Which place is cheaper, Boston or Saint John?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Saint John or Boston?
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 John and Boston. 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 John or Boston?
Saint John
With the popularity of the Caribbean rising, many islands have become touristy and expensive – but not St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
At only nine miles long and five miles wide, St. John is the smallest of the Virgin Islands, and, many argue, the prettiest. It's the kind of place that has maintained it's cultural identity, but still welcomes visitors from all over the world. With a population of just 5,000, the residents of St. John know everyone and everything happening on the island.
This island is perfect for people who want an undisturbed island getaway at any price. Between resorts and campgrounds there is a spot for everyone on St. John.
Boston
Boston is one of the oldest and most historic cities in New England. It is also the capital of the state of Massachusetts and the largest city in the region. The city proper covers 48 square miles and has a population of more than 600,000. The Greater Boston area has 4.5 million people and is the tenth largest metropolitan area in the country.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Photography Tours in United States of America, and The Best Camping Tours in United States of America.
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Saint John Prices
USVI PricesBoston Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySaint John $233Boston $291
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint John is $233, while the average daily cost in Boston is $291. 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 John and Boston in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSaint John $106Boston $166
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSaint John $212Boston $332
Compare Hotels in Saint John and Boston
Looking for a hotel in Saint John or Boston? 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.
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: Boston Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Saint John $49Boston $37
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Boston
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Boston are as follows:
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Taxi$35
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Subway Daily Pass$9.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boston:
- Boston hotels to Flynn Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $121
- Arrival Private Transfer: Boston Airport BOS to Boston City in Luxury SUV: $143
- Arrival Transfer: Boston Airport BOS to Boston by Business Car: $119
- Boston Airport (BOS) to Providence – Arrival Private Transfer : $70
- Boston Airport (BOS): Transfer to Flynn Cruise Port Boston: $184
- Boston Logan Airport (BOS) to Boston - Arrival Private Transfer: $61
- Boston Logan Airport (BOS) to Boston - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $121
- Boston Logan Airport (BOS) to Flynn Cruise Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $190
- Boston Logan Airport Chauffeur, Boston Airport private Transfer: $50
- Boston Logan Airport Transfer Limo & Car Service: $140
- Boston Logan International Airport: Transfer to Boston: $120
- Boston Logan Intl Airport (BOS) to Flynn Cruise Port - Arrival Private Transfer: $94
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint John or Boston?
Prices for flights to both Boston and Saint John 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
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Food Meals for one daySaint John $97Boston $86
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Boston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Boston.
- Self Guided "The North End Pizza, Cannoli and Picnic" Solo Walking Tour : $5.50
- Morning Walks with Salem Food Tours: $34
- Boston Freedom Trail History and Food Tour: $39
- Freedom Trail History and Food Tour: $39
- Pizza Beer and Paul Revere Tour: $65
- Boston Pizza Lovers Food & History Walking Food Tour: $69
- North End Pizza Walking Tour with 3 Slices & Cannoli: $69
- 2-Hour Pasta Making Cooking Class With Local Chef in Boston: $75
- North End Food Experience with Pizza, Meats & Cheese: $75
- Pizza, Beer, and Paul Revere Tour: $75
- City Cruises Harbor Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise: $89
- Boston’s Politically Incorrect North End Food tour: $98
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Saint John $23Boston $33
Tours and Activities in Saint John
Here are a few actual costs in Saint John for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- St. John: A Private Island Adventure Tour & Trunk Bay Beach: $627
Typical Entertainment Prices in Boston
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Boston are as follows:
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Two Tickets to Celtics Game$101
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Duck Tour$32
Tours and Activities in Boston
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boston are as follows:
- 2 Hour Boston Historical and Heritage Walking Tour: $5.00
- Self Guided "Historic Boston Downtown Freedom Trail" Audio/GPS Walking Tour: $5.00
- The Ghosts of Boston's Past Haunted Self-guided Tour: $5.00
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Boston North End: $5.75
- Self-Guided Smartphone Ghost Walking Tour in Salem: $7.75
- Harvard's Haunts Solo Smart Phone Guided App Ghost Walking Tour: $7.75
- Self Guided Classic Freedom Trail Location Aware (GPS) Walking Audio Tour: $7.75
- City History and Highlights Audio App Walking Tour: $7.99
- Boston's Old North Church Admission with Self-Guided Audio Tour: $8.00
- Boston Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $8.32
- Harvard’s Secret Society: Exploration Game and Tour: $8.93
- Boston Harborwalk & Tea Party Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.99
For more ideas for your next trip, check out Free Things to Do in Boston, Must-See Monuments and Memorials In Boston, and The Best Things To Do in Boston with Kids.
