Should you visit Saint Petersburg or Houston?
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 Houston 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.
Houston
The largest city in Texas and the fourth largest in the United States, Houston is a sprawling urban center that has grown from its wealth in the oil industry. Visitors today are drawn to its cultural diversity which has additionally made Houston a foodie destination. Other attractions to Houston include its proximity to NASA's Space Center Houston on the Gulf coast, and its Downtown which features a vibrant museum and arts scene, shopping, and dining.
Which city is cheaper, Houston 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 Houston is $210. 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 Houston 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.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $226 for a double occupancy room in Houston.
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.
The average traveler spends about $28 per day in Houston for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Saint Petersburg $39
Houston $28
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
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Local Market Tour and Cooking Demo with a Homemade Russian Meal in St Petersburg:
$107
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Borscht and cabbage pie cooking class and dinner for small private groups:
$109
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FOOD TOUR. St.Petersburg:
$150
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Private Cooking Class: Learn the secrets of Borsch and Beef Stroganoff:
$166
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Private Cooking Class: Russian Blini with Red Caviar and Shchi soup:
$179
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Private Cooking Class: Russian Shchi soup and Blini with Red Caviar:
$187
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Private Cooking Class: Hands-on Siberian Pelmeni Making Workshop:
$188
-
Private Cooking Class: Siberian Pelmeni, Stolichny salad and Borsch:
$212
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Houston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Houston.
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Astroville Food Tour of Downtown Houston with Tunnel Access:
$65
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Culinary Food Tour of Downtown Houston with Tunnel Access:
$67
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Downtown Houston Food Tour:
$74
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The Heights Food Tour:
$74
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.
The average price of local transportation around Houston is $58 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Petersburg
Also for Saint Petersburg, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Departure Private Transfer St Petersburg City to Pulkovo Airport LED - LuxuryCar:
$80
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Departure Private Transfer St Petersburg City to Pulkovo Airport LED - LuxuryVan:
$39
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Departure Private Transfer St. Petersburg to Pulkovo Airport LED by Business Car:
$61
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Private Airport Transfer: from St Petersburg to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$28
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Private Transfer from Peterhof Palace to St. Petersburg City Center:
$36
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Private Transfer from St. Petersburg City Center to Peterhof Palace:
$37
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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED by Business Car:
$63
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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED in Luxury Car:
$103
-
St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED in Luxury Van:
$89
-
St Petersburg Departure Private Transfers from St Petersburg City to Airport LED:
$84
-
St Petersburg Transfer from city hotels or Cruise port to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$68
-
St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport (LED) to hotel - Arrival Private Transfer:
$36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Houston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Houston:
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Private Transfer: Houston International Airport (HOU) to Houston:
$622
-
Private Transfer: Houston to Houston International Airport (HOU):
$622
-
Low Cost Private Transfer From George Bush Intercontinental Houston Airport to Houston City - One Way:
$471
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Sprinter Van IAH Transfer to Galveston:
$462
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Galveston Private Transfer - Houston Airport to Galveston Port/Hotel:
$408
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Sprinter Van Airport Transfer in Houston:
$320
-
SUV Airport Transfer to Galveston:
$299
-
Sedan Airport Transfer IAH to Galveston:
$256
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Departure Private Transfer Houston City to Houston Airport HOU by Minibus:
$200
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Arrival Private Transfer Houston Airport HOU to Houston City by Sprinter Minibus:
$200
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Houston George Bush Airport (IAH) to Houston - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$187
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Arrival Private Transfer Houston George Bush Airport IAH to Houston by Minibus:
$175
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint Petersburg or Houston?
Prices for flights to both Houston 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.
Houston's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $11 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in Saint Petersburg
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Petersburg.
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2-Day Small-Group Visa-Free Tour - Top Highlights of St Petersburg:
$20
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1.5-Hours Saint Petersburg's Metro Tour Hidden Treasures:
$25
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Mini-Group 2-Day Shore Excursion of St Petersburg Must-Sees and Boat Cruise:
$25
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Saint Petersburg Drawbridges Tour:
$41
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Half Day Walking Tour Well Courtyards Tour in Saint Petersburg:
$44
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Guided Tour Peter and Paul Fortress, Cathedral and Prison:
$56
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Private Tours:
$64
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Half Day Bike City Tour in Saint Petersburg:
$75
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Private Tour of "Erarta" Galleries:
$76
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St Petersburg Communist walking tour + Museum of Russian political history:
$77
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Evening River and Canal Cruise Visas Included:
$86
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Revolutionary Petersburg City Tour:
$86
Tours and Activities in Houston
Here are a few actual costs in Houston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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1-Day Houston City Tour ( Houston departure ) (HU1):
$60
-
1-Day Mexico Gulf+NASA Tour (Houston departure) (X1):
$60
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2-Day Austin+San Antonio Tour (Huston departure)(HS2):
$198
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2-Days New Orleans Tour (Houston departure)(HN2):
$238
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3D Printer Factory Tour plus 2 ft Tall Rocket!:
$31
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7-Day Texas Tour ( Houston departure ) ( APH7 ):
$788
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Astroville Light Rail Train Tour of Houston with Tunnel Access:
$40
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Astroville Rockets Basketball Game Day Tour with Tunnel Access:
$36
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Astroville Underground Tunnel Tour of Downtown Houston:
$26
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Astroville Weekend Downtown Houston Tour With Tunnel Access:
$35
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Audi R8 Supercar Experience at Grandsport Speedway:
$435
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Best City Tour 2 hours:
$51
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.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Houston may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $11 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Houston
Also in Houston, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Skip the Line: Distillery Tour Ticket:
$21
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Haunted Houston Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$27
-
Brewery Pass with Beer Tastings:
$29
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Brewery Tour:
$53
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Astroville Downtown Bar Crawl & Tunnel Access (2 Cocktails Beverages Included):
$58
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Bar Crawl with Tunnel Access and 2 Cocktails:
$67
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2-Hour Downtown Brewery Tour by Electric Cart:
$70
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SUV St. Arnold Brewery Tour:
$487
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint Petersburg and Houston, we can see that Houston is more expensive. And not only is Saint Petersburg much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Saint Petersburg would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Saint Petersburg 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 Houston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Houston than you might in Saint Petersburg.
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