Should you visit Miami or Saint Petersburg?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Miami and Saint Petersburg can help you decide which place is right for you.
Miami
Miami is a popular tourist destination and a modern city in South Florida. It has beautiful white beaches, crystal blue waters, cosmopolitan neighborhoods, impressive shopping, and excellent dining opportunities. It is also a gateway to the Florida Keys, which is another popular destination in South Florida.
Miami is the second most populated city in Florida and the metropolitan area is the most populated in the state with more than 5.4 million people. It's also the 7th largest metro area in the country. The city sits between the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Everglades to the west. It covers 110 miles north to south but is a narrow 20 miles east to west.
Miami sits at a low latitude, giving it a subtropical savannah climate. There are two seasons; the warm and dry season between November and April and the hot and wet season between May and October. The coldest months are between December and March when highs are in the upper 70 or low 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The summer months have highs in the upper 80s or 90s and lows in the mid 70s with high humidity.
Saint Petersburg
Located at the base of the Tampa Bay peninsula of Florida, Saint Petersburg is a city known for its pleasant weather, coastal activities, and downtown arts scene. Nicknamed the "Sunshine City," Saint Petersburg is also a popular location for golfing, boating, fishing and beachgoing in addition to the usual entertainment options to be found in a thriving city.
Which city is cheaper, Saint Petersburg or Miami?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Miami is $0.00, while the average daily cost in Saint Petersburg is $163. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Miami and Saint Petersburg in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $202 in Saint Petersburg For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Food in Saint Petersburg costs travelers about $39 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Miami
-
Saint Petersburg $39
Typical Food prices in Miami
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Miami:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Miami
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Miami.
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Little Havana 2-Hour Food Tour:
$59
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South Beach Miami Culinary Walking Tour Lunch or Dinner:
$59
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Little Havana Street Food Tours:
$61
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Taste of Little Havana Food Tour by Bicycle:
$69
-
Haitian Cooking Experience:
$85
-
Private Little Havana Cuban Food Tour:
$99
-
4th of July Fireworks Cruise & Hard Rock Dinner:
$159
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4th of July Fireworks from Catamaran & Hard Rock Café Dinner:
$159
-
Private VIP Historical Citywide Food Tour:
$159
Typical Food prices in Saint Petersburg
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Saint Petersburg:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Petersburg
For Saint Petersburg, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Enjoy Russian Delicacies in St Petersburg: Cooking Demo and Meal with a Local:
$80
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Private Dining: Russian dinner in a traditional St. Petersburg apartment:
$91
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Cooking Class and a Dinner with a Local Family (8 people max):
$92
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Off-the-tourist Path Food Tour:
$103
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Local Market Tour and Cooking Demo with a Homemade Russian Meal in St Petersburg:
$107
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Borscht and cabbage pie cooking class and dinner for small private groups:
$109
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FOOD TOUR. St.Petersburg:
$150
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Private Cooking Class: Learn the secrets of Borsch and Beef Stroganoff:
$166
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Private Cooking Class: Russian Blini with Red Caviar and Shchi soup:
$179
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Private Cooking Class: Russian Shchi soup and Blini with Red Caviar:
$187
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Private Cooking Class: Hands-on Siberian Pelmeni Making Workshop:
$188
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Private Cooking Class: Siberian Pelmeni, Stolichny salad and Borsch:
$212
Local Transportation
To get around in Saint Petersburg, the average visitor spends $38 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Miami
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Miami are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Miami
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Miami:
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Roundtrip transfer from Miami International Airport to Key West:
$1,500
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Private Airport Transfer from Miami to Orlando:
$979
-
Private Transfer from Miami Cruise Port to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport:
$913
-
Private Transfer from Miami Airport to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport:
$913
-
Private Transfer from Miami City to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport:
$913
-
Private Transfer from Miami City to Orlando (MCO) Airport:
$871
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Private Transfer from Miami Airport to Orlando (MCO) Airport:
