Which place is cheaper, Montego Bay or Istanbul?
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 Istanbul or Montego Bay?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Istanbul or Montego Bay, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Istanbul or Montego Bay?
Istanbul
Istanbul is strategically located on the Bosphorus and is split between Europe and Asia. It truly is a city where east meets west. Istanbul is the cultural and financial hub of Turkey, and also the most populous city. The sites are countless and there's something for everybody, whether you're interested in art, music, food, or adventure. You can pass many days exploring both the residential and commercial pockets of this city. Much of the appeal is hidden away along back alleys or within corner shops.
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 2-Week Tours in Turkey, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey.
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Istanbul Prices
Turkey PricesMontego Bay Prices
Jamaica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIstanbul $157Montego Bay $258
The average daily cost (per person) in Istanbul is $157, while the average daily cost in Montego Bay is $258. 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 Istanbul and Montego Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIstanbul $73Montego Bay $102
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIstanbul $146Montego Bay $204
Compare Hotels in Istanbul and Montego Bay
Looking for a hotel in Istanbul 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: Istanbul Hotel Prices and Montego Bay Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Istanbul $34Montego Bay $15
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Istanbul are as follows:
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Metro Cards$4.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:
- Fast & Luxury VIP Private Transfer | IST Airport & Hotel pickup: $8.12
- Istanbul VIP Shopping Experience with Transfers and Refreshments: $9.00
- Sapanca & Masukiye Day Tour from Istanbul with Lunch & Transfer: $15
- Princess Islands Day Trip w Hotel Transfer & Lunch: $17
- Istanbul IST Airport Transfer to or from Old City & Taksim Hotels: $26
- Private Transfer to/from Istanbul Airport (IST): $27
- Transfer Istanbul Ataturk Airport (ISL) to City Center: $28
- Istanbul Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $29
- Istanbul Luxury Yacht Cruise with Transfer Option: $29
- Guided Half Day Afternoon Istanbul Bosphorus Tour With Transfer: $29
- Reliable & Safe Istanbul Airport Taxi Transfer – VIP Service: $30
- Private Istanbul Cruise Port(Galataport) Transfer hotel-airport: $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- Private Airport Transfers from Montego Bay: $8.70
- Sangster International Airport Private Transfer to Montego Bay: $10
- Private Airport transfer Montego Bay: $12
- Private Transfer to Royal Decameron Cornwall Beach/Montego Beach: $13
- Sandals Royal Caribbean Hotel Private Airport Transfer: $13
- El Greco Resort Private Airport Transfer: $13
- A "Private" Airport Transfer to any Resort in Montego Bay: $14
- RIU Palace reggae and RIU Montego Bay private airport transfers: $14
- Riu reggae, palace & montego Bay Hotels Private Airport Transfer: $14
- Private Transfer From Montego Bay Airport to Hotel in Montego Bay: $14
- Private Airport Transfer To Riu Montego Bay, Palace & Reggae: $14
- RIU Reggae Palace and RIU Montego Bay Private Airport Transfer: $14
Is it cheaper to fly into Istanbul or Montego Bay?
Prices for flights to both Montego Bay and Istanbul 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 dayIstanbul $58Montego Bay $142
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Istanbul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Istanbul.
- Istanbul Food Tour 30 Tasting Stops with Audio Maps Written Guide: $8.00
- Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise with Optional 4 Course Dinner: $25
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Folk Dance and Live Performances: $29
- Budget Evening Cruise: Dinner, Live Shows & Party: $29
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Show Private Table: $29
- Bosphorus Night Cruise: Dinner, Drinks & Hotel Pickup: $29
- Istanbul Luxury Bosphorus View Tavern Dinner & Belly Dance Show: $30
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Night Show in Istanbul: $30
- İstanbul Mega Lüfer Dinner Cruise Bosphorus and Show - Pvt. Table: $30
- Bosphorus Evening Cruise: Dinner, Live Shows & Private Table: $31
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Night Show: $32
- Luxury Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkis Night Show in Istanbul: $34
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 Dining Experience in Montego Bay: $40
- Montego Bay Jerk Tour and Rum Punch Mixology/Food Tour: $50
- Dinner or Lunch with Pickup from Montego Bay: $50
- Sunset Dinner at Bamboo Beach Club: $99
- Bar Hopping and Local Food Tour in Jamaica: $117
- Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife Experience: $135
- Dinner or lunch at pier one Montego bay Food Tour: $144
- Jamaican Seafood Street Food Tour from Montego Bay, Falmouth: $150
- Sunset Boat Cruise and Luminous Lagoon with Dinner and Transfer: $150
- Private Beach Day and Street Food Tour from Montego Bay: $170
- Restaurant Transportation for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Montego Bay: $180
- Authentic Jamaican Food Cooking Experience in the Countryside: $195
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Istanbul $38Montego Bay $31
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- Istanbul Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $3.47
- Highlights of Istanbul Walking Tour: $3.48
- Istanbul Sites: Peel back the layers of Turkish history a self-guided audio tour: $5.40
- Istanbul Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
- Istanbul Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h and 22 audio reviews: $6.51
- Istanbul's Karaköy Neighbourhood: A Self-Guided Photography Tour: $6.79
- Bosphorus Cruise Boat Tour in Istanbul: $6.96
- Walking Tour in Istanbul with Audio and Written Guide Old City: $8.00
- Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise Tour with Audio Guide: $8.12
- Bosphorus Daytime or Sunset Sightseeing Cruise & Audio Guide: $9.00
- Istanbul Istiklal Street Story Self Guided Audio GPS Walking Tour: $9.99
- Ihlamur Pavilion Skip-the-Line Ticket with Audio Guide: $10
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$2.67
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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:
