Which place is cheaper, South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe?
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 South Lake Tahoe. 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 South Lake Tahoe?
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.
South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe is the largest town on the famous Lake Tahoe that straddles the California-Nevada border in the Sierra Mountain Range. Located just south of Reno, Nevada and about 2 hours east of Sacramento, the Lake Tahoe area is easily accessible to many visitors.
Lake Tahoe is known for skiing and other winter sports, as well as plenty of warm weather activities such as hiking, swimming, boating, mountain biking, and more.
South Lake Tahoe has plenty of accommodations, restaurants, bars, and shopping. This is a good town to base yourself if you're looking to explore the area, as it has a large number of amenities.
Located on the Nevada side of South Lake Tahoe is the town of Stateline. Here you can find some casinos, as gambling is legal in Nevada.
If you're looking to go skiing or snowboarding, the Heavenly Ski Resort can be found on the southern edge of the town of South Lake Tahoe. Naturally, more ski resorts are located around the lake as well.
As swimming is also popular, several beach areas are on the southern section of the lake including the Regan Memorial City Beach, Lakeside Beach, Pope Beach, Emerald Bay State Park, and the Edgewood Resort area (on the Nevada side).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America.
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Saint John Prices
USVI PricesSouth Lake Tahoe Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySaint John $233South Lake Tahoe $146
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint John is $233, while the average daily cost in South Lake Tahoe is $146. 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 South Lake Tahoe in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSaint John $106South Lake Tahoe $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSaint John $212South Lake Tahoe $108
Compare Hotels in Saint John and South Lake Tahoe
Looking for a hotel in Saint John or South Lake Tahoe? 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: South Lake Tahoe Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Saint John $49South Lake Tahoe $24
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint John or South Lake Tahoe?
Prices for flights to both South Lake Tahoe 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 $97South Lake Tahoe $66
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in South Lake Tahoe
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in South Lake Tahoe.
- Persian Cooking Class with Private Chef: $120
- Lake Tahoe Evening Dinner Cruise: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Saint John $23South Lake Tahoe $56
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
Tours and Activities in South Lake Tahoe
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for South Lake Tahoe are as follows:
- Driving Lake Tahoe: A Self-Guided Tour From Incline Village to South Lake Tahoe: $12
- Self-Guided Driving Tour from Lake Tahoe to Virginia City: $15
- Self-Guided Driving Tour from Tahoe City to Donner Summit: $15
- Ultimate Lake Tahoe Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $15
- Public Sauna Experience at Tahoe Vista Recreation Area: $40
- Lake Tahoe: Full Day Self-Guided Bike Tour: $69
- Full-Day Lake Tahoe Circle Tour including Squaw Valley: $70
- Guided Tour of Historic Virginia City and Carson City from South Lake Tahoe: $70
- Sunset Kayak Experience in South Lake Tahoe: $75
- Sunset Kayak Tour in Tahoe City: $75
- Lake Tahoe's West Shore Best Shore Kayak Tour: $80
- Virginia City Day Tour From Lake Tahoe with Train Ride: $80
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySaint John $44South Lake Tahoe $34
Sample the Local Flavors in South Lake Tahoe
Also in South Lake Tahoe, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Scavenger Adventure and Lake Tahoe Bar Crawl: $15
- Lake Tahoe: Emerald Bay Sunset Wine Tasting Yacht Cruise: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint John and South Lake Tahoe, we can see that Saint John is more expensive. And not only is South Lake Tahoe much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Saint John is in Caribbean Islands and South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in South Lake Tahoe 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 John would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint John than you might in South Lake Tahoe.
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 South Lake Tahoe Expensive?.
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.