Which place is cheaper, Saint John or Riga?
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 Riga or Saint John?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Riga or Saint John? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Riga or Saint John?
Riga
Riga is the vibrant capital city of Latvia. It continues to gain popularity as a tourist destination in part because it is the base for the airline Air Baltic. This affordable airline offers discount flights around Europe and most of these flights pass through Riga with a forced overnight layover. This encourages travelers to visit this fascinating city for at least a night or two.
Saint John
With the popularity of the Caribbean rising, many islands have become touristy and expensive – but not St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
At only nine miles long and five miles wide, St. John is the smallest of the Virgin Islands, and, many argue, the prettiest. It's the kind of place that has maintained it's cultural identity, but still welcomes visitors from all over the world. With a population of just 5,000, the residents of St. John know everyone and everything happening on the island.
This island is perfect for people who want an undisturbed island getaway at any price. Between resorts and campgrounds there is a spot for everyone on St. John.
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Riga Prices
Latvia PricesSaint John Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRiga $143Saint John $233
The average daily cost (per person) in Riga is $143, while the average daily cost in Saint John is $233. 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 Riga and Saint John in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRiga $61Saint John $106
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRiga $122Saint John $212
Compare Hotels in Riga and Saint John
Looking for a hotel in Riga or Saint John? 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: Riga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Riga $11Saint John $49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:
- Arrival Private Transfer from Riga Airport RIX to Riga City by Minivan: $51
- Departure Transfer from Riga to Riga Airport RIX by Car or Van: $68
- From Cesis and Sigulda Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $164
- From Private Transfer to Tallinn: $563
- From Private Transfer to Tallinn with Sightseeing: $503
- From Private Transfer to Vilnius with Sightseeing: $468
- Private Transfer From Riga Airport To Riga City Center: $90
- Private Transfer Riga International Airport RIX to Jurmala City: $51
- Private Transfer from Riga Airport (RIX) to Riga Cruise Port: $60
- Private Transfer from Riga Airport to Riga City: $78
- Private Transfer to anywhere in Riga Center: $60
- Private transfer Riga - Hill of Crosses - Riga: $138
Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Saint John?
Prices for flights to both Saint John and Riga 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 dayRiga $67Saint John $97
Typical Food Prices in Riga
Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:
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Fast Food Lunch$6.76
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Riga.
- Central Market Traditional Food Tour in a Small Group: $41
- Central Market Latvian Food Tour: $53
- Khinkali and Pelmeni Cooking Master Class: $70
- Exclusive Igloo for Lunches, Dinners and Events: $72
- Latvian Art Museum, Dinner, and Black Balsam Tasting: $210
- Pizza Making Master Class in Riga: $251
- Traditional Latvian Dinner with Private Folk Show: $252
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Riga $16Saint John $23
Tours and Activities in Riga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:
- An audio tour of Old from St Peter's Church to the Monument of Freedom: $6.99
- Entrance Ticket - House of the Black Heads: $8.21
- Canal Boat Tour with Welcome Drink & Audio Guide: $8.21
- Panorama Riga Observation Deck Ticket: $9.38
- Old Town Electrobus Tour + Audio Guide & Drink: $9.38
- Riga Exploration Game and City Tour on your Phone: $9.57
- Riga Canal and Daugava Boat Tour with Welcome Drink & Audio Guide: $9.58
- Evening or Sunset Boat Tour with Welcome Drink: $10
- Rowing boats and Pedal boat rental - River Cruises Latvia: $11
- Riga English Self-guided Audio Tour on your Phone: $11
- Evening or Sunset Boat Tour with Drink and Audio Guide: $11
- Riga Golden Autumn Canal & River Cruise | River Cruises LV: $11
Tours and Activities in Saint John
Here are a few actual costs in Saint John for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- St. John: A Private Island Adventure Tour & Trunk Bay Beach: $627
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRiga $23Saint John $44
Sample the Local Flavors in Riga
Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Old town pub & bar crawl, hidden gems, and local party: $21
- Pub Crawl with Local Guide: $29
- Brewery Tour and Beer Tasting in Riga: $35
- Riga Pub Crawl: $41
- Latvian Brewery Visit & 5 Beer tasting: $47
- Riga Evening Adventure: Pub Crawl & Games Night: $50
- Game Night & Pub Crawl: $52
- Riga Happy Hour Pub Crawl: $59
- Riga Brewery Tour: $59
- Prosecco Bike & Pub Crawl: $65
- Riga Brewery Tour: $77
- Riga's Old Town Beer Bike Tour & Guided Pub Crawl: $94
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Riga and Saint John, we can see that Saint John is more expensive. And not only is Riga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Riga is in Europe and Saint John 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 Riga would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Riga 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 John would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint John than you might in Riga.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Riga Expensive? and Is Saint John Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Riga or Saint John?
Riga has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Saint John experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Riga or Saint John in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Riga and Saint John. Most visitors come to Riga for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Saint John attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In July, Riga is generally much colder than Saint John. Daily temperatures in Riga average around 17°C (63°F), and Saint John fluctuates around 29°C (83°F).
In July, Riga usually receives more rain than Saint John. Riga gets 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyRiga 17°C (63°F)Saint John 29°C (83°F)
Should I visit Riga or Saint John in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Riga as well as Saint John. The autumn months attract visitors to Riga because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint John throughout the year.
Riga is much colder than Saint John in the autumn. The daily temperature in Riga averages around 7°C (45°F) in October, and Saint John fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
It's quite rainy in Saint John. Riga usually gets less rain in October than Saint John. Riga gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberRiga 7°C (45°F)Saint John 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Riga or Saint John in the Winter?
Both Saint John and Riga are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Riga this time of year. Plenty of visitors come to Saint John because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It's quite cold in Riga in the winter. In the winter, Riga is much colder than Saint John. Typically, the winter temperatures in Riga in January average around -5°C (23°F), and Saint John averages at about 26°C (78°F).
In January, Riga usually receives less rain than Saint John. Riga gets 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryRiga -5°C (23°F)Saint John 26°C (78°F)
Should I visit Riga or Saint John in the Spring?
Both Saint John and Riga during the spring are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Riga for the activities around the city and the natural beauty. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint John year-round.
In April, Riga is generally much colder than Saint John. Daily temperatures in Riga average around 5°C (42°F), and Saint John fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
Riga usually gets less rain in April than Saint John. Riga gets 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilRiga 5°C (42°F)Saint John 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Saint John and Riga
| Riga | Saint John | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -5°C (23°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | -4°C (24°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Mar | -0°C (31°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Apr | 5°C (42°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| May | 12°C (53°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jun | 15°C (60°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 17°C (63°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Aug | 16°C (62°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 127 mm (5 in) |
| Oct | 7°C (45°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Nov | 2°C (36°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 126 mm (4.9 in) |
| Dec | -2°C (28°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
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.