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

Should you visit Kingston or Rosario Islands?

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

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

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.

Rosario Islands

The Rosario Islands, also referred to as Coral Islands of Rosario, is an archipelago located off the coast of Colombia, approximately 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Cartagena. The Rosario Islands are integrated by 28 islands and all of them form one of the 46 Natural National Parks of Colombia, created to protect one of the most important coral reefs in the Colombian Caribbean Coast. Only three of these islands are property of the Colombian state. Before establishing the national park in 1977, wealthy families used this natural paradise to build their summer houses, but then the government allowed them to keep their properties, only if they paid annual rent and taxes to be there, and complied with certain rules to preserve the ecosystem of the islands. People can visit the national park area of the islands, and tours are available. Isla Rosario has an aquarium and open-sea oceanarium that people can visit. Activities on the Rosario Islands include swimming, snorkeling and fishing, among others. The best time to visit Colombia in general, and especially the Rosario Islands is the dry-season months from December to March. These uninterrupted sunny days are just perfect for a Caribbean coastal experience and to enjoy all the activities it has to offer.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Colombia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Colombia.


Which place is cheaper, Rosario Islands 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 Rosario Islands is $89. 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 Rosario Islands in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kingston $64
    Rosario Islands $34
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kingston $128
    Rosario Islands $68
Compare Hotels in Kingston and Rosario Islands

Looking for a hotel in Kingston or Rosario Islands? 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 Rosario Islands


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 Rosario Islands Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kingston $30
    Rosario Islands $47

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:

  • Kingston Airport Private Transfer to Riu Ocho Rios: $200
  • 10. Norman Manley Intl Kingston Airport Fun-Transfer to/from Montego Bay Resorts: $125
  • Airport Transfer Norman Manley international airport: $30
  • Airport Transfer in Kingston: $50
  • All Island Private Transfer To/From Kingston Airport (KIN): $22
  • From Montego Bay Airport (MBJ): Private Transfer to Kingston: $388
  • Kingston : Private Airport Transfer to Montego Bay: $169
  • Kingston Airport Taxi Transfers Private ***: $47
  • Kingston Airport Transfers to Runaway Bay: $127
  • Kingston International Airport Jamaica - Private Arrival or Depature transfer : $73
  • Kingston Private Airport Transfer : $161
  • Kingston Private Airport Transfer to Accommodation in Montego Bay: $170

Is it cheaper to fly into Kingston or Rosario Islands?

Prices for flights to both Rosario Islands 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
    Rosario Islands $28

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kingston $13
    Rosario Islands $14

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: $26
  • 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

Tours and Activities in Rosario Islands

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

  • One-day tour to Playa Blanca by land Popular sector: $45

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kingston $11
    Rosario Islands $6.12

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


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

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