Which place is cheaper, Montego Bay 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.
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Should you visit Halong Bay or Montego Bay?
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 Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay?
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.
Montego Bay
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.
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.
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Halong Bay Prices
Vietnam PricesMontego Bay Prices
Jamaica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHalong Bay $67Montego Bay $259
The average daily cost (per person) in Halong Bay is $67, while the average daily cost in Montego Bay is $259. 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 Montego Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHalong Bay $27Montego Bay $102
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHalong Bay $54Montego Bay $204
Compare Hotels in Halong Bay and Montego Bay
Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay or Montego Bay? 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: Montego Bay Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Halong Bay $14Montego Bay $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:
- Ha Long Bay Day Cruise with Transfers from Ha Long City: $5.00
- Bus Transfer From Cat Ba Island To Ninh Binh/Ninh binh To Cat Ba: $19
- Transfer Ha Long and Ninh Binh by Limousine Bus: $23
- Transfer Ha Long to Ha Noi Super Limousine Morning Bus: $33
- From Hanoi with Expessway Transfer to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip: $42
- Halong Bay Full Day Cruise from Hanoi by Transfer Expressway: $42
- Full-Day Halong Bay Islands and Cave Tour by Transfer Expressway: $48
- Halong Bay Full Day With Cave, Kayaking,Swimming,Highway Transfer: $49
- Alova Premium Cruise to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip by Highway Transfer: $50
- Private Transfer from Tuan Chau to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $54
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong city hotels: $54
- Arcady Premium Cruise Halong Bay Day Tour with Optional Transfer: $60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- A "Private" Airport Transfer to Grand & Luxury Bahia Principe: $80
- A "Private" Airport Transfer to RIU PALACE AQUARELLE: $50
- ATV and Bamboo Rafting with Limestone Foot Massage and Transfers: $120
- Airport - Ocho Rios Hotels Transfers and Returns: $260
- Airport Private Round Trip Transfer: $30
- Airport Round Trip Transfer To Hotels in Montego Bay: $19
- Airport Transfer From Kingston: $200
- Airport Transfer To Iberoster star Hotel: $61
- Airport Transfer To Montego Bay Hotels: $52
- Airport Transfer To Secret Wild orchid/ST James Hotel: $60
- Airport Transfer To Suncape Resort: $24
- Airport Transfer to Ocho Rios Hotels (Round-Trip): $120
Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Montego Bay?
Prices for flights to both Montego Bay 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
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Food Meals for one dayHalong Bay $27Montego Bay $142
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
- Lunch or Dinner with Pickup from Montego Bay: $45
- Montego Bay Jerk Tour and Rum Punch Mixology/Food Tour: $50
- Club2727 Nightlife Experience With Optional Dinner In Montego Bay: $60
- Mystic Lagoon Sunset Cruise with Dinner and Lagoon Swim: $95
- Sunset Dinner at Bamboo Beach Club: $99
- Glistening Bioluminescent Waters and Dinner at Jerk hut: $105
- 3 to 5 Hour Private Herbal Tour Shopping and Dinner at Ricks Cafe: $120
- Bar Hopping and Local Food Tour in Jamaica: $130
- The Local Lime- Montego Bay Dinner and/or Nightlife Tour: $149
- Jamaican Seafood Street Food Tour from Montego Bay, Falmouth: $150
- Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife Experience: $150
- Sunset Boat Cruise and Luminous Lagoon with Dinner and Transfer: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Halong Bay $16Montego Bay $31
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montego Bay
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:
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Admission to Doctor's Cave Beach$2.68
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Snorkeling Trip$19
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One Tank Dive$37
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1.5 Hr Horseback Ride$43
Tours and Activities in Montego Bay
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:
- Carnival Cruise Ship in Montego Bay to Great River & Hip strip: $20
- Shopping Tour for Whitter Village Mall Private / Charted Air Conditioned Taxi: $20
- Lethe Rafting And Margaritaville Tour from Montego Bay: $20
- Montego Bay Beach Day Experience: $20
- Montego Bay Nightlife Tour with Private Transportation: $25
- Montego Bay Shopping Private Tour: $26
- VR Experience in Montego Bay: $30
- Montego Bay Private Shopping Tour with Hotel Pickup: $30
- Explore the Beauty of Montego Bay Nature Tour in Jamaica: $30
- Adventure and Activity Based Music and Nightlife and Nature: $30
- Street Executive Tours And Chauffeur Service Jamaica: $35
- Bamboo Rafting Experience in Jamaica: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHalong Bay $12Montego Bay $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Montego Bay
Also in Montego Bay, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Appleton Estate Admission Ticket & Distillery Tour with Tastings: $39
- Montego Bay Jamaica Rum Distillery Tour Private Driver: $250
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Halong Bay and Montego Bay, we can see that Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay Expensive?.
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.