Which place is cheaper, Rapid City or Saint John?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Saint John or Rapid City?
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 Rapid City. 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 Rapid City?
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.
Rapid City
Rapid City is a large city in western South Dakota that is considered the gateway to the Black Hills National Forest. Rapid City is often used as a base for all types of outdoor activities, including tours to the infamous Mount Rushmore and surrounding parks. The city has a budding art scene and offers the perfect combination of a metropolitan city surrounded by stunning natural scenery. Rapid City experiences the best weather from June-September with temperatures in the 70's and 80's Fahrenheit. Temperatures drop to the low 20's F in the winter and the area receives the most rain pour in April and May.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage, and The Best 2-Week Tours from San Francisco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySaint John $192Rapid City $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint John is $192, while the average daily cost in Rapid City is $116. 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 Rapid City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSaint John $106Rapid City $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSaint John $212Rapid City $120
Compare Hotels in Saint John and Rapid City
Looking for a hotel in Saint John or Rapid City? 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: Rapid City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Saint John $49Rapid City $53
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint John or Rapid City?
Prices for flights to both Rapid City 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 $56Rapid City $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rapid City
For Rapid City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Roller Coaster Tickets with Dinner and Show in Rapid City: $70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Saint John $23Rapid City $26
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 Rapid City
For Rapid City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Mount Rushmore Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $15
- Black Hills & Badlands: Self-Guided Audio Driving Tours: $20
- Bus Tour of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills: $133
- Mount Rushmore and Black Hills Tour with Two Meals and a Music Variety Show: $164
- Badlands Winter Wonderland Adventure: $239
- Full-Day Private Sightseeing Tour in South Dakota: $275
- NEW! Half Day Tour of the Black Hills: $289
- Badlands Sunset and Wildlife Adventure : $289
- From Private Spearfish Canyon Tour: $650
- From Private Devils Tower Tour and Hike: $650
- Private Black Hills Monuments Full-Day Tour: $650
- Badlands National Park Private Tour: $650
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySaint John $44Rapid City $6.93
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint John and Rapid City, we can see that Saint John is more expensive. And not only is Rapid City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Saint John is in Caribbean Islands and Rapid City 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 Rapid City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rapid City 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 Rapid City.
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 Rapid City 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.