$871
-
Private Transfer from Miami Cruise Port to Orlando (MCO) Airport:
$871
-
Private Miami to Orlando Transfer for up to 11 - One Price - Mercedes Sprinter:
$799
-
Private Transfer from Miami City to Port Canaveral:
$790
-
Private Transfer from Miami Airport to Port Canaveral:
$790
-
Private Transfer from Miami Cruise Port to Port Canaveral:
$790
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Petersburg
Also for Saint Petersburg, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Departure Private Transfer St Petersburg City to Pulkovo Airport LED - LuxuryCar:
$80
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Departure Private Transfer St Petersburg City to Pulkovo Airport LED - LuxuryVan:
$39
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Departure Private Transfer St. Petersburg to Pulkovo Airport LED by Business Car:
$61
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Private Airport Transfer: from St Petersburg to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$28
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Private Transfer from Peterhof Palace to St. Petersburg City Center:
$36
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Private Transfer from St. Petersburg City Center to Peterhof Palace:
$37
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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED by Business Car:
$63
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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED in Luxury Car:
$103
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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED in Luxury Van:
$89
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St Petersburg Departure Private Transfers from St Petersburg City to Airport LED:
$84
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St Petersburg Transfer from city hotels or Cruise port to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$68
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St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport (LED) to hotel - Arrival Private Transfer:
$36
Is it cheaper to fly into Miami or Saint Petersburg?
Prices for flights to both Saint Petersburg and Miami 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.
Entertainment
In Saint Petersburg, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $11 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Miami
Here are a few actual costs in Miami for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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"Cigar Factory Tour":
$35
-
1 Hour Private Helicopter Tour of Miami and South Florida:
$518
-
1-Day Key West Tour ( Miami Departure ) ( MIA1-B ):
$138
-
1-Day Miami+Everglades Naitonal Park Tour ( Miami Departure )( MIA1-A ):
$80
-
1/2 Hour Jet Ski Island Adventure:
$5.00
-
10-Day Surf Adventure from Brisbane to Sydney Including Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay and Gold Coast:
$2,371
-
2 Hour Cycle Boat Tour:
$50
-
2-hour boat tour with Aquarius Boat Rental:
$195
-
3 Hour Private Sunset Sailboat Tour for up to 6 Complimentary beverages, snacks:
$550
-
3-hour tour with Aquarius Boat Rental:
$248
-
3.5-Hour Ultimate Learn to Surf Adventure:
$35
-
30 Minute Private Luxury Helicopter Sightseeing Tour of Miami:
$299
Tours and Activities in Saint Petersburg
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Petersburg.
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2-Day Small-Group Visa-Free Tour - Top Highlights of St Petersburg:
$20
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1.5-Hours Saint Petersburg's Metro Tour Hidden Treasures:
$25
-
Mini-Group 2-Day Shore Excursion of St Petersburg Must-Sees and Boat Cruise:
$25
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Saint Petersburg Drawbridges Tour:
$41
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Half Day Walking Tour Well Courtyards Tour in Saint Petersburg:
$44
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Guided Tour Peter and Paul Fortress, Cathedral and Prison:
$56
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Private Tours:
$64
-
Half Day Bike City Tour in Saint Petersburg:
$75
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Private Tour of "Erarta" Galleries:
$76
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St Petersburg Communist walking tour + Museum of Russian political history:
$77
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Evening River and Canal Cruise Visas Included:
$86
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Revolutionary Petersburg City Tour:
$86
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Saint Petersburg, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $33.
Typical Alcohol prices in Miami
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Miami are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Miami
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Miami:
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Pub Crawl South Beach 3-Hour Tour:
$30
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Miami Beach Rockstar Bar Crawl:
$69
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Making Your Own Gin Distillery Tour and Tasting Experience:
$190
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Miami and Saint Petersburg, we can see that Saint Petersburg is more expensive. And not only is Miami much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Miami would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Miami 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 Petersburg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Petersburg than you might in Miami.
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