- Lethe Rafting And Margaritaville Tour from Montego Bay: $20
- Montego Bay Beach Day Experience: $20
- Jamaica Bamboo Rafting Experience with Lime Stone Massage: $20
- Souvenirs and Gift shopping Tour in Montego Bay: $20
- Cinnamon Hill Great House Tour: Home of Johnny Cash: $23
- Private Tour Souvenir Shopping in Montego Bay: $30
- Doctors Cave Beach Roundtrip Tour in Montego Bay: $30
- Great River Bamboo Rafting and Limestone Foot Massage Tour From Montego Bay: $30
- Adventure and Activity Based Music and Nightlife and Nature: $30
- Experience horseback ride and swimming Adventure: $34
- Private Shopping Tour in Montego Bay with Hotel Pickup: $35
- Montego Bay Sightseeing Tour and Souvenir Shopping: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIstanbul $10Montego Bay $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Pub Crawl: Bars, Dancefloors, & Beyond: $17
- Famous Istanbul Pub Crawl #1 Nightlife Experience: $28
- Istanbul Party Pub Crawl with Party Bus in Sultanahmet and Taksim: $30
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $78
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries: $208
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Istanbul and Montego Bay, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Istanbul much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Istanbul is in Europe 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 Istanbul would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Istanbul 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 Istanbul.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Istanbul Expensive? and Is Montego Bay Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Istanbul or Montego Bay?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 130 times larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Istanbul and Montego Bay, 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 Istanbul or Montego Bay?
Istanbul has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Montego Bay experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Istanbul or Montego Bay in the Summer?
Both Montego Bay and Istanbul are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The city activities and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Istanbul this time of year. Plenty of visitors come to Montego Bay because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the summer, Istanbul is cooler than Montego Bay. Typically, the summer temperatures in Istanbul in July average around 24°C (74°F), and Montego Bay averages at about 28°C (82°F).
It's quite sunny in Montego Bay. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Istanbul. Istanbul usually receives more sunshine than Montego Bay during summer. Istanbul gets 333 hours of sunny skies, while Montego Bay receives 257 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Istanbul usually receives less rain than Montego Bay. Istanbul gets 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyIstanbul 24°C (74°F)Montego Bay 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Istanbul or Montego Bay in the Autumn?
Both Montego Bay and Istanbul during the autumn are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Istanbul for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montego Bay year-round.
In October, Istanbul is generally much colder than Montego Bay. Daily temperatures in Istanbul average around 16°C (61°F), and Montego Bay fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
In Montego Bay, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, Istanbul often gets less sunshine than Montego Bay. Istanbul gets 169 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montego Bay receives 233 hours of full sun.
Montego Bay gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Istanbul usually gets less rain in October than Montego Bay. Istanbul gets 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberIstanbul 16°C (61°F)Montego Bay 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Istanbul or Montego Bay in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Istanbul and Montego Bay. Many visitors come to Istanbul in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Montego Bay attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Istanbul is much colder than Montego Bay in the winter. The daily temperature in Istanbul averages around 6°C (43°F) in January, and Montego Bay fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Montego Bay this time of the year. Istanbul usually receives less sunshine than Montego Bay during winter. Istanbul gets 75 hours of sunny skies, while Montego Bay receives 226 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Istanbul usually receives more rain than Montego Bay. Istanbul gets 99 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryIstanbul 6°C (43°F)Montego Bay 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit Istanbul or Montego Bay in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Istanbul as well as Montego Bay. Most visitors come to Istanbul for the activities around the city and the natural beauty during these months. The warm climate attracts visitors to Montego Bay throughout the year.
In the spring, Istanbul is much colder than Montego Bay. Typically, the spring temperatures in Istanbul in April average around 13°C (55°F), and Montego Bay averages at about 25°C (77°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montego Bay. In the spring, Istanbul often gets less sunshine than Montego Bay. Istanbul gets 180 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montego Bay receives 225 hours of full sun.
Istanbul usually gets less rain in April than Montego Bay. Istanbul gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilIstanbul 13°C (55°F)Montego Bay 25°C (77°F)
Typical Weather for Montego Bay and Istanbul
| Istanbul | Montego Bay | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 6°C (43°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Feb | 6°C (44°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Mar | 8°C (47°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (55°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| May | 17°C (63°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (71°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (74°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (74°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 20°C (69°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (54°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Dec | 9°C (47°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 100 mm (3.9 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.