Which place is cheaper, Saint Thomas or Puerto Vallarta?
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 Puerto Vallarta or Saint Thomas?
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 Thomas can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Puerto Vallarta or Saint Thomas?
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 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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Puerto Vallarta Prices
Mexico PricesSaint Thomas Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Vallarta $128Saint Thomas $258
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Vallarta is $128, 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 Puerto Vallarta and Saint Thomas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Vallarta $57Saint Thomas $131
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Vallarta $114Saint Thomas $262
Compare Hotels in Puerto Vallarta and Saint Thomas
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Vallarta 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: Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Vallarta $17Saint Thomas $37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Private Transfer from Punta de Mita Area to PVR Airport: $180
- Sayulita hotels to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) – Private Departure Transfer : $155
- Puerto Vallarta Roundtrip Shuttle Airport Transfer: $32
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:
- Transfer from Cyril E. King Airport(STT) to Charlotte Amalie Port: $83
- VI Top Taxi and Tours - St. Thomas - Airport Transfer to Red Hook Ferry: $90
- Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI- St.Thomas Airport Transfer to Bolongo Bay / Limetree: $110
- Vi Top Taxi & Tours -Airport Transfer to Bolongo Bay/ Limetree: $110
- PARADISE TAXI & TOURS USVI-St.Thomas-Airport Transfer to Marriott Frenchman Cove: $110
- St.Thomas to St.Thomas Airport (STT) - Departure Private Transfer: $115
- Private Ground Transfers: $120
- Exclusive Airport Transfers (up to 4 persons) One-Way: $135
- St.Thomas island to Cyril E. King Airport(STT)-Departure Transfer: $135
- St. Thomas USVI Airport Transfer to the Redhook Ferry: $144
- St. Thomas USVI Airport Transfer to The Ritz Carlton Resort: $144
- Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI- St. Thomas - Airport Transfer to Red Hook Ferry: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Vallarta or Saint Thomas?
Prices for flights to both Saint Thomas 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 $58Saint Thomas $94
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Winner 2025 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Mexican Cooking Class, Tequila Tasting & Unlimited Margaritas: $89
- Sayulita Tacos and Tequila Food Tour : $99
- Puerto Vallarta- Market tour and Cooking Experience : $134
- Rhythms of the night, sunset cruise, open bar & oceanfront dinner: $159
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:
- Flavors: Cultural Cooking Class, St Thomas, USVI, USA : $81
- St. John Sail with Bar and Hors d'Oeuvres to Lovango Dinner: $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
- Pizza Pi Shuttle (Official) - Jet Ski Trip St Thomas: $148
- St. John PiZZA Pi Snorkel Sail with Beach Stop, Lunch & Open Bar - Westin: $149
- Christmas Cove and Pizza Pi Happy Hour Sail Tour: $185
- Turtles, Pizza Pi & Sunset trip: $295
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Vallarta $17Saint Thomas $60
Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- Sayulita Minivan Transportation Service Tour: $165
- ATV Tour Rio Cuale Sierra Madre Mountains and tequila tasting: $73
- ATV and RZR Jorullo Bridge Experience in Puerto Vallarta: $167
- Beachfront Massage Experience in Mismaloya: $42
- Bioluminescence & sunset local boat tour to Los Arcos Sanctuary: $67
- Boat and Snorkel Tour to 5 Islands of Los Arcos: $46
- Cachasol Raicilla and Tequila Tour: $83
- Canopy Tour Experience in Sayulita, Nuevo Nayarit.: $68
- City tour express; butterfly, tequila, and beach an ecological day: $22
- EcoHike experience through the jungle, mountains and hidden beach: $30
- Edenva Ecotourist Park in Puerto Vallarta: $69
- Food & Mixology Tour:Tequila,Tacos, Mezcal and Agave Cocktails: $98
Tours and Activities in Saint Thomas
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Thomas.
- Nature and Sightseeing Tour at Phantasea Tropical Botanical Garden: $16
- Children's Treasure Hunt Walking Tour: $25
- Coral World Ocean Park General Admission Ticket: $29
- Cruise Ship Shuttle to Ferry going to St. John: $34
- Rum Tasting Experience in the Old Barrel House: $35
- Admission Ticket to Coral World & Coki Point Beach with Snorkeling: $40
- St. Thomas Sightseeing Tour with a Guide: $40
- Guided Tour of Coral World Ocean Park & Happy Hour: $40
- St. Thomas Ghost Tour of Historic Charlotte Amalie : $41
- Prince taxi & Tours St.Thomas Virgin Islands-Island Scenic Tour: $45
- Guided Kayak Tour from Margaritaville: $48
- Guided Kayak Tour from Elysian: $48
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Vallarta $22Saint Thomas $27
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Vallarta and Saint Thomas, we can see that Saint Thomas 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 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 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 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 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 Thomas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Vallarta or Saint Thomas?
Puerto Vallarta has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Saint Thomas. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Vallarta 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.