Which place is cheaper, Montego Bay or La Plata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Plata or Montego Bay?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between La Plata and Montego Bay can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Plata or Montego Bay?
La Plata
Just over an hour from Buenos Aires, the bustling university city of La Plata is notable for being South America's first planned city. Indeed, also known as the City of Diagonal, La Plata's intricate grid system includes diagonal streets that run through it, contributing to easy navigation but confusing intersections.La Plata is the Capital of the Province of Buenos Aires, the main Argentine state, so you will find lots of elaborate government buildings alongside leafy green plazas in this laid back as well as active city. La Plata is a happening university town with a population of over 700,000. You can walk the width of it in under an hour, stopping at trendy craft beer bars, local music joints, and great restaurants along the way. Also, football is a religion in Argentina and if you're looking for some local atmosphere, La Plata is the place to go! Two of Argentina's biggest football teams, Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata and Estudiantes de La Plata challenge each other each year. If you are around during that special day for the city, you will witness thousands of fans wearing the relevant colours heading off to watch the match and parade by calle 7.
Montego Bay
As with most places around the tropical oasis of Jamaica, Montego Bay (or "MoBay") is an ideal place to visit for a Caribbean getaway. It is Jamaica's second largest city and the capital of St. James parish on the northern coast. Montego Bay is considered to be the tourist capital of the country and is where the largest airport is located, bringing in many international travelers.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Plata $8.62Montego Bay $203
The average daily cost (per person) in La Plata is $8.62, while the average daily cost in Montego Bay is $203. 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 La Plata and Montego Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Plata $3.47Montego Bay $104
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Plata $6.94Montego Bay $208
Compare Hotels in La Plata and Montego Bay
Looking for a hotel in La Plata or Montego Bay? 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: La Plata Hotel Prices and Montego Bay Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Plata $2.47Montego Bay $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- Private Airport OneWay Transfer to Hotel in Montego Bay : $300
- Private Transfer from Montego Bay Airport To Ocho Rios: $267
- Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Kingston Hotels: $245
- Private Transfer to Island Gully Falls: $240
- Black River and YS Falls Adventure with Transfer: $235
- Private Transfer to Kingston: $215
- Kingston Airport Transfer (Montego bay,Negril,Ocho rio): $214
- Negril Hotels / Resort - Airport Transfers: $213
- Iberostar Airport Transfers Montego Bay MBJ (Private Roundtrip): $200
- Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Kingston Hotels: $195
- Jewel Resort Transfer: $192
- Luxury Suburban Private Airport Transfer with Chauffeur : $192
Is it cheaper to fly into La Plata or Montego Bay?
Prices for flights to both Montego Bay and La Plata 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 dayLa Plata $3.37Montego Bay $84
Typical Food Prices in La Plata
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to La Plata:
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Ice Cream$0.01
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
- Private Transportation to DINNER or NIGHT CLUBS: $55
- Lunch or Dinner with Pickup from Montego Bay : $81
- Night cruise and swim the Falmouth Mystic Lagoon, Dinner and Rum Punch Inclusive: $85
- Rick’s Cafe Cliff Diving, Sunset & Dinner Tour with Transportation : $130
- Sunset Boat Ride in the Falmouth Luminous Lagoon swim and Dinner : $165
- Sunset Boat Cruise in Falmouth Luminous Lagoon, Swim and Dinner : $170
- Restaurant Transportation for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Montego Bay: $180
- Houseboat Restaurant and Grill for Dinner Private Transportation : $180
- Private Sea-Food Tour & Floyds Pelican Bar from Montego Bay or ..: $185
- [PRIVATE] Premium Jamaican Food Tour of Local Cuisine: $190
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Plata $2.16Montego Bay $32
Typical Entertainment Prices in La Plata
For La Plata, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Sciencias Naturales Museum Entrance Fee$0.01
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montego Bay
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:
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Admission to Doctor's Cave Beach$2.74
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Snorkeling Trip$19
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One Tank Dive$38
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1.5 Hr Horseback Ride$44
Tours and Activities in Montego Bay
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:
- ATV Adventure to Seven Mile Beach and Ricks Cafe: $220
- ATV, Bamboo Rafting, and Horseback Ride Tour From Montego Bay: $173
- Appleton Estate Rum Tour and Pelican Bar Customize Tour: $120
- Bioluminescence Lagoon tour from Montego Bay with Pick Up: $105
- Black River Day Adventure Tour: $92
- Blue Hole Adventure Tour : $120
- Dirt Adventure ATV from Montego Bay: $160
- Floyds Pelican Bar Private Tour : $155
- Green Grotto Cave Private Tour: $115
- Horseback Riding and Tour from Montego Bay : $230
