A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Kingston vs. Granada for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Kingston or Granada?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Kingston or Granada, 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 Granada?

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.

Granada

Granada is Nicaragua's oldest colonial city, and arguably, the most beautiful city in the country. It sits on the northern edge of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca) and has many beautifully colored buildings and nice churches. The city's beauty and colonial architecture, along with its relative safety and accessibility, make it one of Nicaragua's top tourist destinations. The city has long been a center for commerce, but today its economy depends heavily on tourism. The city is the sixth largest in Nicaragua and a real estate boom in the early 2000's brought a large number of expats to the town.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, and The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua.


Which place is cheaper, Granada or Kingston?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Kingston is $109, while the average daily cost in Granada is $40. 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 Granada in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kingston $64
    Granada $17
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kingston $128
    Granada $34
Compare Hotels in Kingston and Granada

Looking for a hotel in Kingston or Granada? 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 Kingston


Hotels in Granada


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 Granada Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kingston $30
    Granada $8.57

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:

  • All Island Private Transfer To/From Kingston Airport (KIN): $22
  • MBJ Airport Transfer to/ from Hotels : $25
  • Airport Transfer Norman Manley international airport: $30
  • Private Transfer to/from Kingston Airport: $42
  • Kingston Airport Taxi Transfers Private ***: $47
  • Airport Transfer in Kingston: $50
  • Kingston International Airport Jamaica - Private Arrival or Depature transfer : $73
  • Private Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport: $90
  • Private Transfer from Kingston Hotels to Montego Bay Cruise Port: $118
  • Private Transfer from Kingston Airport (KIN) to Montego Bay Port: $118
  • 10. Norman Manley Intl Kingston Airport Fun-Transfer to/from Montego Bay Resorts: $125
  • Kingston Airport Transfers to Runaway Bay: $127

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:

  • One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Kingston or Granada?

Prices for flights to both Granada 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Kingston $27
    Granada $14

Typical Food Prices in Granada

Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:


  • Pizza
    $2.29

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kingston $13
    Granada $10

Tours and Activities in Kingston

Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Walking Tour with Mural Exploration: $25
  • Montego Bay: All inclusive tours: $30
  • Cannabis Shopping Tour with Lunch: $50
  • Ocho Rios Shore Excursion: Bus Tour of Ocho Rios, Fern Gully and Turtle Beach: $62
  • Devon House Heritage Tour with Ice Cream from Kingston: $63
  • Devon House Tour with Ice Cream from Kingston: $64
  • Tour a Jamaican Farm: $70
  • Kingston Half Day Community and Art Tour: $70
  • Kingston City Tour (starting in Kingston): $72
  • Shared Tour: Irie Blue Hole & Secret Falls Adventure Tour from Ocho Rios: $73
  • Friday Evening Kingston Harbour Cruise, Sunday Beach Cruise or Charter Our Boats: $75
  • Bob Marley Museum Tour from Kingston: $81

Typical Entertainment Prices in Granada

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


  • Lago de Nicaragua Boat Tour
    $8.17

Tours and Activities in Granada

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

  • Granada Kayak Tour: $30
  • Colonial Granada Horse Carriage & Walking Tour: $35
  • Paddle Boarding and Meditation Wellness Experience in Las Isletas: $39
  • Las Isletas: Kayak Tour: $39
  • Granada City Tour: $40
  • Granada's City Tour: $40
  • Las Isletas: Boat Tour: $45
  • Masaya Night Tour Minimum 2 People from Granada: $45
  • Las Isletas 2-Hour Kayak Adventure in Granada with Pickup: $48
  • City Walking Tour and Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride: $50
  • Full-Day Tour: Masaya Volcano, Art Market and White Villages: $60
  • Experience Granadas Best Sights Carriage ride + Local Guide: $65

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kingston $11
    Granada $7.50

Sample the Local Flavors in Kingston

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kingston:

  • Ocho Rios Pub Crawl and Sightseeing Tour from Ocho Rios: $185

Typical Alcohol Prices in Granada

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:


  • Tequila
    $1.36


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kingston and Granada, we can see that Kingston is more expensive. And not only is Granada much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kingston is in Caribbean Islands and Granada is in Central 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 Granada would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Granada 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 Kingston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kingston than you might in Granada.

