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

Should you visit Kingston or San Pedro?

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

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

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.

San Pedro

San Pedro is the largest town on Ambergris Caye, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Belize. Here you can find a tropical paradise with warm weather, clear blue waters, plenty of activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving, and a host of hotels, restaurants, and other amenities.

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


Which place is cheaper, San Pedro or Kingston?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Kingston is $123, while the average daily cost in San Pedro is $163. 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 San Pedro in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kingston $62
    San Pedro $66
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kingston $124
    San Pedro $132
Compare Hotels in Kingston and San Pedro

Looking for a hotel in Kingston or San Pedro? 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 San Pedro


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kingston $28
    San Pedro $34

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:

  • From Kingston Airport: One Way Shared Transfer to Kingston: $19
  • From One Way Shared Transfer to Kingston Airport: $19
  • Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport (KIN) Across Jamaica: $24
  • Private Transfer from Kingston's Airport: $32
  • Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Kingston International Airport (KIN): $34
  • Kingston Airport Transfers Private Taxi Service***: $37
  • Private Transfer To & From New Kingston to Norman Manley Airport: $40
  • Kingston Norman Manley Airport (KIN) to Kingston - Arrival Private Transfer: $42
  • From One Way Shared Transfer to Port Antonio: $47
  • Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport Across Jamaica: $49
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Kingston International Airport to Hotel: $53
  • From One Way Shared Transfer to Montego Bay: $69

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro

Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Pedro:

  • Cave Tubing and Zipline Adventure (Boat Transfer): $210

Is it cheaper to fly into Kingston or San Pedro?

Prices for flights to both San Pedro 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 $44
    San Pedro $69

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro

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

  • Maya Sunset Dinner Feast: $49
  • The Maya Dinner Experience: Season 2: $111
  • The Garifuna Dinner Experience: Season I: $111

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kingston $12
    San Pedro $33

Tours and Activities in Kingston

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

  • Art Walk Sunday Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $9.78
  • Walking Tour with Mural Exploration: $26
  • Bob Marley Museum Entry Ticket: $30
  • Kingston Creative: Mural Art Walking Tour: $31
  • Club Kingston VIP Departure Lounge Experience: $38
  • Mural Tours in the Downtown Kingston Art District, Jamaica: $40
  • Reggae Legend - Bob Marley Museum Tour Tickets: $41
  • Bamboo Rafting Adventure in Ocho Rios : $62
  • Devon House Heritage Tour with Ice Cream from Kingston: $63
  • Devon House Tour with Ice Cream from Kingston: $64
  • Private Bob Marley Tour Experience: $65
  • Kingston City Guided Tour - Classic: $69

Tours and Activities in San Pedro

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

  • The Maya Brunch Experience: $44
  • 3 Hours Barrier Reef Tour in Caye Caulker, Belize: $59
  • Haunted Tales of the Maya: Cocktail | Dessert Experience: $66
  • Ambergris Caye Food and History Tour: $75
  • Half Day Snorkeling Tour Caye Caulker: $80
  • Ambergris Caye Sunset Sail Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $85
  • Belizean Food Experience: $87
  • San Pedro Local Diving Experience : $97
  • Hol Chan Full-Day Bucket List Snorkeling and Marine Life Tour: $99
  • Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $99
  • Caye Caulker Private Camping Adventure: $100
  • Belize Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley Snorkel Tour - Ambergris Caye: $113

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kingston $11
    San Pedro $16


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kingston and San Pedro, we can see that San Pedro 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 San Pedro 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 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 San Pedro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Pedro 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 San Pedro Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Kingston or San Pedro?

Kingston has a larger population, and is about 110 times larger than the population of San Pedro. When comparing the sizes of Kingston and San Pedro, 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 San Pedro?

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 San Pedro in the Summer?

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

San Pedro receives a lot of rain in the summer. In July, Kingston usually receives less rain than San Pedro. Kingston gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while San Pedro receives 243 mm (9.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Pedro this time of the year. In Kingston, it's very sunny this time of the year. Kingston usually receives more sunshine than San Pedro during summer. Kingston gets 254 hours of sunny skies, while San Pedro receives 226 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Kingston is generally around the same temperature as San Pedro. Daily temperatures in Kingston average around 29°C (83°F), and San Pedro fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Kingston 29°C (83°F) 
    San Pedro 28°C (82°F)

Should I visit Kingston or San Pedro in the Autumn?

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

It's quite rainy in San Pedro. Kingston receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Kingston usually gets less rain in October than San Pedro. Kingston gets 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain, while San Pedro receives 255 mm (10 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 San Pedro. Kingston gets 229 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Pedro receives 196 hours of full sun.

Kingston is around the same temperature as San Pedro in the autumn. The daily temperature in Kingston averages around 28°C (82°F) in October, and San Pedro fluctuates around 26°C (80°F).


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Kingston 28°C (82°F) 
    San Pedro 26°C (80°F)

Should I visit Kingston or San Pedro in the Winter?

Both San Pedro 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 San Pedro because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

It rains a lot this time of the year in San Pedro. In January, Kingston usually receives less rain than San Pedro. Kingston gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while San Pedro receives 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Kingston. Kingston usually receives more sunshine than San Pedro during winter. Kingston gets 257 hours of sunny skies, while San Pedro receives 199 hours of full sun in the winter.

In the winter, Kingston is around the same temperature as San Pedro. Typically, the winter temperatures in Kingston in January average around 26°C (79°F), and San Pedro averages at about 24°C (74°F).


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Kingston 26°C (79°F) 
    San Pedro 24°C (74°F)

Should I visit Kingston or San Pedro in the Spring?

Both San Pedro 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 San Pedro year-round.

Kingston usually gets less rain in April than San Pedro. Kingston gets 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while San Pedro receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.

In San Pedro, 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 San Pedro. Kingston gets 251 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Pedro receives 256 hours of full sun.

In April, Kingston is generally around the same temperature as San Pedro. Daily temperatures in Kingston average around 26°C (80°F), and San Pedro fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Kingston 26°C (80°F) 
    San Pedro 27°C (80°F)

Typical Weather for San Pedro and Kingston

Kingston San Pedro
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 26°C (79°F) 18 mm (0.7 in) 24°C (74°F) 138 mm (5.4 in)
Feb 26°C (79°F) 16 mm (0.6 in) 24°C (76°F) 73 mm (2.9 in)
Mar 26°C (80°F) 14 mm (0.6 in) 26°C (78°F) 25 mm (1 in)
Apr 26°C (80°F) 27 mm (1.1 in) 27°C (80°F) 52 mm (2 in)
May 28°C (82°F) 100 mm (3.9 in) 28°C (82°F) 105 mm (4.1 in)
Jun 28°C (83°F) 83 mm (3.3 in) 28°C (82°F) 258 mm (10.2 in)
Jul 29°C (83°F) 40 mm (1.6 in) 28°C (82°F) 243 mm (9.6 in)
Aug 29°C (83°F) 81 mm (3.2 in) 28°C (82°F) 187 mm (7.4 in)
Sep 29°C (83°F) 107 mm (4.2 in) 28°C (82°F) 287 mm (11.3 in)
Oct 28°C (82°F) 167 mm (6.6 in) 26°C (80°F) 255 mm (10 in)
Nov 28°C (82°F) 61 mm (2.4 in) 25°C (77°F) 183 mm (7.2 in)
Dec 27°C (80°F) 31 mm (1.2 in) 25°C (76°F) 138 mm (5.4 in)