- Jetski Experience: $245
- Luminous Lagoon Night Tour from Montego Bay: $118
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Plata $1.20Montego Bay $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Montego Bay
Also in Montego Bay, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Appleton Estate Admission Ticket & Distillery Tour with Tastings: $39
- Montego Bay Jamaica Rum Distillery Tour Private Driver: $215
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Plata and Montego Bay, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is La Plata much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Plata is in South America and Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands, 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 La Plata would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Plata 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 Montego Bay would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montego Bay than you might in La Plata.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Plata Expensive? and Is Montego Bay Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Plata or Montego Bay?
La Plata has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of La Plata and Montego Bay, 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 La Plata or Montego Bay?
La Plata has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Montego Bay experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit La Plata or Montego Bay in the Summer?
Both Montego Bay and La Plata during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montego Bay year-round.
La Plata is cooler than Montego Bay in the summer. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 25°C (77°F) in January, and Montego Bay fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in July.
In Montego Bay, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Montego Bayin July. La Plata gets 191 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montego Bay receives 257 hours of full sun.
La Plata usually gets more rain in January than Montego Bayin July. La Plata gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyLa Plata 25°C (77°F)Montego Bay 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Montego Bay in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both La Plata and Montego Bay. Montego Bay attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the autumn, La Plata is cooler than Montego Bay. Typically, the autumn temperatures in La Plata in April average around 18°C (65°F), and Montego Bay averages at about 27°C (81°F)in October.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Montego Bay this time of the year. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Montego Bay during autumn. La Plata gets 156 hours of sunny skies, while Montego Bay receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Montego Bay receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In April, La Plata usually receives less rain than Montego Bayin October. La Plata gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberLa Plata 18°C (65°F)Montego Bay 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Montego Bay in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to La Plata as well as Montego Bay. The warm climate attracts visitors to Montego Bay throughout the year.
In July, La Plata is generally much colder than Montego Bayin January. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 12°C (53°F), and Montego Bay fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montego Bay. In the winter, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Montego Bayin January. La Plata gets 102 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montego Bay receives 226 hours of full sun.
La Plata usually gets less rain in July than Montego Bayin January. La Plata gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLa Plata 12°C (53°F)Montego Bay 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Montego Bay in the Spring?
Both Montego Bay and La Plata are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Montego Bay because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
La Plata is cooler than Montego Bay in the spring. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 18°C (64°F) in October, and Montego Bay fluctuates around 25°C (77°F)in April.
It's quite sunny in Montego Bay. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Montego Bay during spring. La Plata gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Montego Bay receives 225 hours of full sun in the spring.
It's quite rainy in La Plata. In October, La Plata usually receives more rain than Montego Bayin April. La Plata gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilLa Plata 18°C (64°F)Montego Bay 25°C (77°F)
Typical Weather for Montego Bay and La Plata
| La Plata | Montego Bay | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (77°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (75°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Mar | 22°C (71°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Apr | 18°C (65°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jun | 12°C (53°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 12°C (53°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (55°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 15°C (59°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Oct | 18°C (64°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Nov | 21°C (69°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Dec | 23°C (74°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 100 mm (3.9 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.