In this study, performance of the multi-stage explicit methods for numerical computation of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations is investigated. Three methods under consideration are 1 st-, 2 nd-, and 4 th-order Runge-Kutta (R-K) methods. Compared in this estimation is stability, accuracy, and CPU time of each method. The computational codes developed are applied to the two-dimensional flow in a square cavity driven by an oscillating lid. It turned out that at Reynolds number 400, the 1 st-order R-K method is the best, while at 3200 the 2 nd-order R-K is recommended. At higher Reynolds numbers, it is conjectured that the 4 th-order R-K method will be the best algorithm among three due to its highest stability.