Should you visit Ponce or Saint Thomas?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Ponce and Saint Thomas can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
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.
Which city is cheaper, Saint Thomas or Ponce?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Ponce is $164, while the average daily cost in Saint Thomas is $175. 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 Ponce and Saint Thomas in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Ponce is $242. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $210 in Saint Thomas For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Ponce food costs typically run travelers around $28 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
The price of a meal in Saint Thomas can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $43 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $17 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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Food
Meals for one day
Ponce $28
Saint Thomas $43
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Ponce is $8.00 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
To get around in Saint Thomas, the average visitor spends $29 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.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
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Private Departure Transfer from Ponce Hotel to San Juan Cruise Port:
$228
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Ponce or Saint Thomas?
Prices for flights to both Saint Thomas and Ponce 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
Ponce's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $45 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
In Saint Thomas, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $48 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
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Guided Walking Tour in Ponce:
$26
Tours and Activities in Saint Thomas
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Thomas.
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Snorkel St. John Tour from Sapphire & Margaritaville:
$135
Alcohol
The average person spends about $13 on alcoholic beverages in Ponce per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
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 Thomas, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $22.
When comparing the travel costs between Ponce and Saint Thomas, we can see that Saint Thomas 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. Since both cities are in Caribbean Islands, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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