Which place is cheaper, Cancun 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 Cancun?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Kingston or Cancun, 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 Cancun?
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.
Cancun
In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.
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Kingston Prices
Jamaica PricesCancun Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKingston $125Cancun $155
The average daily cost (per person) in Kingston is $125, while the average daily cost in Cancun is $155. 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 Cancun in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKingston $63Cancun $90
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKingston $126Cancun $180
Compare Hotels in Kingston and Cancun
Looking for a hotel in Kingston or Cancun? 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 Cancun Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kingston $29Cancun $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:
- Transfer from Norman Manley Airport (KIN) to Kingston Hotels: $150
- Transfer for Kingston Airport to or from Hotels in Falmouth Area: $173
- Runaway Bay Hotels Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport(KIN): $261
- Private Transfers: Kingston Airport ↔ Montego Bay Area: $215
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport Across Jamaica: $49
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport (KIN) Across Jamaica: $25
- Private Transfer to and from Kingston International Airport: $73
- Private Transfer from Kingston hotel to Falmouth Cruise Port: $192
- Private Transfer from Kingston Airport (KIN) to Falmouth Port: $192
- Private Transfer To & From New Kingston to Norman Manley Airport: $40
- Private Transfer Kingston Airport to Hilton Rose Hall: $187
- Private Transfer Kingston Airport (KIN) To & From Sandals South Coast: $240
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
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Taxi Around Town$1.54
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$13
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$15
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Local Bus (for 2)$1.87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Private Transfer Puerto Aventuras: $120
- Airport Transfer (Can-cun, Playa del Carmen & Tulum): $108
- Airport Transfer Cancun: $75
- Airport Transfers to Costa Mujeres - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $218
- Airport Transfers to Puerto Juarez - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $199
- Airport Transfers to Puerto Morelos - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $187
- Airport transfer Cancun to Playa Mujeres for 1 to 8 passengers: $90
- Akumal One Way or Roundtrip Private Luxury Transfer: $291
- Amazing ATV (single) Cenote and Ziplines with Transfer from Playa del Carmen: $101
- Arrival Private Transfer Cancun Airport CUN to Cancun by Minivan or Minibus: $37
- Arrival Private Transfer from Cancun Airport CUN to Tulum by Minivan or Minibus: $165
- Buggy Trip in Cozumel Island with transfer from Riviera Maya: $220
Is it cheaper to fly into Kingston or Cancun?
Prices for flights to both Cancun 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 $45Cancun $45
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour in Cancun with a Local Guide: $59
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Columbus Romantic Dinner in Cancún: $64
- Cancun Food Tour - Taco Attack: Street Food & Tequila Tasting: $69
- Cancun Food Tour: Market 23, Local Flavors & Downtown Culture: $69
- 3hr Cooking Class in Cancun with 9 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $75
- Cancun Historic Downtown Food Tour with 7+ Authentic Tastings: $76
- Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Puerto Morelos Walking Food Tour: $78
- MYST Cancun Tickets Mexican Madness Music Show and Dinner: $79
- Cancun Taco & Mexican Food Tour with Tequila Tasting: $79
- Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kingston $12Cancun $32
Tours and Activities in Kingston
Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- ATV Dirt bike adventure in ocho rios: $130
- Appleton Estate Rum Tour and Tasting from Kingston: $282
- Bamboo Rafting and Boston Jerk Centre Tour in Portland Jamaica: $220
- Blue Mountain Coffee Tasting & Farm Tour from Kingston: $150
- Bluehole, Dunn's River Falls and Port Royal all in one tour: $690
- Bob Marley Guided City Tour: $95
- Bob Marley Museum Entry Ticket: $30
- Bob Marley Museum and Kingston Sightseeing from Port Royal Cruise Port: $205
- Bob Marley Museum, Devon House and Downtown Kingston Tour: $125
- Bunny Lee Museum and Recording Studio Admission Ticket: $30
- Club Kingston VIP Departure Lounge Experience: $38
- Cultural City Tour of Kingston: $105
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Seasick Pills$0.55
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$94
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cancun's Hidden Gems: A Self-Guided Tour: $1.12
- 7 Days Self Guided AI Audio Tours to Cancun and Yucatan: $11
- Speedboat and Snorkeling Adventure in Cancun: $13
- Shared Speedboat and Snorkeling Adventure in Cancun: $14
- Discover Isla Mujeres tour with snorkel, buffet and open bar: $15
- Speedboat Jungle Tour and Snorkel: $15
- Cancun Beach Taco Tour Culinary Journey with Tequila Tasting: $15
- Chichen Itza Full Day Tour With Cenote Swim: $16
- Isla Mujeres, Catamaran tour in one day for one price: $16
- Catamaran to Isla Mujeres Snorkeling, Beach Club and Lunch Tour: $16
- Isla Mujeres tour from Cancún (open bar, lunch ): $16
- Cancun Clearboat Tour express tour for photos!: $16
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKingston $11Cancun $12
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- A bespoke wine tastings crafted for unforgettable moments: $82
- Bar Crawl Madness Tour in Cancun: $115
- Brewery Tour Craft Beer Tasting Cancun Mexico: $130
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kingston and Cancun, we can see that Cancun 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 Cancun 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 Cancun would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cancun 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 Cancun Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kingston or Cancun?
Kingston has a larger population, and is about 73% larger than the population of Cancun. When comparing the sizes of Kingston and Cancun, 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.