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

Should you visit Kingston or Salento?

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

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

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.

Salento

Founded in 1850, Salento is one of the oldest towns in Quindio. This colonial Colombian town has retained much of its old world charm, with its colorful buildings, large square and, of course, the obligatory church. Because the main route between Cali and Bogota which used to pass through Salento was diverted, the town didn't develop as quickly as others in the Quindio region. This gave Salento the opportunity to evolve into a thriving community of craftsmen and artisans as well as remaining one of the region's most prolific coffee producers. Salento is located 24 km northeast of the departmental capital Armenia. However, unlike its colorful neighbor, Armenia itself has very little to offer tourists. Salento attracts those wishing to learn about the coffee regions and for those who simply admire breathtaking scenery, and especially the stunning Cocora Valley.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia.


Which place is cheaper, Salento 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 Salento is $33. 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 Salento in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kingston $64
    Salento $11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kingston $128
    Salento $22
Compare Hotels in Kingston and Salento

Looking for a hotel in Kingston or Salento? 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 Salento


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 Salento Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kingston $30
    Salento $14

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 Salento

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Salento:

  • Pereira Airport Private Transfer Service: $55

Is it cheaper to fly into Kingston or Salento?

Prices for flights to both Salento 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
    Salento $9.56

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Salento

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Salento.

  • Cooking Stories - Cocinando Historias: $46

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kingston $13
    Salento $12

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 Salento

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

  • City tour + Nature: $25
  • Coffee tour in the heart of the coffee region: $28
  • Santa Rita Waterfall and Salento Hike Tour: $49
  • Filandia and Salento Coffee Towns Tour: $62
  • Private Colombian Coffee Farm Tour with Tastings in Armenia: $78
  • Cocora Valley and Salento Hike Tour: $79
  • Coffee Tour at Finca El Ocaso: $84
  • Coffee Farm and Salento Walking Tour with Lunch: $87
  • Coffe Experience: Daily departure from Salento: $89
  • Pereira: Cocora Valley and Salento Guided Hiking Tour: $89
  • Private birding tour for beginners and intermediate: $90
  • Coffee Tour and Salento Walking Tour with lunch: $94

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kingston $11
    Salento $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 Salento, we can see that Kingston is more expensive. And not only is Salento much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kingston is in Caribbean Islands and Salento 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 Salento would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salento 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 Salento.

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


Which is Bigger, Kingston or Salento?

Kingston has a larger population, and is about 230 times larger than the population of Salento. When comparing the sizes of Kingston and Salento, 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.