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

Should you visit Jakarta or Montego Bay?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Jakarta and Montego Bay. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Jakarta or Montego Bay?

Jakarta

As Indonesia's capital and largest city, Jakarta rests on the northwest coast of the island of Java. It is the country's economic, cultural, and political center with plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, nightlife, shopping, and entertainment.

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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Indonesia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia.


Which place is cheaper, Montego Bay or Jakarta?

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 Jakarta is $73, while the average daily cost in Montego Bay is $255. 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 Jakarta and Montego Bay in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Jakarta $32
    Montego Bay $100
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Jakarta $64
    Montego Bay $200
Compare Hotels in Jakarta and Montego Bay

Looking for a hotel in Jakarta 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.

Hotels in Jakarta


Hotels in Montego Bay


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: Jakarta Hotel Prices and Montego Bay Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Jakarta $20
    Montego Bay $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Jakarta

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jakarta are as follows:


  • Taxi to Station
    $1.04

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jakarta

Also for Jakarta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Soekarno Hatta (CGK) Airport to Jakarta City: $11
  • Private Transfer Airport Soekarno Hatta (CGK) to All City Destination: $13
  • Airport Jakarta Soekarno - Hatta ( Private Transfer ): $18
  • Airport Private Transfer Jakarta, Best Price: $19
  • All-inclusive Private Jakarta Airport Transfer : $20
  • Private Transfer from Soekarno Hatta Airport to Jakarta Hotels: $22
  • Private Car : Airport Transfer Jakarta Minibus 20 Pax : $27
  • Airport Transfer Jakarta - Bogor: $27
  • Jakarta Private Airport Transfer: $27
  • Jakarta Airport Transfer for Small/Big Group: $28
  • Airport Transfer Jakarta ( Private Car ): $30
  • Airport Transfer: $30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:

  • Kingston: One Way Private Transfer to Montego Bay Airport: $319
  • Private Airport Transfers To and From Kingston (KIN) Airport: $200
  • Horseback Ride/Swim and Blue Hole Falls Daytrip with Transfers: $190
  • Green Grato Caves and Dunns River Falls with Private Transfer : $180
  • Riu Resorts Airport Transfers Montego Bay MBJ (Private Roundtrip): $169
  • Private Martha Brae Bamboo Rafting Tour with Private Transfer: $135
  • Club Mobay VIP Lounge Access and Round-Trip Airport Transfer: $113
  • Private Transfer to Dunns River Blue Hole Tubing from Montego Bay: $110
  • Private Transfer to Dunn's River Falls and Blue Hole: $110
  • Experience Jamaica Private Tour with Airport Transfer: $100
  • Airport Transfer Service In Montego bay: $95
  • Sandals South Coast Airport Transfer: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Jakarta or Montego Bay?

Prices for flights to both Montego Bay and Jakarta 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
    Jakarta $28
    Montego Bay $139
Typical Food Prices in Jakarta

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Jakarta:


  • Dinner
    $2.62
  • Dinner
    $0.72

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jakarta

For Jakarta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Mangga Besar Food Tour: $49
  • Jakarta Night Tour with Dinner at Café or Food street: $55
  • Kota Tua Food Tour: $64
  • Melawai Night Street Food Tour: $67
  • Halfday Batavia by Night with dinner at Cafe Batavia & souvenir: $120
  • Jakarta Private Cooking Class and Experience Tour: $120

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay

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

  • Club2727 Nightlife Experience With Optional Dinner In Montego Bay: $10
  • 3 to 5 Hour Private Herbal Tour Shopping and Dinner at Ricks Cafe: $120
  • Bar Hopping and Local Food Tour in Jamaica : $130
  • Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife Experience: $150
  • Dinner Experience and Celebration on the Beach with Decorations : $158
  • PRIVATE Food Tour of Local Jamaican Cuisine Montego Bay & Negril: $190

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Jakarta $12
    Montego Bay $31

Tours and Activities in Jakarta

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Jakarta.

  • Jakarta City Center: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
  • Watercolor & Wellness : A Healing Art Therapy Experience: $29
  • Jakarta Culture and History Walking Tour: $33
  • Jakarta Private Custom Walking Tour with A Guide : $37
  • Jakarta Walking Tour with Public Transportation Visiting Sites: $45
  • Jakarta Half Day Visit The Monument with Highlight City Tour: $45
  • Jakarta Half Day Shared Guided Tour Visit Monument and Old Town: $49
  • Pasar Baru Foodie Tour: $49
  • Experience Jakarta Street Food Scene with MRT Transportation: $50
  • Jakarta Half-Day Highlights Tour: $50
  • Half Day Jakarta Private Tour in two highlight place: $50
  • 4 Hours Jakarta Private City Tour - (Most Tourist Attractions): $55

Typical Entertainment Prices in Montego Bay

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:


  • Admission to Doctor's Cave Beach
    $2.63
  • Snorkeling Trip
    $18
  • One Tank Dive
    $37
  • 1.5 Hr Horseback Ride
    $42

Tours and Activities in Montego Bay

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:

  • Black River Day Adventure Tour: $92
  • Dunn’s River Secret falls with Horse-back&Bamboo Raft Experience: $125
  • Falmouth Mystic from Montego Bay Luminous Lagoon Night Tour: $90
  • Luminous Lagoon Glow in the Dark Boat Tour from Montego Bay: $65
  • Luminous Lagoon Night Tour from Montego Bay: $118
  • Private Dolphin Cove Adventure : $250
  • 1 Hour Horse Back Riding & Dunn's River Falls Tour Combo: $240
  • 3 Hours Private Highlights Tour & Shopping in Montego Bay Jamaica: $100
  • 3 Hours Private Tour in Montego Bay From Falmouth: $75
  • 7 Mile Beach & Ricks Cafe with free Shopping experience: $50
  • ATV Adventure and Rick's Cafe Tour with Transportation: $238
  • ATV Jungle Safari Tour from Montego Bay: $125

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Jakarta $4.06
    Montego 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


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jakarta and Montego Bay, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Jakarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Jakarta 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 Jakarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jakarta 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 Jakarta.

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


Which is Bigger, Jakarta or Montego Bay?

Jakarta has a larger population, and is about 100 times larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Jakarta 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.