Which place is cheaper, Santa Monica or Kingston?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kingston or Santa Monica?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Kingston or Santa Monica, 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 Santa Monica?
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.
Santa Monica
When it comes to visiting Los Angeles, Santa Monica is high on the must-see-and-do list. Chances are you'll recognize the iconic ferris wheel from Pacific Park in films and TV shows, and nothing beats the relaxed yet bustling vibe of this laid-back city.
Santa Monica is a popular and diverse beach town, cultural hub, fitness venue, shopping district, and neighborhood full of unique and trendy restaurants, all rolled into one. Visited by more than 6 million people a year, it's no wonder you'll always find a crowd there.
So whether you're up for a high-end shopping spree, bicycling down the waterfront, an eclectic food crawl or simply a stroll down the promenade, Santa Monica is sure to have something in store for you.
The weather in Santa Monica is moderate, with average summer highs in the low to mid 70s and winter climate that rests comfortably around the low 50s. Though flip flops and sandals are considered year-round footwear in Los Angeles, bring comfortable walking shoes for browsing galleries, malls, and boutiques. Santa Monica is the perfect place to break out your California-casual wardrobe.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from New York City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKingston $109Santa Monica $210
The average daily cost (per person) in Kingston is $109, while the average daily cost in Santa Monica is $210. 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 Santa Monica in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKingston $64Santa Monica $123
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKingston $128Santa Monica $246
Compare Hotels in Kingston and Santa Monica
Looking for a hotel in Kingston or Santa Monica? 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 Santa Monica Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kingston $30Santa Monica $50
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 Airport (KIN) to Montego Bay Port: $118
- Private Transfer from Kingston Hotels to Montego Bay Cruise 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 Santa Monica
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santa Monica:
- Santa Monica to Long Beach Airport (LGB) - Deparure Private Transfer: $80
- Santa Monica to Los Angeles Airport Departure Private Transfer: $74
Is it cheaper to fly into Kingston or Santa Monica?
Prices for flights to both Santa Monica 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
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Food Meals for one dayKingston $27Santa Monica $52
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Monica
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santa Monica.
- Flavors of Venice Beach Food Tour: $96
- Los Angeles Premier Dinner Cruise from Marina del Rey: $124
- Marina del Rey Christmas Day Buffet Dinner Cruise: $175
- Marina del Rey Christmas Eve Buffet Dinner Cruise: $175
- Marina del Rey Father's Day Plated Dinner Cruise: $222
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kingston $13Santa Monica $38
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 Santa Monica
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santa Monica are as follows:
- LA & Self-Guided Aerospace Legacy Audio Tour: $15
- Explore Malibu's Coast: PCH & Beyond - Self Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Santa Monica Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour and Game: $22
- Santa Monica Ghosts Haunted Ghost Tour on the Pier: $30
- Santa Monica Puzzling Adventure: $35
- Santa Monica Downtown Walking Tour: $40
- Santa Monica Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour: $44
- Virtual Reality Escape Room Experience: $45
- Onewheel Board Experience: $60
- Los Angeles: Latin Dance Club Crawl Experience: $65
- 4.5 Hour Venice Beach Open Air Van Tour: $65
- Sights and Sips Cruise Tour in Marina del Rey: $69
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKingston $11Santa Monica $21
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Santa Monica
Also in Santa Monica, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Private Vintage VW Hippie Tour to Malibu with wine tasting: $195
- Vintage VW Hippie Shared Tour to Malibu with Wine Tasting: $199
- Charcuterie Board and Wine Tasting in Marina Bay: $300
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kingston and Santa Monica, we can see that Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica is in North 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 Santa Monica would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kingston or Santa Monica?
Kingston has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Santa Monica. When comparing the sizes of Kingston and Santa Monica, 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 Santa Monica?
Santa Monica has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Kingston experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Kingston or Santa Monica in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Kingston and Santa Monica. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kingston year-round. Furthermore, most visitors come to Santa Monica for the beaches and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Kingston is generally a little warmer than Santa Monica. Daily temperatures in Kingston average around 29°C (83°F), and Santa Monica fluctuates around 70°F (21°C).
In July, Kingston usually receives more rain than Santa Monica. Kingston gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Santa Monica receives 0 inches (0 mm) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKingston 29°C (83°F)Santa Monica 70°F (21°C)
Should I visit Kingston or Santa Monica in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Kingston as well as Santa Monica. Kingston attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the autumn months attract visitors to Santa Monica because of the shopping scene.
Kingston is a little warmer than Santa Monica in the autumn. The daily temperature in Kingston averages around 28°C (82°F) in October, and Santa Monica fluctuates around 67°F (20°C).
Kingston receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Kingston usually gets more rain in October than Santa Monica. Kingston gets 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain, while Santa Monica receives 0.2 inches (6 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKingston 28°C (82°F)Santa Monica 67°F (20°C)
Should I visit Kingston or Santa Monica in the Winter?
Both Santa Monica and Kingston are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Kingston throughout the year. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Santa Monica this time of year.
In the winter, Kingston is much warmer than Santa Monica. Typically, the winter temperatures in Kingston in January average around 26°C (79°F), and Santa Monica averages at about 57°F (14°C).
In January, Kingston usually receives around the same amount of rain as Santa Monica. Kingston gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Santa Monica receives 0.7 inches (17 mm) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKingston 26°C (79°F)Santa Monica 57°F (14°C)
Should I visit Kingston or Santa Monica in the Spring?
Both Santa Monica 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. Also, many travelers come to Santa Monica for the beaches.
In April, Kingston is generally much warmer than Santa Monica. Daily temperatures in Kingston average around 26°C (80°F), and Santa Monica fluctuates around 61°F (16°C).
Kingston usually gets more rain in April than Santa Monica. Kingston gets 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Santa Monica receives 0.2 inches (4 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKingston 26°C (80°F)Santa Monica 61°F (16°C)
Typical Weather for Santa Monica and Kingston
| Kingston | Santa Monica | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 57°F (14°C) | 0.7 inches (17 mm) |
| Feb | 26°C (79°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 58°F (15°C) | 0.9 inches (24 mm) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 58°F (15°C) | 0.4 inches (10 mm) |
| Apr | 26°C (80°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 61°F (16°C) | 0.2 inches (4 mm) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 63°F (17°C) | 0 inches (1 mm) |
| Jun | 28°C (83°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 66°F (19°C) | 0 inches (0 mm) |
| Jul | 29°C (83°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 70°F (21°C) | 0 inches (0 mm) |
| Aug | 29°C (83°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 71°F (22°C) | 0 inches (0 mm) |
| Sep | 29°C (83°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) | 70°F (21°C) | 0 inches (1 mm) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) | 67°F (20°C) | 0.2 inches (6 mm) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 62°F (17°C) | 0.2 inches (5 mm) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 58°F (14°C) | 0.6 inches (15 mm) |
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.