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


Which is Bigger, Kingston or Granada?

Kingston has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Granada. When comparing the sizes of Kingston and Granada, 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 Kingston or Granada?

Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.

Should I visit Kingston or Granada in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Kingston and Granada. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kingston year-round. Granada attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Granada receives a lot of rain in the summer. In July, Kingston usually receives less rain than Granada. Kingston gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Granada receives 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.

In Kingston, it's very sunny this time of the year. Kingston usually receives more sunshine than Granada during summer. Kingston gets 254 hours of sunny skies, while Granada receives 175 hours of full sun in the summer.

Kingston is around the same temperature as Granada in the summer. The daily temperature in Kingston averages around 29°C (83°F) in July, and Granada fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Kingston 29°C (83°F) 
    Granada 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Kingston or Granada in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Kingston as well as Granada. Kingston attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Granada throughout the year.

It's quite rainy in Granada. Kingston receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Kingston usually gets less rain in October than Granada. Kingston gets 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain, while Granada receives 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Kingston this time of the year. In the autumn, Kingston often gets more sunshine than Granada. Kingston gets 229 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Granada receives 195 hours of full sun.

In the autumn, Kingston is around the same temperature as Granada. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Kingston in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Granada averages at about 27°C (81°F).


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Kingston 28°C (82°F) 
    Granada 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Kingston or Granada in the Winter?

Both Granada and Kingston are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Kingston throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Granada because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In January, Kingston usually receives more rain than Granada. Kingston gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Granada receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.

It's quite sunny in Granada. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Kingston. Kingston usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Granada during winter. Kingston gets 257 hours of sunny skies, while Granada receives 244 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Kingston is generally around the same temperature as Granada. Daily temperatures in Kingston average around 26°C (79°F), and Granada fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Kingston 26°C (79°F) 
    Granada 26°C (79°F)

Should I visit Kingston or Granada in the Spring?

Both Granada and Kingston during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Kingston because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Granada year-round.

Kingston usually gets more rain in April than Granada. Kingston gets 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Granada receives 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

In Granada, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Kingston. In the spring, Kingston often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Granada. Kingston gets 251 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Granada receives 242 hours of full sun.

Kingston is around the same temperature as Granada in the spring. The daily temperature in Kingston averages around 26°C (80°F) in April, and Granada fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Kingston 26°C (80°F) 
    Granada 29°C (84°F)

Typical Weather for Granada and Kingston

Kingston Granada
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 26°C (79°F) 18 mm (0.7 in) 26°C (79°F) 4 mm (0.2 in)
Feb 26°C (79°F) 16 mm (0.6 in) 27°C (80°F) 2 mm (0.1 in)
Mar 26°C (80°F) 14 mm (0.6 in) 28°C (82°F) 3 mm (0.1 in)
Apr 26°C (80°F) 27 mm (1.1 in) 29°C (84°F) 6 mm (0.2 in)
May 28°C (82°F) 100 mm (3.9 in) 29°C (84°F) 131 mm (5.2 in)
Jun 28°C (83°F) 83 mm (3.3 in) 28°C (82°F) 196 mm (7.7 in)
Jul 29°C (83°F) 40 mm (1.6 in) 27°C (81°F) 144 mm (5.7 in)
Aug 29°C (83°F) 81 mm (3.2 in) 27°C (81°F) 151 mm (5.9 in)
Sep 29°C (83°F) 107 mm (4.2 in) 27°C (81°F) 210 mm (8.3 in)
Oct 28°C (82°F) 167 mm (6.6 in) 27°C (81°F) 197 mm (7.8 in)
Nov 28°C (82°F) 61 mm (2.4 in) 31°C (88°F) 54 mm (2.1 in)
Dec 27°C (80°F) 31 mm (1.2 in) 26°C (79°F) 11 mm (0.4 in)