Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Kingston?
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 Kingston or Cabo San Lucas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Kingston or Cabo San Lucas, 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: Kingston or Cabo San Lucas?
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.
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas ("Cabo") is on the far southern end of the Baja Peninsula. It has countless resorts and activities for visitors. There are world class golf courses, fine dining options, and five star resorts. Prior to the 1980s, Cabo was a quiet fishing village but with the construction of a nearby airport in 1977, the city rapidly grew into one of Mexico's most popular resort vacation spots. Today, Cabo has one of the country's most vibrant nightlife scenes. It also has plenty of water sport activities, and a great beach scene.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Kingston Prices
Jamaica PricesCabo San Lucas Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKingston $123Cabo San Lucas $159
The average daily cost (per person) in Kingston is $123, while the average daily cost in Cabo San Lucas is $159. 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 Kingston and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKingston $62Cabo San Lucas $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKingston $124Cabo San Lucas $114
Compare Hotels in Kingston and Cabo San Lucas
Looking for a hotel in Kingston or Cabo San Lucas? 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: Kingston Hotel Prices and Cabo San Lucas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kingston $28Cabo San Lucas $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:
- Airport Group Transfers-Kingston: $180
- Airport MBJ Round Trip Transfer to Ocho Rios Airbnb Home, Resorts: $133
- Airport Transfers from Kingston.: $70
- From Kingston Airport: One Way Private Transfer to Negril: $749
- From Kingston Airport: One Way Private Transfer to Ocho Rios: $319
- From Kingston Airport: One Way Shared Transfer to Kingston: $19
- 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
- Airport transfers One Way to all hotels - private: $79
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
- Cabo San Lucas Port to San Jose Del Cabo hotels - Arrival Private Transfer : $144
- San Jose Del Cabo hotels to Cabo San Lucas Port - Departure Private Transfer: $144
- Airport Transfer to Cabo San Lucas & Pacific side Hotels & Villas Round Trip: $192
- Airport Transfer to Cabo San Lucas IDA: $123
- Airport Transfers to Cabo San Lucas Pacifico Hotels RT: $290
- Cabo Airport (CSL) to Cabo San Lucas Round-Trip Private Transfer: $197
- Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) to Cabo San Lucas -Arrival Transfer : $81
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Airport CSL Departure Transfer: $75
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Cabo San Lucas hotels - Arrival Private Transfer : $75
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Cabo San Lucas- Round-Trip Private Transfer: $149
- Cabo San Lucas Port to Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) - Departure Private Transfer: $74
- Cabo San Lucas Port to Los Cabos Airport (SJD) - Departure Private Transferl : $101
Is it cheaper to fly into Kingston or Cabo San Lucas?
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and Kingston 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 dayKingston $44Cabo San Lucas $80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cabo San Lucas
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cabo San Lucas.
- Authentic Mexican Legacy Cooking Class in Cabo San Lucas: $75
- AvoCabo Food Tour : $78
- San Jose del Cabo Food Tour & Visit to the Market: $79
- Seafood Galore, Los Cabos Food Tour: $80
- Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise: Fajitas, Lands End and Party: $85
- Private Mexican Cooking Class in Your Cabo San Lucas Villa or Condo: $90
- Catch of the day dinner in your private villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $90
- San José del Cabo for Meat Lovers Food Tour: $90
- Sunset Mexican Dinner Cruise and Live Music in Cabo San Lucas: $95
- Parrillada dinner with a Private Chef in your villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose: $95
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with Tequila & tacos: $95
- Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Music & Open Bar on Cabo Wave: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kingston $12Cabo San Lucas $39
Tours and Activities in Kingston
Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Art Walk Sunday Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $9.78
- Walking Tour with Mural Exploration: $26
- Bob Marley Museum Entry Ticket: $30
- Kingston Creative: Mural Art Walking Tour: $31
- Club Kingston VIP Departure Lounge Experience: $38
- Mural Tours in the Downtown Kingston Art District, Jamaica: $40
- Reggae Legend - Bob Marley Museum Tour Tickets: $41
- Bamboo Rafting Adventure in Ocho Rios : $62
- Devon House Heritage Tour with Ice Cream from Kingston: $63
- Devon House Tour with Ice Cream from Kingston: $64
- Private Bob Marley Tour Experience: $65
- Kingston City Guided Tour - Classic: $69
Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Shared Experience Glass Bottom Boat to the Arch in Cabo San Lucas: $15
- Boat Tour to Cabo San Lucas Arch and Rock Formations: $17
- The Ultimate Camel Safari Experience in Los Cabos: $17
- Glass bottom boat tour: $19
- Cabo San Lucas Arch Tour and we go down to Playa del Amor: $19
- Cabo San Lucas Arc Group Tour in Glass Bottom Boat: $20
- Group tour of the Cabo San Lucas Arch: $20
- 2 in 1 Tour | Arc Tour with Beach Drop: $20
- Tour to Arch in the Clear Boat Cruise Ship Terminal Hotel Pickup!: $21
- Tour to the Arch with Natural Views from Cabo San Lucas: $22
- Glass Bottom Boat Sightseeing Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $23
- Tour to Arch in the only Clear Boat in Cabo Cruise Hotel PICKUP!: $24
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKingston $11Cabo San Lucas $26
Sample the Local Flavors in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:
- Cabo Bar Crawl - The BEST Bar and Clubs in Cabo : $60
- Wine Tasting Sunset Cruise Tour in San Jose del Cabo: $280
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kingston and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is Kingston much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kingston is in Caribbean Islands and Cabo San Lucas is in North America, 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 Cabo San Lucas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cabo San Lucas 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 Kingston Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kingston or Cabo San Lucas?
Kingston has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Cabo San Lucas. When comparing the sizes of Kingston and Cabo San Lucas, 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.
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.