Which place is cheaper, Halifax or Saint John?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Saint John or Halifax?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Saint John and Halifax. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Saint John or Halifax?
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.
Halifax
The quaint and charming coastal town of Halifax, Nova Scotia has an interesting personality. While it caters to travelers from all over the world, it maintains the pace and lifestyle of a small town.
Steeped in maritime history, Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia, and one of the world's greatest natural harbors. This busy seaport serves as the economic and cultural hub of Eastern Canada.
When planning your trip keep in mind that this city has a climate like other coastal cities. Summers are nice with the occasional humidity. Winters are mild, but still full of snow and wind. The best time of year to visit is most certainly the fall.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Canada, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Vancouver.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySaint John $192Halifax $114
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint John is $192, while the average daily cost in Halifax is $114. 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 Saint John and Halifax in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSaint John $106Halifax $65
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSaint John $212Halifax $130
Compare Hotels in Saint John and Halifax
Looking for a hotel in Saint John or Halifax? 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: Halifax Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Saint John $49Halifax $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halifax
Also for Halifax, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Peggy’s Cove Small-Group Tour with Transfers: $80
- Halifax Airport (YHZ) to Halifax Cruise Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $68
- Halifax Cruise Port: Private Transfer to Halifax hotels: $133
- Halifax Stanfield Airport (YHZ) to Halifax Port-Arrival Transfer: $34
- Halifax Stanfield Airport (YHZ): Transfer to Halifax Port: $209
- Halifax Stanfield Airport(YHZ) to Halifax Port - Arrival Transfer: $34
- Transfer to/from Stanfield International Airport: $44
- Private Transfer from Halifax Stanfield Airport to Halifax: $36
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint John or Halifax?
Prices for flights to both Halifax and Saint John 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 daySaint John $56Halifax $31
Typical Food Prices in Halifax
For Halifax, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Bluenose II Restaurant$45
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halifax
For Halifax, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Peggy's Cove Small Group Night Tour with Dinner: $160
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Saint John $23Halifax $28
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
- USVI: Island & Beach Tours in St. Thomas & St. John (2 Days): $199
Tours and Activities in Halifax
For Halifax, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Discover the Halifax Explosion Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
- Churches, Gardens, & Graveyards Smartphone Tour: $5.11
- Halifax Boardwalk and Seaport: Smartphone Audio Tour: $5.11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Exlore Halifax with 3 Unique Smartphone Audio Walking Tours: $13
- Halifax self-guided walking tour and scavenger hunt: $38
- From City and Peggy's Cove Sunset Guided Tour: $65
- City Segway Tour: $67
- Small-Group Tour with Citadel and Peggy's Cove: $94
- Small Group Walking Tour with Citadel & Museum: $102
- From Small Group Lunenberg Express Tour: $120
- Guided Harbourfront Food Walking Tour: $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySaint John $44Halifax $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint John and Halifax, we can see that Saint John is more expensive. And not only is Halifax much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Saint John is in Caribbean Islands and Halifax is in North America, 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 Halifax would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Halifax 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 Halifax.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Saint John Expensive? and Is Halifax Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Saint John or Halifax?
Halifax 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 Saint John or Halifax in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Saint John as well as Halifax. Saint John attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Saint John is much warmer than Halifax in the summer. The daily temperature in Saint John averages around 29°C (83°F) in July, and Halifax fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
Saint John usually gets less rain in July than Halifax. Saint John gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Halifax receives 99 mm (3.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySaint John 29°C (83°F)Halifax 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Saint John or Halifax in the Autumn?
Both Halifax and Saint John are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint John throughout the year.
In the autumn, Saint John is much warmer than Halifax. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Saint John in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Halifax averages at about 10°C (49°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Halifax. It's quite rainy in Saint John. In October, Saint John usually receives more rain than Halifax. Saint John gets 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while Halifax receives 121 mm (4.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSaint John 28°C (82°F)Halifax 10°C (49°F)
Should I visit Saint John or Halifax in the Winter?
Both Halifax and Saint John during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Saint John because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It's quite cold in Halifax in the winter. In January, Saint John is generally much warmer than Halifax. Daily temperatures in Saint John average around 26°C (78°F), and Halifax fluctuates around -4°C (24°F).
Halifax gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Saint John usually gets less rain in January than Halifax. Saint John gets 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Halifax receives 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySaint John 26°C (78°F)Halifax -4°C (24°F)
Should I visit Saint John or Halifax in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Saint John and Halifax. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint John year-round.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Halifax. Saint John is much warmer than Halifax in the spring. The daily temperature in Saint John averages around 27°C (80°F) in April, and Halifax fluctuates around 4°C (39°F).
Halifax receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Saint John usually receives less rain than Halifax. Saint John gets 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Halifax receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSaint John 27°C (80°F)Halifax 4°C (39°F)
Typical Weather for Halifax and Saint John
| Saint John | Halifax | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (78°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | -4°C (24°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (78°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | -5°C (24°F) | 108 mm (4.2 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (79°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | -1°C (31°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (80°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (83°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Jul | 29°C (83°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (84°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (83°F) | 127 mm (5 in) | 15°C (58°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) | 10°C (49°F) | 121 mm (4.7 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 126 mm (4.9 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (80°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | -1°C (29°F) | 152 mm (6 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.