Should you visit Saint Petersburg or Virginia Beach?
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 Virginia Beach 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.
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. It's a popular beach destination and has many of the characteristics of most southeastern beach towns. There are many activities that you can enjoy and there's a concrete boardwalk that runs parallel to the water for about three miles. The boardwalk is a fun place to walk or bicycle. The beach itself is wide and sandy and is a great place to soak up some sun. During the summer months and school holidays it can get quite crowded and you might struggle to find a place for your towel and beach chairs. There are also many beach side resorts that line the water front. Most have pools and hot tubs where you can relax and some hotels have indoor pools as well, which can be nice during the cool winter months.
Which city is cheaper, Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach is $104. 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 Virginia Beach 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.
The prices for places to stay in Virginia Beach can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $60, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $120.
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.
Food in Virginia Beach costs travelers about $25 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Saint Petersburg $39
Virginia Beach $25
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:
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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
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.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Virginia Beach than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $31 on transportation in Virginia Beach on average per day.
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 Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED in Luxury Car:
$103
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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED in Luxury Van:
$89
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St Petersburg Departure Private Transfers from St Petersburg City to Airport LED:
$84
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Departure Private Transfer St Petersburg City to Pulkovo Airport LED - LuxuryCar:
$80
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St Petersburg Transfer from city hotels or Cruise port to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$68
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St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED by Business Car:
$63
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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
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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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St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport (LED) to hotel - Arrival Private Transfer:
$36
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St. Petersburg to St.Petersburg Pulkovo Airport - Departure Private Transfer:
$36
Typical Local Transportation prices in Virginia Beach
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Virginia Beach:
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint Petersburg or Virginia Beach?
Prices for flights to both Virginia Beach 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.
Sightseeing expenses in Virginia Beach, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $17 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Saint Petersburg
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Petersburg.
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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 Virginia Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Virginia Beach.
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All-Inclusive, Autumn Weekend Tour for GROUPS of 10-16:
$5,901
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RIDE ALONG GREEK GODS & AQUATISM *Certified Tours*:
$75
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Small Group Dolphin Kayak Eco-Tour:
$62
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Sunset Dolphin Kayak Tours:
$62
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Sunset Stand Up Paddleboard Tour of Linkhorn Bay:
$41
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Tour of Virginia Beach (half day), for GROUPS of 10-16:
$499
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Tour of Virginia Beach, for GROUPS of 10-16:
$831
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Wetland Zip Tour:
$61
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.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Virginia Beach, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $8.51.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint Petersburg and Virginia Beach, we can see that Saint Petersburg is more expensive. And not only is Virginia Beach much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Virginia Beach would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach.
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