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySaint John $44Boston $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Boston
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Boston:
- Boston Bar Crawl Back Bay Beat Bar Craw: $15
- Boos and Brews Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- Boston Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Haunted Pub Crawl of Historic Pubs and Taverns: $35
- 2 Hour Historic Pub Crawl in Boston: $35
- Salem Booze and Brews Haunted Pub Crawl by US Ghost Adventures: $36
- Boston Ghosts Boos and Brews Haunted Pub Crawl : $36
- History Pub Crawl Tour Along the Freedom Trail: $56
- Boston Freedom Trail History Pub Crawl Small-Group Tour: $60
- Freedom Trail History Tour and Brewery Taste: $71
- Sushi Making Class at a Local Brewery in Boston: $75
- Sushi Making Class at a Local Distillery in Boston: $75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint John and Boston, we can see that Boston is more expensive. And not only is Saint John much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Saint John is in Caribbean Islands and Boston is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Saint John would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Saint John 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 Boston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Boston than you might in Saint John.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Saint John Expensive? and Is Boston Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Saint John or Boston?
Boston has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Saint John experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Saint John or Boston in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Saint John and Boston. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint John year-round. Furthermore, the beaches, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Boston this time of year.
Saint John is a little warmer than Boston in the summer. The daily temperature in Saint John averages around 29°C (83°F) in July, and Boston fluctuates around 73°F (23°C).
In July, Saint John usually receives less rain than Boston. Saint John gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Boston receives 2.9 inches (74 mm) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySaint John 29°C (83°F)Boston 73°F (23°C)
Should I visit Saint John or Boston in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Saint John as well as Boston. Saint John attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, many travelers come to Boston for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Saint John is much warmer than Boston. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Saint John in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Boston averages at about 54°F (12°C).
Saint John receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Saint John usually gets more rain in October than Boston. Saint John gets 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while Boston receives 3.3 inches (84 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSaint John 28°C (82°F)Boston 54°F (12°C)
Should I visit Saint John or Boston in the Winter?
Both Boston and Saint John are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint John throughout the year. Also, many visitors come to Boston in the winter for the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine.
Boston can get quite cold in the winter. In January, Saint John is generally much warmer than Boston. Daily temperatures in Saint John average around 26°C (78°F), and Boston fluctuates around 29°F (-2°C).
In January, Saint John usually receives less rain than Boston. Saint John gets 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Boston receives 3.4 inches (87 mm) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySaint John 26°C (78°F)Boston 29°F (-2°C)
Should I visit Saint John or Boston in the Spring?
Both Boston and Saint John during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Saint John because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, most visitors come to Boston for the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty during these months.
Saint John is much warmer than Boston in the spring. The daily temperature in Saint John averages around 27°C (80°F) in April, and Boston fluctuates around 48°F (9°C).
Saint John usually gets less rain in April than Boston. Saint John gets 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Boston receives 3.5 inches (89 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSaint John 27°C (80°F)Boston 48°F (9°C)
Typical Weather for Boston and Saint John
| Saint John | Boston | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (78°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 29°F (-2°C) | 3.4 inches (87 mm) |
| Feb | 26°C (78°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 30°F (-1°C) | 3.7 inches (94 mm) |
| Mar | 26°C (79°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 38°F (4°C) | 3.7 inches (95 mm) |
| Apr | 27°C (80°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 48°F (9°C) | 3.5 inches (89 mm) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 58°F (15°C) | 3.2 inches (82 mm) |
| Jun | 28°C (83°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 68°F (20°C) | 3.1 inches (79 mm) |
| Jul | 29°C (83°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 73°F (23°C) | 2.9 inches (74 mm) |
| Aug | 29°C (84°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 72°F (22°C) | 3.2 inches (82 mm) |
| Sep | 28°C (83°F) | 127 mm (5 in) | 64°F (18°C) | 3.1 inches (79 mm) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) | 54°F (12°C) | 3.3 inches (84 mm) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 126 mm (4.9 in) | 45°F (7°C) | 4.3 inches (108 mm) |
| Dec | 26°C (80°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 33°F (1°C) | 3.9 inches (99 mm) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.