Which place is cheaper, Kingston or Edinburgh?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Edinburgh or Kingston?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Edinburgh and Kingston can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Edinburgh or Kingston?
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the moderately sized capital of Scotland. It is a medieval city that has managed to perfect the combination of Georgian architecture and medieval relics with a cosmopolitan population and avant-garde atmosphere. The city's population is quite young, in large part because of the University of Edinburgh. This youthful vibe gives this city a lot of vitality. There's a thriving nightlife, many restaurants, theatres, galleries and museums.
Kingston
Kingston is Jamaica's capital city with a population of about 579,000. For being located on an island, Kingston is a very large city with several different zip codes. Not only is Kingston the cultural capital of the country, but also the commercial one as well.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, and The Best 10-Day Tours from London.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEdinburgh £142Kingston £87
The average daily cost (per person) in Edinburgh is £142, while the average daily cost in Kingston is £87. 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 Edinburgh and Kingston in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEdinburgh £74Kingston £52
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEdinburgh £148Kingston £104
Compare Hotels in Edinburgh and Kingston
Looking for a hotel in Edinburgh or Kingston? 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: Edinburgh Hotel Prices and Kingston Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Edinburgh £17Kingston £24
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Edinburgh:
-
Local Bus£3.60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Edinburgh
Also for Edinburgh, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer to/from Edinburgh City, St'Andrews etc.: $113
- Airport Transfer: Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Business Car: $135
- Airport Transfer: Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Luxury Car: $163
- Airport Transfer: Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Luxury Van: $163
- Airport Transfer: Edinburgh to Airport EDI by Business Car: $135
- Airport Transfer: Edinburgh to Airport EDI by Luxury Van: $163
- Arrival Transfer Edinburgh Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Minivan: $96
- Central Edinburgh Hotels to Edinburgh Airport Transfers 1-3: $256
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Glasgow - Arrival Private Transfer: $60
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kinbuck - Arrival Private Transfer: $103
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kinbuck - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $206
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Lecht Ski Resort - Arrival Transfer: $76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:
- Private Transfer to/from Kingston Airport: $42
- Private Transfer from Kingston Airport (KIN) to Falmouth Port: $71
- Private Transfer Kingston Airport to Jewel Grande Montego Bay: $187
- Private Transfer Kingston Airport (KIN) To & From Sandals South Coast : $240
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Kingston International Airport (KIN): $34
- Private Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport: $90
- Private Airport Transfer Sangster Airport to Kingston: $230
- Private Airport Round Trip Transfer from Montego Bay Airport to Ocho Rios : $133
- Norman Manley Airport Private Round-trip Transfer to Kingston : $255
- NMIA & Kingston transfer to Negril: $225
- MBJ Airport Transfer to/ from Hotels : $25
- Tropical Off-Road ATV Tour with Lunch and Transfer: $280
Is it cheaper to fly into Edinburgh or Kingston?
Prices for flights to both Kingston and Edinburgh 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
-
Food Meals for one dayEdinburgh £39Kingston £21
Typical Food Prices in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Breakfast£8.50
-
Dinner at Filling Station£10
-
Lunch for Two£15
-
Sandwich£1.85
-
Cheese & bread£7.23
-
Thai Restaurant Dinner (for 2)£25
-
2 Coffees and Scones£5.80
-
Turkish Delight£1.40
-
Soup at the Pub£5.90
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $31
- Hard Rock Cafe Edinburgh with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $33
- Scottish Dinner and Folk Music Experience: $88
- Edinburgh Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $90
- Edinburgh Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $90
- Edinburgh Food Tour: $100
- 'Scotland meets Sardinia' - 8-course Dinner in Leith, Edinburgh: $110
- 3-Hour Guided Secret Food Tour: $116
- Edinburgh Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $121
- The 10 Tastings of Edinburgh With Locals: Private Food Tour: $162
- Edinburgh Food Tour with a Local Foodie Custom & Private: $188
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Edinburgh £20Kingston £10
Typical Entertainment Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Edinburgh's activities, tours, and tickets:
-
Show Tickets£32
-
Movie Tickets for Two£12
-
Donation for Storytellers£6.00
Tours and Activities in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Escape Game and Tour: $3.77
- Edinburgh Stand Up Comedy Ticket Show in Scotland: $5.08
- Audio Tour Royal Mile: del Castillo hasta "The Tron Kirk": $5.37
- Edinbourgh, Royal mile: walking tour with audio guide: $5.38
- Edinburgh Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & City Tour: $5.60
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Audio Tour through History of Crime: $7.00
- Edinburgh Royal mile: Self-guided walking tour: $7.20
- Must-See In App Audio Tour: $7.61
- Harry Potter’s A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Edinburgh Royal Mile (New Self Guided Tour) : $8.02
Tours and Activities in Kingston
Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Dunn's River Falls Party Cruise, Blue Hole with Snorkeling, free beverages: $174
- 4x4 Jeep Safari & Blue Hole Adventure from Ocho Rios: $158
- Bamboo Rafting Adventure in Ocho Rios : $85
- Blue Hole and Sightseeing Tour from Ocho Rios: $99
- Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour from Kingston: $231
- Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour from Runaway Bay: $142
- Blue Mountains Coffee Private Tour from Kingston: $180
- Bob Marley Museum Tour Skip the Line Tickets: $45
- Bob Marley Museum Tour from Kingston: $83
- Bob Marley Museum Tour from Runaway Bay: $258
