How much does it cost to travel to Montego Bay?
You should plan to spend around $203 (J$31,438) per day on your vacation in Montego Bay. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $84 (J$12,942) on meals
- $15 (J$2,326) on local transportation
- $208 (J$32,180) on hotels
A one week trip to Montego Bay for two people costs, on average, $2,846 (J$440,133). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Montego Bay has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Montego Bay expensive to visit?
Prices in Montego Bay are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within the Caribbean Islands, which is known to be an expensive region, Montego Bay is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Ponce or Grand Cayman.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Montego Bay Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Montego Bay?
The average Montego Bay trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Montego Bay travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
J$32,180
($208)
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
J$2,326
($15)
|
|
Food 2
|
J$12,942
($84)
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
J$4,975
($32)
|
Notice: Undefined offset: 13 in /homepages/12/d310477359/htdocs/budgetreportadv.php on line 2638
Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /homepages/12/d310477359/htdocs/budgetreportadv.php on line 2638
|
Alcohol 2
|
J$1,027 -
3,082
($7 - 20)
|
Accommodation Budget in Montego Bay
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Montego Bay is $104 (J$16,090). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Montego Bay is $208 (J$32,180). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Montego Bay
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Montego Bay is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $15 (J$2,326) per person, per day, on local transportation in Montego Bay.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$15
J$2,326
How much does it cost to go to Montego Bay? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Montego Bay will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Food Budget in Montego Bay
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Montego Bay can vary, the average cost of food in Montego Bay is $84 (J$12,942) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Montego Bay should cost around $33 (J$5,177) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Montego Bay is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$84
J$12,942
Entertainment Budget in Montego Bay
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Montego Bay typically cost an average of $32 (J$4,975) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$32
J$4,975
Typical prices for Entertainment in Montego Bay are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Montego Bay, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
Alcohol Budget in Montego Bay
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $13 (J$2,055) on alcoholic beverages in Montego Bay per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$13
J$2,055
Montego Bay On a Budget
Montego Bay, Jamaica
As with most places around the tropical oasis of Jamaica, Montego Bay (or "MoBay") is an ideal place to visit for a Caribbean getaway. It is Jamaica's second largest city and the capital of St. James parish on the northern coast. Montego Bay is considered to be the tourist capital of the country and is where the largest airport is located, bringing in many international travelers.
Sights
Head to Harbour Street to explore the craft markets where vendors are selling many unique goods to the frequent cruise ship passengers that are usually exploring this area. You can always try to plan it out so that you get there before or after a large group of cruisers.
One of the famous beaches in Montego Bay is called Doctor's Cave Beach, where the waters supposedly have healing powers. Perhaps the water isn't really magical in that sense, but it sure is a magical sight to see. The water is crystal clear and calm with white sand that is perfect for sunbathing. Keep in mind that MoBay is a hub for cruise ships, so you will likely find crowded beaches during peak seasons.
Twenty minutes from MoBay is the Rose Hall Great House, which was a plantation home in the 1700's. It has since then been restored and is a beautiful property. The house is supposedly haunted by the ghost of Annie Palmer, who lived in the house and was a practitioner of black magic.
If you are staying in Montego Bay then you will most likely visit the Sam Sharpe Square, which is in the city center. The square is named after a slave who resisted planters that didn't comply with emancipation efforts. He was later hanged in the square and after independence was recognized as a National Hero. In the square, you will also find a cage that was built in the early 1800's as a holding place for runaway slaves. The square holds a lot of history and is worth visiting while in Montego Bay.
Neighborhoods
In Montego Bay itself, there are two general areas: Downtown and Gloucester Avenue. Downtown is where you will experience 'real' Jamaica, and is not considered safe when day turns to night. Gloucester Ave is where you will find all the tourist focused spots like hotels, shops, and restaurants.
There are a couple places around Montego Bay that many travelers visit. Falmouth is one of these places; it is about 18 miles east of MoBay and is Jamaica's most well preserved Georgian town. There is a flea market every Wednesday morning with fresh food vendors. The village of Reading is west of Montego Bay and it is at a raised elevation so you can head up there for beautiful views. Lethe is another village near Montego Bay where you can raft down the Great River and see a beautiful stone bridge dating back to the 1800's. Many people don't usually venture far from the beaches in MoBay but it is definitely worth exploring further into the mountains that surround the town!
Activities
Snorkeling is magnificent in Montego Bay, especially at Cornwall Beach. It is another popular beach, though, so there will likely be lots of people. Other snorkeling spots are Coyaba Beach, Montego Beach, and Bogue Lagoon.
The only kitesurfing center in Jamaica is located 20 minutes from MoBay, any/all levels of kitesurfers welcome! The company is called KiteBoarding Jamaica in Bounty Bay.
Zip line through the tropical forest in the town of Lethe, which has the longest zip lines in all of the Caribbean.
As you can see from these activities, Jamaica is terrific for the whole family. For even more ideas, check out this great post about
the best things to do in Jamaica with kids which has both indoor and outdoor things to do.
Food and Dining
Seafood is probably the food highlight of Montego Bay, and there are tons of places to find great (and fresh) seafood. A great restaurant to try for seafood is called
Pier One Seafood, and it is an open-air venue with fresh fish and tropical drinks. For some delicious traditional Jamaican jerk chicken, head to Pork Pit on Gloucester Ave. Of course, if you want more of an extravagant dinner experience, head to Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville (also on Gloucester Ave). They serve a range of dishes, including jerk chicken, and even have a hot tub and water slide that leads into the sea where you will then find a water trampoline.
Transportation
Sangster International Airport is nearby Montego Bay and is the largest airport on the island. There are tons of companies that offer private transportation once you arrive in Jamaica. Jamaica Airport Transfers is one of these companies and it will take you from the airport to your hotel for an affordable cost. Taxis are the best way to get around Montego Bay (unless you feel like walking) but make sure that you take an official Red Plate taxi. Always establish a price before getting into the taxi otherwise, you will have to pay double or triple what it should actually cost. These taxis do not take credit cards.
A
bus service also operates in and around Montego Bay, and has routes to cities throughout the island.
Related
Looking for a
party hostel in Costa Rica or
Cancun? Looking for a
budget hostel in Mexico or
Costa Rica?
We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
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.