A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Halong Bay vs. Kingston for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Halong Bay 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 Halong Bay 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: Halong Bay or Kingston?

Halong Bay

Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the north of Vietnam, near the Chinese border. Known for its thousands of beautiful limestone karsts and stalactite-filled caves, it is one of the most visited destinations in Vietnam. If you appreciate natural scenery and want an adventure at sea, you'll love cruising among more than 1,900 islands in Ha Long Bay.

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 Ho Chi Minh City, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi.


Which place is cheaper, Kingston or Halong Bay?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Halong Bay is $67, while the average daily cost in Kingston is $125. 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 Halong Bay and Kingston in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Halong Bay $27
    Kingston $63
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Halong Bay $54
    Kingston $126
Compare Hotels in Halong Bay and Kingston

Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay 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.

Hotels in Halong Bay


Hotels in Kingston


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: Kingston Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Halong Bay $14
    Kingston $29

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:

  • 2 Day Halong Bay Cruise from Hanoi by Expressway Transfer: $199
  • 2D/1N at 5 STAR CRUISES: Transfer,Meals, Cave, Island & Beach: $185
  • 2D/1N at AQUAMARINE CRUISES: Transfer,Meals, Cave, Island & Beach: $170
  • Alova Premium Cruise to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip by Highway Transfer: $50
  • Amethyst Cruise Luxury Day Tour from Halong Bay Included Transfer: $70
  • Amethyst Luxury 5 Star Cruise From Halong Bay with Transfer: $68
  • Amethyst Luxury 5 Star Cruise From Halong Bay with Transfer: $85
  • Arcady Premium Cruise Halong Bay Day Tour with Optional Transfer: $60
  • Bus Transfer From Cat Ba Island To Ninh Binh/Ninh binh To Cat Ba: $19
  • Dragon 5Star HaLong Cruise 2D1N Included Transfer from Hanoi: $195
  • From Hanoi with Expessway Transfer to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip: $42
  • Full-Day Halong Bay Islands and Cave Tour by Transfer Expressway: $48

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:

  • Airport /Hotel Transfer Norman Manley airport and Montego bay: $40
  • Airport MBJ Round Trip Transfer to Ocho Rios Airbnb Home, Resorts: $133
  • Airport Transfers from Kingston.: $30
  • From Kingston Airport: One Way Private Transfer to Ocho Rios: $319
  • From One Way Shared Transfer to Kingston Airport: $19
  • From One Way Shared Transfer to Montego Bay: $69
  • From One Way Shared Transfer to Negril: $79
  • From One Way Shared Transfer to Port Antonio: $47
  • Group Private Kingston Airport Transfers (10 - 15 Persons): $251
  • Group Private Kingston Airport Transfers (4 - 9 Persons): $159
  • Jamaica Airport Transfers and Tours: $40
  • Airport transfers One Way to all hotels - private: $79

Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Kingston?

Prices for flights to both Kingston and Halong Bay 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 day
    Halong Bay $27
    Kingston $45

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Halong Bay.

  • Halong Bay Luxury Dinner Cruise - Ambassador: $37
  • Sunset and Bioluminescent Kayaking Tour in Lan Ha Bay with Dinner: $37
  • Authentic Hanoi Cooking Class & Local Market Tour: $39
  • From Halong Harbor: Luxury Dinner Yacht Cruise, Halong City Views: $66
  • From Halong Port: Luxury Dinner Yacht & Spectacular Night Views: $82
  • Best 2D1N Lan Ha Bay Cruise: BBQ dinner, Viet Hai Ancient Village: $210

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Halong Bay $16
    Kingston $12

Tours and Activities in Halong Bay

Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • From Cat Ba: Small Group, Lan Ha, Ha Long Bay- Kayaking Tours: $19
  • Shared 6 Hours boat Tour With Cave Kayak Beach From Halong City: $20
  • Ha Long Bay Cruise Day Tour - best selling: Kayaking, Swimming, hiking & Lunch: $23
  • Cat Ba Kayak Tour in Mangrove Forests and Explore Thien Long Cave: $24
  • Cat Ba Sunset Jeep Tour Trek And Cave Exploration: $24
  • Hanoi: Ha Long Bay Day Cruise with Lunch, Cave & Kayaking: $26
  • The Best 5 Star Halong Bay Cruise with Buffet,pool, Sunset Party: $26
  • Cat Ba: Majestic Sunset Boat Tour Explore the Stunning Lan Ha Bay: $26
  • From Ha Noi/Cat Ba: Full-Day Cruise to Lan Ha bay - Ha Long Bay: $26
  • From Cat Ba Island: Amazing Sunset Tour in Lan Ha Bay, Kayaking: $26
  • Hanoi: Ha Long Bay Day Cruise: Cave Exploration - Swim and Kayak: $27
  • From Cat Ba: Lan Ha Bay Sunset Tour with Kayaking & Swimming: $27

Tours and Activities in Kingston

Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Walking Tour with Mural Exploration: $26
  • Bob Marley Museum Entry Ticket: $30
  • Bunny Lee Museum and Recording Studio Admission Ticket: $30
  • Kingston Creative: Mural Art Walking Tour: $31
  • Club Kingston VIP Departure Lounge Experience: $38
  • Guided Bar Hopping Tour with VIP Speakeasy Entry: $40
  • Rhythmic Walking Music Tour: $40
  • Judgement Yard Tour: $50
  • Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion Studio Tour: $50
  • Devon House Heritage Tour with Ice Cream from Kingston: $63
  • Cultural Walking Tour of Kingston: $65
  • Tour a Jamaican Farm: $70

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Halong Bay $12
    Kingston $11

Sample the Local Flavors in Kingston

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kingston:

  • Worthy Park Estate Rum Distillery Tour with Tasting: $144


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Halong Bay and Kingston, we can see that Kingston is more expensive. And not only is Halong Bay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Halong Bay is in Asia 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 Halong Bay would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Halong Bay 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 Kingston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kingston than you might in Halong Bay.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Halong Bay Expensive? and Is Kingston Expensive?.