Which place is cheaper, Quepos or Kingston?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Kingston or Quepos?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Kingston or Quepos, 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 Quepos?
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.
Quepos
Quepos is both a district and the capital of Aguirre canton in the Puntareanas Province of Costa Rica. The town is quite small, and the district has a population of about 22,000 people. Quepos is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica due to its close proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Coast. The town's economy is centered around tourism and there is no shortage of bars and restaurants in the area. The town also has a lively nightlife for such a small community.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica.
-
Kingston Prices
Jamaica PricesQuepos Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKingston $123Quepos $139
The average daily cost (per person) in Kingston is $123, while the average daily cost in Quepos is $139. 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 Quepos in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKingston $62Quepos $76
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKingston $124Quepos $152
Compare Hotels in Kingston and Quepos
Looking for a hotel in Kingston or Quepos? 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 Quepos Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kingston $28Quepos $9.55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:
- Transfer for Kingston Airport to and from Hotels in Montego Bay: $173
- Runaway Bay Hotels Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport(KIN): $261
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport Across Jamaica: $49
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport (KIN) Across Jamaica: $24
- Private Transfer To & From New Kingston to Norman Manley Airport: $40
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Kingston International Airport (KIN): $34
- Private Arrivals or Departures Transfer: Norman Manley Airport to Kingston : $136
- Private Arrival Transfer: Kingston International Airport to Hotel: $53
- Port Antonio Hotel Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport(KIN): $235
- NMIA & Kingston transfer to Negril: $225
- Montego Bay: 5-Day Jamaica Tour with Meals and Transfers: $2,200
- Tropical Off-Road ATV Tour with Lunch and Transfer: $369
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private One Way Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San José (Airport SJO): $220
- Private Transfer: SJO Airport to Manuel Antonio with Scenic Stop.: $203
- Private Transfer: SJO Airport to/from Manuel Antonio (One Way): $99
- Transfer from Manuel Antonio to SJO Airport and surroundings : $229
Is it cheaper to fly into Kingston or Quepos?
Prices for flights to both Quepos 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 dayKingston $44Quepos $51
Typical Food Prices in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Lunch$15
-
Seafood Dinner (for 1)$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Class in Manuel Antonio with Medicinal Plants Garden Visit: $77
- Cooking Class & Medicinal Plants Garden Manuel Antonio: $77
- Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio: $79
- Local Flavor Cooking Experience: $81
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kingston $12Quepos $17
Tours and Activities in Kingston
Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Appleton Estate Rum Tour and Tasting from Ocho Rios: $232
- Bamboo Rafting Adventure in Ocho Rios : $62
- Bamboo Rafting and Boston Jerk Centre Tour in Portland Jamaica: $220
- Blue Mountain Tour: A Half-Day Escape from Kingston: $1,011
- Blue Mountains Coffee Private Tour from Kingston: $180
- Bob Marley Guided City Tour: $95
- Bob Marley Museum Entry Ticket: $30
- Bob Marley Museum Express Tour from Port Royal Cruise Port: $141
- Bob Marley Museum, Devon House and Downtown Kingston Tour: $134
- City Tour of Kingston Including Entry Fees: $105
- Club Kingston VIP Departure Lounge Experience: $38
- Devon House City Tour Combo: $85
Tours and Activities in Quepos
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $25
- Quepos Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $26
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $27
- Manuel Antonio Park: Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $27
- 2-3-Hour Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $29
- Manuel Antonio National Park guided tour : $29
- Guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park: $29
- Manuel Antonio Park Tour and its Amazing Wildlife and Beaches: $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park guided Tour: $30
- Manuel Antonio with Mauro / Tickets not Included! : $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park: Guided Tour with Beach Time: $30
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayKingston $11Quepos $15
When comparing the travel costs between Kingston and Quepos, we can see that Quepos is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Kingston is in Caribbean Islands and Quepos is in Central America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kingston Expensive? and Is Quepos Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kingston or Quepos?
Kingston has a larger population, and is about 120 times larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of Kingston and Quepos, 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 Quepos?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.
Should I visit Kingston or Quepos in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Kingston as well as Quepos. Kingston attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Quepos throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in Quepos. Kingston usually gets less rain in July than Quepos. Kingston gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Quepos receives 164 mm (6.5 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 summer, Kingston often gets more sunshine than Quepos. Kingston gets 254 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Quepos receives 164 hours of full sun.
Kingston is around the same temperature as Quepos in the summer. The daily temperature in Kingston averages around 29°C (83°F) in July, and Quepos fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyKingston 29°C (83°F)Quepos 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Kingston or Quepos in the Autumn?
Both Quepos and Kingston are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Kingston throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Quepos because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
The dry season in Quepos is December to April. May to November in Quepos is the hurricane season. It rains a lot this time of the year in Quepos. It's quite rainy in Kingston. In October, Kingston usually receives less rain than Quepos. Kingston gets 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain, while Quepos receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Kingston. Kingston usually receives more sunshine than Quepos during autumn. Kingston gets 229 hours of sunny skies, while Quepos receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In the autumn, Kingston is around the same temperature as Quepos. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Kingston in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Quepos averages at about 27°C (81°F).
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKingston 28°C (82°F)Quepos 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Kingston or Quepos in the Winter?
Both Quepos and Kingston during the winter 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 Quepos year-round.
Kingston usually gets more rain in January than Quepos. Kingston gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Quepos receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
In Quepos, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Kingston. In the winter, Kingston often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Quepos. Kingston gets 257 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Quepos receives 264 hours of full sun.
In January, Kingston is generally around the same temperature as Quepos. Daily temperatures in Kingston average around 26°C (79°F), and Quepos fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKingston 26°C (79°F)Quepos 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Kingston or Quepos in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Kingston and Quepos. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kingston year-round. Quepos attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
December to April in Quepos is the dry season. The hurricane season in Quepos is May to November. In April, Kingston usually receives around the same amount of rain as Quepos. Kingston gets 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Quepos receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Quepos this time of the year. In Kingston, it's very sunny this time of the year. Kingston usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Quepos during spring. Kingston gets 251 hours of sunny skies, while Quepos receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.
Kingston is cooler than Quepos in the spring. The daily temperature in Kingston averages around 26°C (80°F) in April, and Quepos fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilKingston 26°C (80°F)Quepos 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for Quepos and Kingston
| Kingston | Quepos | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (79°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (80°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (83°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 29°C (83°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (83°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 29°C (83°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 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.