Should you visit Saint Petersburg or Durham?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Saint Petersburg and Durham can help you decide which place is right for you.
Saint Petersburg
Located at the base of the Tampa Bay peninsula of Florida, Saint Petersburg is a city known for its pleasant weather, coastal activities, and downtown arts scene. Nicknamed the "Sunshine City," Saint Petersburg is also a popular location for golfing, boating, fishing and beachgoing in addition to the usual entertainment options to be found in a thriving city.
Durham
Durham is a city in central North Carolina with about 230,000 residents. Together with Raleigh and Chapel Hill, it forms the Research Triangle area. Durham is often referred to as the "City of Medicine" and is home to the famous Duke University.
Durham's history is rooted in tobacco. The Duke family established American Tobacco, which controlled 90% of all cigarette production in the US during the second half of the 19th century. The family donated money to Trinity College, which changed its name to Duke University in 1924.
Today much of Durham's economy is centered around the university and Research Triangle Park. The area has many technology and pharmaceutical jobs and the economy continues to grow.
Which city is cheaper, Durham or Saint Petersburg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint Petersburg is $163, while the average daily cost in Durham is $130. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Saint Petersburg and Durham in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $202 in Saint Petersburg For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Durham's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $146. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $73.
Food
Food in Saint Petersburg costs travelers about $39 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
On average, meal and food prices in Durham cost around $35 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $14.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Saint Petersburg $39
Durham $35
Typical Food prices in Saint Petersburg
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Saint Petersburg:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Petersburg
For Saint Petersburg, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Enjoy Russian Delicacies in St Petersburg: Cooking Demo and Meal with a Local:
$80
-
Private Dining: Russian dinner in a traditional St. Petersburg apartment:
$91
-
Cooking Class and a Dinner with a Local Family (8 people max):
$92
-
Off-the-tourist Path Food Tour:
$103
-
Local Market Tour and Cooking Demo with a Homemade Russian Meal in St Petersburg:
$107
-
Borscht and cabbage pie cooking class and dinner for small private groups:
$109
-
FOOD TOUR. St.Petersburg:
$150
-
Private Cooking Class: Learn the secrets of Borsch and Beef Stroganoff:
$166
-
Private Cooking Class: Russian Blini with Red Caviar and Shchi soup:
$179
-
Private Cooking Class: Russian Shchi soup and Blini with Red Caviar:
$187
-
Private Cooking Class: Hands-on Siberian Pelmeni Making Workshop:
$188
-
Private Cooking Class: Siberian Pelmeni, Stolichny salad and Borsch:
$212
Local Transportation
To get around in Saint Petersburg, the average visitor spends $38 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $26 per day to get around in Durham.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Petersburg
Also for Saint Petersburg, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Private Airport Transfer: from St Petersburg to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$28
-
St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport (LED) to hotel - Arrival Private Transfer:
$36
-
St. Petersburg to St.Petersburg Pulkovo Airport - Departure Private Transfer:
$36
-
Private Transfer from Peterhof Palace to St. Petersburg City Center:
$36
-
Private Transfer from St. Petersburg City Center to Peterhof Palace:
$37
-
Departure Private Transfer St Petersburg City to Pulkovo Airport LED - LuxuryVan:
$39
-
Departure Private Transfer St. Petersburg to Pulkovo Airport LED by Business Car:
$61
-
St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED by Business Car:
$63
-
St Petersburg Transfer from city hotels or Cruise port to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$68
-
Departure Private Transfer St Petersburg City to Pulkovo Airport LED - LuxuryCar:
$80
-
St Petersburg Departure Private Transfers from St Petersburg City to Airport LED:
$84
-
St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED in Luxury Van:
$89
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Durham
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Durham:
-
Private Transfer from Durham to Manchester Airport (MAN):
$407
-
Durham to Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) - Departure Private Transfer:
$139
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint Petersburg or Durham?
Prices for flights to both Durham and Saint Petersburg 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.
Entertainment
In Saint Petersburg, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $11 per person, per day.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $21 per person, per day in Durham. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Saint Petersburg
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Petersburg.
-
2-Day Small-Group Visa-Free Tour - Top Highlights of St Petersburg:
$20
-
1.5-Hours Saint Petersburg's Metro Tour Hidden Treasures:
$25
-
Mini-Group 2-Day Shore Excursion of St Petersburg Must-Sees and Boat Cruise:
$25
-
Saint Petersburg Drawbridges Tour:
$41
-
Half Day Walking Tour Well Courtyards Tour in Saint Petersburg:
$44
-
Guided Tour Peter and Paul Fortress, Cathedral and Prison:
$56
-
Private Tours:
$64
-
Half Day Bike City Tour in Saint Petersburg:
$75
-
Private Tour of "Erarta" Galleries:
$76
-
St Petersburg Communist walking tour + Museum of Russian political history:
$77
-
Evening River and Canal Cruise Visas Included:
$86
-
Revolutionary Petersburg City Tour:
$86
Tours and Activities in Durham
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Durham are as follows:
-
Trolley Pub Public Tour of Durham:
$41
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Saint Petersburg, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $33.
The average person spends about $27 on alcoholic beverages in Durham per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint Petersburg and Durham, we can see that Saint Petersburg is more expensive. And not only is Durham much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Durham would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Durham 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 Petersburg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Petersburg than you might in Durham.
Related Articles for Saint Petersburg
Related Articles for Durham
