Which place is cheaper, Saint Croix or Puerto Vallarta?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Vallarta or Saint Croix?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
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 Puerto Vallarta and Saint Croix can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Puerto Vallarta or Saint Croix?
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta remains a popular tourist destination with Americans, particularly during spring break when students flock to the area. The area is quite beautiful and has many gorgeous beaches, interesting jungles and waterfalls nearby, and no shortage of luxury resorts and four star restaurants. Many of the locals speak English and are friendly and open to helping tourists with directions or general information. Puerto Vallarta's popularity means that its prices are some of the highest in Mexico, particularly during holidays when the area can get quite crowded.
Saint Croix
Sometimes all you want out of a vacation is the warmth of the sun, the sound of the waves and the taste of a cold drink. No more. No less. That's exactly what you can expect in St. Croix.
The largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix is a place of our leisure and relaxation. It's a bit of an expensive lifestyle for its 50,000 residents and daily visitors, but when you're living on island time, money is never a worry. There are no worries on island time.
This once volcanic island is covered in incredible beaches, stunning mountains, palm tress in the wind and historic colonial towns. While they may be a bit old and rundown, the Danish architecture still stands as a unique part of this island's legacy. Don't expect much window-shopping, though. That was not a feature incorporated in this style of architecture. If you want to know if a store is open, just step on in, but remember, shop hours are also running on island time.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Vallarta $115Saint Croix $236
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Vallarta is $115, while the average daily cost in Saint Croix is $236. 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 Puerto Vallarta and Saint Croix in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Vallarta $63Saint Croix $149
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Vallarta $126Saint Croix $298
Compare Hotels in Puerto Vallarta and Saint Croix
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Vallarta or Saint Croix? 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: Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices and Saint Croix Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Vallarta $19Saint Croix $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Puerto Vallarta Roundtrip Shuttle Airport Transfer: $32
- Private transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport - Hotel Zone: $37
- Private Airport Transfer to Marina Vallarta: $37
- Private Airport Transfer to Hotel Zone: $40
- Shared transfer from PVR airport to Downtown: $43
- Puerto Vallarta Cruise Port to Airport PVR Departure Transfer: $44
- Arrival Transfer from Airport to Cruise Port in Puerto Vallarta: $44
- Puerto Vallarta Port to Puerto Vallarta Airport(PVR)-Departure Private Transfer : $44
- Nuevo Vallarta: Private Airport Transfer to South Zone 2: $48
- Private Airport Transfer to Romantic Zone: $48
- Nuevo Vallarta:Private Airport Transfer to North Zone 3: $51
- Private Airport Transfer to Mismaloya: $51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Croix
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint Croix:
- Private Transfer from St.Croix Cruise Port to St.Croix hotels: $49
- Private Transfer from St.Croix hotels to St. Croix Cruise Port : $49
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Airport to St. Croix Cruise Port : $71
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Cruise Port to St. Croix Airport: $71
- St. Croix to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) - Departure Transfer: $109
- Saint Croix Airport (STX) to Saint Croix Hotels -Arrival Transfer: $109
- Henry E.Rohlsen Airport(STX) to St. Croix island-Arrival Transfer: $109
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St. Croix : $164
- Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St.Croix - Round-Trip Transfer: $217
- St Croix Airport to St Croix Hotels Private Round Trip Transfer: $217
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Vallarta or Saint Croix?
Prices for flights to both Saint Croix and Puerto Vallarta 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 dayPuerto Vallarta $37Saint Croix $56
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Puerto Vallarta 3-Hour Food Tour of Authentic Local Cuisine: $55
- Dinner Tacos Food Tour: $55
- Off The Beaten Path Food Tour. Dinner in Pitillal : $55
- Puerta Vallarta: Seafood Lover's Food Tour: $56
- Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Signature Taco and Street Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $65
- Vallarta by Road Food Tour: $75
- Mexican Cooking Class, Tequila Tasting & Unlimited Margaritas: $75
- Bucerias Bike and Food Tour: $90
- Mexican Cooking Class and Tequila Tasting: $96
- Sayulita Tacos and Tequila Food Tour : $99
- Cooking Class and Market Tour: $130
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Croix
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Saint Croix.
- A Evening Cultural Experience Through Food Cooking Class St. Croix: $90
- Taste of Twin City Food Tour with VI Food Tours: $129
- C'sted Sip & Savor Mixology Class with VI Food Tours: $129
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Vallarta $19Saint Croix $58
Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- City Tour Puerto Vallarta - Churches, Tequila Test and more: $18
- Mexico: Puerto Vallarta City Tour: $20
- Hop-On-Hop-Off City Bus Tour: $23
- Guided SUP Board Tour with Digital Photos: $23
- Hop On Hop Off Tour with Free Stops in Puerto Vallarta: $24
- Private Bike City Tour with Photo Session in Puerto Vallarta: $24
- Hike and Yoga Jungle Experience in Mexico: $30
- City Tour, Tequila and Coffee Factory Tour: $31
- EcoHike experience through the jungle, mountains and hidden beach: $31
- Zipline Canopy Tour: $37
- Puerto Vallarta Local-Style Walking tour: $41
- Sayulita and San Pancho Tour: $45
Tours and Activities in Saint Croix
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Saint Croix are as follows:
- Grange Estate History and Heritage Private Tour and Luncheon : $60
- Private Sailing Tour of Pirate Waters and Shipwrecks: $75
- St Croix Island Tour: $100
- Parasail Experience in St Croix: $132
- 30 Minute Private Jetcar Experience in Virgin Islands: $150
- Horseback Riding Experience: $160
- 1 Hour Private Jetcar Experience in Virgin Islands : $250
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Vallarta $24Saint Croix $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Puerto Vallarta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
- All you can drink Bar Crawl: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Vallarta and Saint Croix, we can see that Saint Croix is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Vallarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Vallarta is in North America and Saint Croix 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 Puerto Vallarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Vallarta 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 Croix would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Croix than you might in Puerto Vallarta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Vallarta Expensive? and Is Saint Croix Expensive?.
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.