Should you visit Saint Petersburg or Porvoo?
Should I visit Saint Petersburg or Porvoo? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a beautiful city that sits on the eastern edge of the Baltic Sea. Its historical city center is threaded with canals and architecturally impressive buildings, leaving little doubt as to why this city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the second largest city in Russia, but perhaps a favorite among travelers. The metropolitan area has a population of over 5 million as well as an impressive culture with fascinating museums, restaurants, and architecture. The city has no shortage of sights and attractions, and many days can be passed while you wander its intricate streets.
Porvoo
Porvoo is a city and a municipality situated on the southern coast of Finland approximately 50 kilometers east of Helsinki. Porvoo is one of the six medieval towns in Finland, first mentioned as a city in texts from 14th century. Even though Porvoo is not exactly a coastal town, it is connected to the Gulf of Finland via the Porvoo River. The river flows through the city, passing Porvoo's most well-known landmarks: the red shore houses. Historically, Porvoo has been an important center of trade. Founded nearly 800 years ago, Porvoo is the second oldest city in Finland and evidence of its long history can still be seen and felt as you walk its charming streets. For centuries, the city has served as both a home and a source of inspiration for many Finnish artists.
Which city is cheaper, Porvoo or Saint Petersburg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint Petersburg is $65, while the average daily cost in Porvoo is $124. 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 Porvoo in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $74 in Saint Petersburg For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Porvoo, $130 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Porvoo, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $65, such as in a hostel.
Food
Food in Saint Petersburg costs travelers about $19 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 Porvoo cost around $28 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 $11.
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Food
Meals for one day
Saint Petersburg $19
Porvoo $28
Typical Food prices in Saint Petersburg
For Saint Petersburg, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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:
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Enjoy Russian Delicacies in St Petersburg: Cooking Demo and Meal with a Local:
$80
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Private Dining: Russian dinner in a traditional St. Petersburg apartment:
$91
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Cooking Class and a Dinner with a Local Family (8 people max):
$92
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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
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Private Cooking Class: Siberian Pelmeni, Stolichny salad and Borsch:
$212
Typical Food prices in Porvoo
For Porvoo, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Saint Petersburg than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $7.43 on transportation in Saint Petersburg on average per day.
To get around in Porvoo, the average visitor spends $53 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.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Saint Petersburg
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Saint Petersburg:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Petersburg
Also for Saint Petersburg, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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St. Petersburg to St.Petersburg Pulkovo Airport - Departure Private Transfer:
$36
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St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport (LED) to hotel - Arrival Private Transfer:
$36
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St Petersburg Transfer from city hotels or Cruise port to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$68
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St Petersburg Departure Private Transfers from St Petersburg City to Airport LED:
$84
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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED in Luxury Van:
$89
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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED in Luxury Car:
$103
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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED by Business Car:
$63
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Private Transfer from St. Petersburg City Center to Peterhof Palace:
$37
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Private Transfer from Peterhof Palace to St. Petersburg City Center:
$36
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Private Airport Transfer: from St Petersburg to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$28
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Departure Private Transfer St. Petersburg to Pulkovo Airport LED by Business Car:
$61
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Departure Private Transfer St Petersburg City to Pulkovo Airport LED - LuxuryVan:
$39
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint Petersburg or Porvoo?
Prices for flights to both Porvoo 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
Sightseeing expenses in Saint Petersburg, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $18 per day, per person.
In Porvoo, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $20 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Saint Petersburg
For Saint Petersburg, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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1-Day Visa-Free Tour in St Petersburg with Faberge Collection:
$265
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1-day private Visa-Free tour in St Petersburg with Peterhof:
$257
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1.5-Hours Saint Petersburg's Metro Tour Hidden Treasures:
$25
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2-Day Small-Group Visa-Free Tour - Top Highlights of St Petersburg:
$20
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3 Hour Photo Shoot Tours St. Petersburg, Russia:
$564
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Basic 2-day tour in St Petersburg for cruise passengers:
$425
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Catherine Palace and Park: Private tour to Tsarskoe Selo:
$120
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Classic 2 Day Tour of St Petersburg Russia.No hidden costs.9 years of experience:
$349
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Daily Canon Shot at Peter and Paul Fortress + Museum of Revolution Private Tour:
$162
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Essential 2-Day Visa-Free Tour for Cruise Ships in St Petersburg:
$465
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Evening River and Canal Cruise Visas Included:
$86
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Guided Tour Peter and Paul Fortress, Cathedral and Prison:
$56
Tours and Activities in Porvoo
For Porvoo, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Romantic tour in Porvoo:
$496
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SHORE EXCURSIONS: Small-Group Half-Day Tour of Porvoo Old Town from Helsinki:
$163
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Shore Excursion - Helsinki and Porvoo Sightseeing Tour:
$211
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Shore Excursion - Porvoo Sightseeing Tour:
$162
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Shore Excursion: Private Half Day Tour of Old City of Porvoo from Helsinki:
$776
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The best of Porvoo walking tour:
$496
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Unforgettable private tour Helsinki-Porvoo-Haikko by VIP car (6 hours):
$630
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Saint Petersburg spend on average $9.88 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typically, people visiting Porvoo spend on average $9.38 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint Petersburg and Porvoo, we can see that Porvoo 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 Porvoo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Porvoo than you might in Saint Petersburg.
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