A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Saint Louis vs. Rapid City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Saint Louis 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 Louis 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 Louis or Rapid City?

Saint Louis

Nicknamed the "Gateway to the West" and perhaps best known for its iconic Gateway Arch, St. Louis, Missouri, has grown from a last stop for pioneers journeying west to a thriving metropolis notable for its diverse culture, impressive architecture, and unique neighborhoods. It sits on the Mississippi River and has plenty to offer in dining, shopping, sight-seeing, and entertainment.

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.

Which place is cheaper, Rapid City or Saint Louis?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Saint Louis is $184, 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 Louis and Rapid City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Saint Louis $101
    Rapid City $60
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Saint Louis $202
    Rapid City $120
Compare Hotels in Saint Louis and Rapid City

Looking for a hotel in Saint Louis 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.

Hotels in Saint Louis


Hotels in Rapid City


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: Saint Louis Hotel Prices and Rapid City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Saint Louis $26
    Rapid City $53

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Louis

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint Louis:

  • St. Louis Lambert Airport (STL) to St. Louis City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $132
  • St. Louis Lambert Airport (STL) to St. Louis City - Arrival Private Transfer: $66
  • St. Louis City to St. Louis Lambert Airport (STL) - Departure Private Transfer: $66
  • Private Transfers for Departure from Queens to JFK Airport: $29
  • Private Transfer in Saint Louis, MO (STL): $80
  • Private Transfer from Port Louis Airport (MRU) to Port Louis Port: $77
  • Departure Transfer St. Louis to St. Louis Airport by Car or SUV: $116
  • Arrival transfer St. Louis Airport STL to St. Louis by Car or SUV: $116

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rapid City

Also for Rapid City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private One Way Airport Transfer and Orientation: $89

Is it cheaper to fly into Saint Louis or Rapid City?

Prices for flights to both Rapid City and Saint Louis 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Saint Louis $54
    Rapid City $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Louis

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Saint Louis.

  • The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show - St. Louis, MO: $86

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Saint Louis $46
    Rapid City $26
Typical Entertainment Prices in Saint Louis

Here are a few typical costs in Saint Louis for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Gateway Arch parking
    $6.00

Tours and Activities in Saint Louis

Here are a few actual costs in Saint Louis for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Best of St. Louis Small Group Tour w/St Louis Arch & River Cruise: $174
  • Exploring St. Louis with the Family Walking Tour: $214
  • Interstate 55: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $5.20
  • Landmarks Downtown-East Walking Tour: $15
  • Landmarks Downtown-West Walking Tour: $15
  • Lemp Haunted Neighborhood Walking Tour: $25
  • Private Gastronomy Barbecue Tour in St. Louis: $125
  • Saint Louis Brews and Views Half-Day Tour: $288
  • Romantic Tour in The City of Love: $176
  • Scavenger Hunt Adventure in St. Louis by Zombie Scavengers: $20
  • St Louis Cardinals Baseball Game Ticket at Busch Stadium: $11
  • St. Louis Arch and River Cruise Small Group Walking Tour: $144

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 Sunset and Wildlife Adventure : $239
  • Badlands Winter Wonderland Adventure: $239
  • Full-Day Private Sightseeing Tour in South Dakota: $275
  • NEW! Sunrise Tour of the Badlands: $289
  • NEW! Half Day Tour of the Black Hills: $289
  • From Private Spearfish Canyon Tour: $650
  • From Private Devils Tower Tour and Hike: $650
  • Private Black Hills Monuments Full-Day Tour: $650

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Saint Louis $19
    Rapid City $6.93

Sample the Local Flavors in Saint Louis

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Saint Louis:

  • The Haunted Lemp Brewery Bottle Works Tour: $25


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint Louis and Rapid City, we can see that Saint Louis is more expensive. And not only is Rapid City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Louis would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Louis 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 Louis Expensive? and Is Rapid City Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Saint Louis or Rapid City?

Saint Louis has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Rapid City. When comparing the sizes of Saint Louis and Rapid City, 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.