Which place is cheaper, La Serena or Saint John's?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Saint John's or La Serena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Saint John's or La Serena? 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: Saint John's or La Serena?
Saint John's
If you've been to St. John's, Antigua, you were likely on a cruise - which means you likely did not have enough time to truly experience the magic of this tiny island getaway.
St. Johns is the capital of the tiny islands of Antigua and Barbuda. Located on Antigua, this tropical city lives up to its status as a tropical paradise. With 365 beaches on the island, you can enjoy the luxury of lounging in the sand every day of the year.
La Serena
La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!
Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySaint John's $222La Serena $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint John's is $222, while the average daily cost in La Serena is $87. 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's and La Serena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSaint John's $120La Serena $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSaint John's $240La Serena $84
Compare Hotels in Saint John's and La Serena
Looking for a hotel in Saint John's or La Serena? 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: La Serena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Saint John's $17La Serena $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Saint John's
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Saint John's:
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Local Bus$1.52
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Taxi From Airport$6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint John's
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint John's:
- VIP Meet and Greet Fast Track on Arrival at Antigua Airport - without Transfers : $74
- Shared Roundtrip Taxi Transfer from Antigua Airport to Royalton Antigua Resort: $45
- Round-Trip Transfer between Antigua Airport and Antigua Hotels: $32
- Private Transfer from St. John's Port to Antigua Island Hotels: $78
- Private Transfer from Antigua & Barbuda V.C. Bird Airport (ANU) to island: $112
- Private Roundtrip Airport Transfers & Tour in Antigua & Barbuda: $200
- Private Round Trip Transfer From Antigua Airport To NonSuch Bay: $99
- Private One-Way Antigua Airport Transfer To/From Antigua: $45
- Private Airport Transfers to Antigua and Barbuda: $60
- Private Airport Transfers 1- 2 Pax. Zone C: Hotels: $120
- Private Airport Transfers 1- 2 Pax Zone D: Hotels: $130
- JTAT Private Transfers & Tours, Saint John's, Antigua and Barbuda: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint John's or La Serena?
Prices for flights to both La Serena and Saint John's 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's $68La Serena $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint John's
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Saint John's.
- City Lime Food Tour: Taste our culture on Antigua's only food tour in the city!: $105
- Discover the Flavors of St. Johns Food Tour: $125
- Private Art Tour or Food Tour: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Saint John's $103La Serena $24
Typical Entertainment Prices in Saint John's
Here are a few typical costs in Saint John's for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entrance to the Museum of Antigua & Barbu$3.00
Tours and Activities in Saint John's
Here are a few actual costs in Saint John's for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2-Hours Stingray City Experience in Antigua: $73
- 6-Hours Guided Stingray Tour in the East Coast of Antigua: $161
- Adventure Antigua - Eli's Original Eco Tour: $125
- Adventure Antigua - The Xtreme Circumnavigation: $190
- Animal Lovers Dream Tour: $180
- Antigua Historical Sites Island Tour: $75
- Antigua Reef Riders Self-Drive Boat and Snorkeling Tour: $180
- Antigua Round Island Tour: $85
- Antigua Seafood Lunch Cruise From St. John's: $135
- Antigua Shore Excursion: City of St John's Sightseeing Tour: $59
- Antigua Shore Excursion: Round Island Tour: $110
- Antigua Sunset Catamaran Cruise From St. John's: $116
Tours and Activities in La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
- Full day Tour to Elqui Valley : $80
- Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $85
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
- La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
- Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
- Tour to Valle del Encanto Archeology, Petroglyphs, Flora, Fauna and Springs: $140
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $140
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
- Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySaint John's $18La Serena $22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint John's and La Serena, we can see that Saint John's is more expensive. And not only is La Serena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Saint John's is in Caribbean Islands and La Serena is in South 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 La Serena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Serena 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's would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint John's than you might in La Serena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Saint John's Expensive? and Is La Serena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Saint John's or La Serena?
La Serena has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Saint John's. When comparing the sizes of Saint John's and La Serena, 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.
When is the best time to visit Saint John's or La Serena?
La Serena has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Saint John's experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Saint John's or La Serena in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Saint John's as well as La Serena. Saint John's attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In July, Saint John's is generally much warmer than La Serenain January. Daily temperatures in Saint John's average around 27°C (81°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in La Serena. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Saint John's this time of the year. In the summer, Saint John's often gets around the same amount of sunshine as La Serenain January. Saint John's gets 245 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 247 hours of full sun.
Saint John's receives a lot of rain in the summer. Saint John's usually gets more rain in July than La Serenain January. Saint John's gets 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuarySaint John's 27°C (81°F)La Serena 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Saint John's or La Serena in the Autumn?
Both La Serena and Saint John's are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint John's throughout the year.
Saint John's is much warmer than La Serena in the autumn. The daily temperature in Saint John's averages around 27°C (80°F) in October, and La Serena fluctuates around 15°C (59°F)in April.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Saint John's. Saint John's usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during autumn. Saint John's gets 217 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 159 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It's quite rainy in Saint John's. In October, Saint John's usually receives more rain than La Serenain April. Saint John's gets 228 mm (9 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSaint John's 27°C (80°F)La Serena 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Saint John's or La Serena in the Winter?
Both La Serena and Saint John's during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Saint John's because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the winter, Saint John's is much warmer than La Serena. Typically, the winter temperatures in Saint John's in January average around 24°C (76°F), and La Serena averages at about 12°C (54°F)in July.
It's quite sunny in Saint John's. In the winter, Saint John's often gets more sunshine than La Serenain July. Saint John's gets 236 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 160 hours of full sun.
Saint John's usually gets more rain in January than La Serenain July. Saint John's gets 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulySaint John's 24°C (76°F)La Serena 12°C (54°F)
Should I visit Saint John's or La Serena in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Saint John's and La Serena. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint John's year-round.
In April, Saint John's is generally much warmer than La Serenain October. Daily temperatures in Saint John's average around 26°C (78°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).
In Saint John's, it's very sunny this time of the year. Saint John's usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during spring. Saint John's gets 240 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 190 hours of full sun in the spring.
Saint John's gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Saint John's usually receives more rain than La Serenain October. Saint John's gets 123 mm (4.8 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSaint John's 26°C (78°F)La Serena 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for La Serena and Saint John's
| Saint John's | La Serena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (76°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (76°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 25°C (76°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (78°F) | 123 mm (4.8 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| May | 27°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 198 mm (7.8 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 236 mm (9.3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (80°F) | 228 mm (9 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 220 mm (8.7 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 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.