- Bob Marley Museum and Devon House Kingston Day Tour: $368
- Bob Marley Museum and Devon House Kingston Day Tour: $318
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayEdinburgh £15Kingston £8.92
Typical Alcohol Prices in Edinburgh
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Edinburgh from other travelers:
-
Beer & Wine£14
-
Half Pint at Tollbooth Tavern£1.65
Sample the Local Flavors in Edinburgh
Also in Edinburgh, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl with Free Shots & Discounts: $11
- Edinburgh Bar Crawl: 5+ Venues, Free Shots, Free Club Entry: $19
- Pub Crawl in Edinburgh: $19
- Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour with "Real-Actors": $25
- East Lothian: Glenkinchie Whisky Distillery Tour & Tasting: $26
- Guided Gin Tasting at 56 North Distillery: $28
- Pub Crawl 7 Bars with 6 Shots: $31
- Whisky Tasting and Tales at Summerhall Distillery: $31
- Lind & Lime Gin Distillery Tour & Tasting: $31
- Pickering's Gin Jolly Distillery Tasting Tour: $31
- Visit a Working South Loch Gin Distillery: $32
- The Original Edinburgh Pub Crawl: $32
Sample the Local Flavors in Kingston
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kingston:
- Ocho Rios Pub Crawl and Sightseeing Tour from Ocho Rios: $185
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Edinburgh and Kingston, we can see that Edinburgh is more expensive. And not only is Kingston much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Edinburgh is in Europe and Kingston is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Kingston would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kingston 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 Edinburgh would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Edinburgh than you might in Kingston.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Edinburgh Expensive? and Is Kingston Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Edinburgh or Kingston?
Kingston has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Edinburgh. When comparing the sizes of Edinburgh and Kingston, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Edinburgh or Kingston?
Edinburgh has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Kingston experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Edinburgh or Kingston in the Summer?
Both Kingston and Edinburgh during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Edinburgh for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kingston year-round.
In the summer, Edinburgh is much colder than Kingston. Typically, the summer temperatures in Edinburgh in July average around 14°C (58°F), and Kingston averages at about 29°C (83°F).
In Kingston, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Edinburgh often gets less sunshine than Kingston. Edinburgh gets 163 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Kingston receives 254 hours of full sun.
Edinburgh usually gets more rain in July than Kingston. Edinburgh gets 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyEdinburgh 14°C (58°F)Kingston 29°C (83°F)
Should I visit Edinburgh or Kingston in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Edinburgh and Kingston. The autumn months attract visitors to Edinburgh because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area. Kingston attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In October, Edinburgh is generally much colder than Kingston. Daily temperatures in Edinburgh average around 10°C (49°F), and Kingston fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Kingston this time of the year. Edinburgh usually receives less sunshine than Kingston during autumn. Edinburgh gets 90 hours of sunny skies, while Kingston receives 229 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Kingston receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Edinburgh usually receives less rain than Kingston. Edinburgh gets 67 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberEdinburgh 10°C (49°F)Kingston 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Edinburgh or Kingston in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Edinburgh as well as Kingston. The museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine are the main draw to Edinburgh this time of year. The warm climate attracts visitors to Kingston throughout the year.
It's quite cold in Edinburgh in the winter. Edinburgh is much colder than Kingston in the winter. The daily temperature in Edinburgh averages around 3°C (38°F) in January, and Kingston fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Kingston. In the winter, Edinburgh often gets less sunshine than Kingston. Edinburgh gets 48 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Kingston receives 257 hours of full sun.
Edinburgh usually gets more rain in January than Kingston. Edinburgh gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryEdinburgh 3°C (38°F)Kingston 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Edinburgh or Kingston in the Spring?
Both Kingston and Edinburgh are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Edinburgh for the activities around the city and the natural beauty. Plenty of visitors come to Kingston because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the spring, Edinburgh is much colder than Kingston. Typically, the spring temperatures in Edinburgh in April average around 7°C (45°F), and Kingston averages at about 26°C (80°F).
It's quite sunny in Kingston. Edinburgh usually receives less sunshine than Kingston during spring. Edinburgh gets 132 hours of sunny skies, while Kingston receives 251 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Edinburgh usually receives more rain than Kingston. Edinburgh gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilEdinburgh 7°C (45°F)Kingston 26°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Kingston and Edinburgh
| Edinburgh | Kingston | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (38°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) |
| Feb | 3°C (38°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 5°C (41°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Apr | 7°C (45°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 10°C (49°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
| Jun | 13°C (55°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jul | 14°C (58°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Aug | 14°C (58°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) |
| Oct | 10°C (49°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (42°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (39°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) |
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.