Home › Antigua and Barbuda › On a budget
Antigua and Barbuda on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Antigua is never truly cheap, but it can be done for about EC$260 (roughly US$95) per person per day if you share a guesthouse room, ride minibuses and eat local food. The beaches are free, which helps a lot.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | EC$150 | EC$320 | EC$900 |
| Food & drink | EC$70 | EC$150 | EC$300 |
| Sights & tickets | EC$25 | EC$120 | EC$250 |
| Local transport | EC$15 | EC$80 | EC$150 |
| Per person, per day | EC$260 | EC$670 | EC$1,600 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Antigua and Barbuda day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Swim at any of the public beaches, such as Dickenson Bay, Darkwood or Valley Church Beach
- Walk round St John's Cathedral and the restored warehouses of Redcliffe Quay
- Watch sunset from Fort James at the mouth of St John's harbour
- Hike the Middle Ground Trail from Pigeon Point to Fort Berkeley (about 1 hour)
- See the waves blowing through Devil's Bridge on the Atlantic coast
- Drive or ride along Fig Tree Drive through the rainforest
Cheap eats
- Lunch in a local café in St John's: rice, stew and provisions, roughly EC$20-35
- Ducana and saltfish, a local favourite, from small cook shops, about EC$20-30
- Roadside jerk chicken or grilled fish, about EC$25-40
- Patties and pastries from bakeries in St John's, a few EC dollars each
- Picnic from the Jolly Harbour or St John's supermarket, about EC$30-50 a day
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in guesthouses in and around St John's and near Dickenson Bay, where a double costs about EC$250-400 a night. There are very few hostels. Small apartments with kitchens near Jolly Harbour can work out cheaper for longer stays.
Getting around cheaply
Minibuses from the East and West Bus Stations in St John's are by far the cheapest way around, at a few EC dollars a ride, but they thin out in the evening and on Sundays. From V. C. Bird International Airport there are no regular buses into town; a taxi costs a fixed zone fare, so ask the dispatcher for the rate.
A sample budget day
- Morning: walk St John's Cathedral, the museum (small donation) and Redcliffe Quay
- Lunch: local stew and rice in town, about EC$30
- Afternoon: minibus to Darkwood Beach and a free swim, about EC$10 return
- Evening: sunset at Fort James and grilled fish from a beach stall, about EC$50
- Total: about EC$260 per person including a shared guesthouse room
More ways to save
- Check the cruise ship schedule and see St John's on a quiet day, when cafés are less busy.
- Bring your own snorkel mask to avoid daily rental fees.
- Carry cash in EC dollars for minibuses and small cook shops.
- Go to the Shirley Heights party on a Sunday rather than paying for a sunset cruise.
- Share a taxi or a day's car rental with other travellers.
- Bring sunscreen and medicines from home; imported goods are expensive.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Is Antigua good for budget travellers?
It is one of the more expensive islands, but free public beaches, cheap minibuses and local cook shops keep a careful budget to about EC$260 a day.
What is the cheapest way to get around Antigua?
Minibuses from St John's, which cost a few EC dollars a ride; they run less in the evening and on Sundays.
Are there hostels in Antigua?
Very few. Budget travellers usually stay in guesthouses around St John's and Dickenson Bay for about EC$250-400 a double.