Which place is cheaper, Saint Thomas or Moshi?
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 Moshi or Saint Thomas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Moshi or Saint Thomas, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Moshi or Saint Thomas?
Moshi
Moshi is a town in northern Tanzania, near the Kenyan border. It’s known as a gateway to Kilimanjaro National Park, home to Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. Trails run up the mountain's cloud-ringed, snow-capped dome, through alpine forests and meadows home to elephants and leopards. The noticeably clean capital of the densely populated Kilimanjaro region sits at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro and makes a good introduction to the splendors of the north. It's a low-key place with an appealing blend of African and Asian influences and a self-sufficient, prosperous feel, due in large part to its being the center of one of Tanzania's major coffee-growing regions. Virtually all visitors are here to climb Mt Kilimanjaro or to recover after having done so. Yet there’s much more to do, including cultural tours and hikes on the mountain’s lower slopes.
Saint Thomas
Saint Thomas is a beautiful island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Together with St. John, St. Croix, and Water Island, it forms the unincorporated territory of the United States. The island is also home to the territorial capital and port of Charlotte Amalie. The island's population is just over 50,000, which is slightly less than half of the territory's total population.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Tanzania, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Tanzania.
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Moshi Prices
Tanzania PricesSaint Thomas Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMoshi $83Saint Thomas $258
The average daily cost (per person) in Moshi is $83, while the average daily cost in Saint Thomas is $258. 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 Moshi and Saint Thomas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMoshi $36Saint Thomas $131
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMoshi $72Saint Thomas $262
Compare Hotels in Moshi and Saint Thomas
Looking for a hotel in Moshi or Saint Thomas? 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: Moshi Hotel Prices and Saint Thomas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Moshi $17Saint Thomas $37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Moshi
Also for Moshi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Moshi to Arusha or Arusha to Moshi Transfer (Intercity transfer): $93
- Airport Transfer between Moshi and Kilimanjaro International Airport: $82
- Tanzania Private Airport Transfer: $67
- Kilimanjaro Airport Transfer: $60
- Kilimanjaro Airport Private Transfer: $60
- Private Transfer from Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) Moshi or Arusha: $55
- Private Kilimanjaro Airport Transfer to or from Tanzania: $55
- Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) Transfer/Taxi Services: $53
- Kilimanjaro Airport Private Transfer from/to Moshi: $49
- Private Transfer from Kilimanjaro Airport to Moshi: $47
- Private Airport transfers from any hotel in Zanzibar (Departures): $30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Saint Thomas
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Saint Thomas are as follows:
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Scooter Rental$65
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Taxi Ride$5.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Thomas
Also for Saint Thomas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Vi Top Taxi -St.Thomas Airport Transfer to Marriott Frenchman Cove: $110
- Vi Top Taxi & Tours -Airport Transfer to Bolongo Bay/ Limetree: $110
- Transfer from Cyril E. King Airport(STT) to Charlotte Amalie Port: $81
- St.Thomas to St.Thomas Airport (STT) - Departure Private Transfer: $108
- St.Thomas to St.Thomas Airport (STT) - Departure Private Transfer: $108
- St.Thomas Airport (STT) to St.Thomas - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $216
- St. Thomas Airport (STT) to St.Thomas - Arrival Private Transfer: $108
- St Thomas Airport Private Transfers to Bouy haus: $135
- Secret Harbour Beach Transfer from CruiseShip-Snorkeling Optional: $52
- ST.Thomas Private Airport One-Way Transfers: $200
- Private transfer to Charlotte Amalie Ferry Terminal: $55
- Private Arrival Transfer from Cyril E King Airport to Redhook Bay: $175
Is it cheaper to fly into Moshi or Saint Thomas?
Prices for flights to both Saint Thomas and Moshi 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 dayMoshi $34Saint Thomas $94
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Moshi
For Moshi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Kili View Tanzanian Cooking Class: $26
- Dee's Private Cooking Class in Tanzania: $50
- Traditional Tanzanian Cooking Class in Moshi with a Local Family: $79
- Private Market Tour and Tanzanian Cooking Class in Moshi: $109
- Spice Picking with Zanzibar Cooking Class: $193
- 3 Days Chaga Culture: Cooking, NGO Projects, Banana Beer, Hiking: $204
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Thomas
For Saint Thomas, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- St. James Snorkel & Pizza Pi Lunch: $90
- St. John PiZZA Pi Snorkel Sail with Beach Stop, Lunch & Open Bar - Westin: $119
- Sunset & Harbor Lights Dinner Sail from the Marriott's Frenchman's Cove: $119
- Afternoon Snorkel, Pizza & Sunset Tour departing from St. Thomas & St. John: $120
- Local Experience, St. John U.S. Virgin Islands Food Tour: $125
- St. Thomas Dinner Sail to St. John with Open Bar - Ritz-Carlton: $129
- Flavors of St Thomas Walking Food Tour: $145
- Pizza Pi Party- Snorkel & Sunset Cruise: $180
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Moshi $18Saint Thomas $60
Tours and Activities in Moshi
For Moshi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- #1 Best Tanzania Safari Tarangire Day tour Adventure: $200
- 1 Full Day to Materuni Waterfalls, Coffee Tour & Chemka Hotspring: $95
- 1 Full-Day Safari Adventure in Tarangire National Park: $250
- 1-Day Moshi Villages bike tour: $50
- 1_Day Bike Tour to Chemka Hotspring: $80
- 5-Hour Private Guided Tour in Lake Chala with Lunch: $110
- Authentic Moshi experience coffee, markets & local life(7hr tour): $100
- Best 1# day Kilimanjaro trek Machame with Kilinge Adventure: $100
- Best Kilimanjaro hiking day trip tour From Arusha/Moshi: $100
- Chemka Hot Springs Tour from Moshi: $60
- City tour and local food: $30
- Day Tour at Maasai Village In Tanzania: $156
Tours and Activities in Saint Thomas
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Thomas.
- #1 St. Thomas Ghost Tour – Virgin Island's Original Haunted Tour: $41
- 1 Hour Jet Ski Tour in the Virgin Islands from Westin St. John: $169
- 1-Hour Guided Jet Ski Tour in St. Thomas from Frenchman's Reef: $159
- 1.5 Hour Private Mini Jeep Tour on St. Thomas: $220
- 3 Hour Kayak and Snorkel Tour: $139
- Aerial Sightseeing Adventure!: $250
- Book Your Private Two and a Half Hour Island Tour today!: $150
- Children's Treasure Hunt Walking Tour: $25
- Cocktail Sunset Cruise from Sapphire Beach Resort: $130
- Coral World Ocean Park General Admission Ticket: $29
- Cruise Ship Port Shuttle to St John Ferry: $34
- Cruise Ship Shuttle to Ferry going to St. John: $45
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMoshi $3.35Saint Thomas $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Saint Thomas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Saint Thomas:
- Da Conch Crawl- Walking Tour and Bar Crawl Downtown St. Thomas: $148
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Moshi and Saint Thomas, we can see that Saint Thomas is more expensive. And not only is Moshi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Moshi is in Africa and Saint Thomas 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 Moshi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Moshi 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 Thomas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Thomas than you might in Moshi.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Moshi Expensive? and Is Saint Thomas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Moshi or Saint Thomas?
Moshi has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Saint Thomas. When comparing the sizes of Moshi and Saint Thomas, 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.