Self-Guided Walking Tour: $5.00
- Mexico City Historic Self-Guided Walking Tour: $5.00
- Mexico City Self-Guided Audio Experience: $6.00
- Mexico City Walking Tour 2h40 and 24 audio reviews: $6.72
- Mexico City Jewish History Smartphone Guided Audio Walking Tour: $7.75
- Mexico City Self-Guided Walking Tour Aztec Legacy Audio and Quiz: $8.02
- Night City Tour in a Double Decker Bus: $10
- Night Tour of Mexico City Panoramic Ride on a Double-Decker Bus: $11
- Entrance and tour of Museum Memory and Tolerance full access: $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:
- **Cruise Ship**E-Paddle Boarding Experience with Snorkel & Lunch: $195
- 360 Island Sightseeing Tour: $140
- 6h Ultimate Antigua Tour: Stingray City, Beach & Local Lunch: $205
- ATV Rugged Adventure- Scenic Exhilarating "four wheeling" fun!: $130
- Adventure Antigua - Eli's Original Eco Tour: $146
- Adventure Antigua - The Xtreme Circumnavigation tour: $248
- Adventure Power Boat Tour Antigua and Private Laviscount Island: $218
- Antigua Explorer Tour: $130
- Antigua Full Day Tour: $125
- Antigua Girls Trip Tour: $130
- Antigua Historical Sites Island Tour: $111
- Antigua Island Tour Top Attractions and Hidden Gems: $110
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMexico City $19Saint John's $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- CDMX Pub Crawl: Guided Pub Crawl with Party Games: $24
- The Mexico City Pub Crawl: A real chilango night: $33
- THE MEXICO CITY PUB CRAWL: A real chilango night: $35
- Make Your Own Tequila or Mezcal with Distillery and Cocktails: $89
- Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $100
- Visit a mead distillery in Tlaxcala: $111
- Distillery Tour and Lucha Libre Spirits and Showdown: $119
- Mexican Wine Tasting with Food Pairing: $126
- Full Day Harvest Season Wine Tour & Grape Stomping Tequisquiapan: $136
- Private Cheese and Wine Tour to Queretaro: $511
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mexico City and Saint John's, we can see that Saint John's is more expensive. And not only is Mexico City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mexico City is in North America 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 Mexico City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mexico City 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 Mexico City.
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's Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mexico City or Saint John's?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 470 times larger than the population of Saint John's. When comparing the sizes of Mexico City 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.
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.