Which place is cheaper, Montego Bay or Lisbon?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Lisbon or Montego Bay?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Lisbon or Montego Bay? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Lisbon or Montego Bay?
Lisbon
Portugal's capital city of Lisbon continues to grow in popularity as a travel destination. The cultural scene has come to life in recent years and the city itself is stunningly beautiful. It sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and is made up of hills that create a dramatic and scenic layout. The city has many white-bleached limestone buildings, narrow alleyways, and a laidback charm that appeals to visitors.
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 in Portugal, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Portugal.
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Lisbon Prices
Portugal PricesMontego Bay Prices
Jamaica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLisbon €167Montego Bay €217
The average daily cost (per person) in Lisbon is €167, while the average daily cost in Montego Bay is €217. 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 Lisbon and Montego Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLisbon €63Montego Bay €85
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLisbon €126Montego Bay €170
Compare Hotels in Lisbon and Montego Bay
Looking for a hotel in Lisbon 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: Lisbon Hotel Prices and Montego Bay Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lisbon €25Montego Bay €12
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lisbon
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Lisbon:
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Taxi Ride€6.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lisbon
Also for Lisbon, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lisbon Airport Shared Departure Transfer: $13
- Lisbon Airport Private Transfer to Lisbon: $13
- Transfer Between Airport and City Hotels: $15
- Lisbon Private Airport Departure Transfer: $16
- Private Transfer to/from Lisbon Airport, Train Station or Port: $16
- Lisbon Cruise Port: Private Transfer to hotels or airport: $16
- Airport Private Transfer to/from Lisbon city hotels: $16
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotels to Lisbon Airport or Cruise : $16
- Lisbon Airport (LIS) Private Transfer to Lisbon City/Hotels: $20
- Transfer from Lisbon Airport (LIS) to Lisbon City Center: $22
- Private Transfers, Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais, Ericeira, Setubal: $24
- Jardim do Tabaco Quay Cruise Port to Lisbon - Arrival Private Transfer: $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- VIP Luxury Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Montego Bay/ Falmouth: $70
- Transfer Service, Sangster MBJ Airport From/To Iberostar zone: $61
- Sangster Airport Montego Bay Transfer to Montego Bay or Falmouth: $16
- Sandals South Coast Airport Transfer: $80
- Royalton White Sands Private Airport Transfer: $40
- Royalton Blue Waters & Hideaway by Blue Waters Private Transfer: $35
- Roundtrip Montego Bay Airport Private Transfer to Hotel or Airbnb: $22
- Riu Resorts Airport Transfers Montego Bay MBJ (Private Roundtrip): $169
- Private airport transfer to negril resorts arrival/departure: $17
- Private Transfer/Tours to/from Montego Bay: $60
- Private Transfer to Dunns River Blue Hole Tubing from Montego Bay: $110
- Private Transfer to Dunn's River Falls and Blue Hole: $110
Is it cheaper to fly into Lisbon or Montego Bay?
Prices for flights to both Montego Bay and Lisbon 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 dayLisbon €73Montego Bay €119
Typical Food Prices in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee€2.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pizza Cruise on a Luxury Boat with Open Bar: $29
- Lisbon Sunset DJ Party – Luxury Boat, Pizza & Open Bar: $29
- Lisbon Exclusive Sunset Cruise – Pizza, Open Bar & Dolphins: $29
- Hard Rock Cafe Lisbon with Set Lunch or Dinner : $32
- Sunset DJ Party – Sangria, Pizza & Open Bar : $35
- Traditional Walking Food Tour: $50
- Sangria DJ Party – Luxury Boat, Pizza & Open Bar: $54
- Fado Show and Portuguese Dinner: $57
- Alfama Tour and Live Fado with Traditional Dinner: $58
- Lisbon Sangria – Exclusive Luxury Cruise with Pizza & Music: $59
- Portuguese street food cooking class with Drinks: $59
- Lisbon Fado Experience: Walking Tour, Dinner and Live Music Show: $59
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
- Club2727 Nightlife Experience With Optional Dinner In Montego Bay: $10
- 3 to 5 Hour Private Herbal Tour Shopping and Dinner at Ricks Cafe: $120
- Bar Hopping and Local Food Tour in Jamaica : $130
- Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife Experience: $150
- Dinner Experience and Celebration on the Beach with Decorations : $158
- PRIVATE Food Tour of Local Jamaican Cuisine Montego Bay & Negril: $190
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lisbon €24Montego Bay €26
Tours and Activities in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Unravel Lisbon an Outdoor Charms Self Guided Tour: $1.18
- Alfama and Mouraria Tour - The oldest neighbourhoods in Lisbon: $1.24
- Lisbon Walking Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City: $1.24
- Lisbon Walking Tour: Historic Strolls of the Old Town: $1.76
- Lisbon Walking Tour - Discover Belém and the Discoveries Age: $1.79
- Lisbon Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $3.37
- Lisbon City Center Tour - The Unmissable Lisbon: $3.59
- Self Guided Tour in Lisbon with 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.59
- Lisbon Tour in Walled City and Alfama and Old Town: $3.59
- The Moorish Beyond the Tourist Trail Quarter Free Walking Tour: $3.59
- Lisbon Walking Tour: Historic Strolls of the Old Town: $3.61
- Lisbon (Chiado-Baixa) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.52
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€2.24
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Snorkeling Trip€16
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One Tank Dive€31
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1.5 Hr Horseback Ride€36
Tours and Activities in Montego Bay
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:
- Black River Day Adventure Tour: $92
- Dunn’s River Secret falls with Horse-back&Bamboo Raft Experience: $125
- Falmouth Mystic from Montego Bay Luminous Lagoon Night Tour: $90
- Luminous Lagoon Glow in the Dark Boat Tour from Montego Bay: $65
- Luminous Lagoon Night Tour from Montego Bay: $118
- Private Dolphin Cove Adventure : $250
- 1 Hour Horse Back Riding & Dunn's River Falls Tour Combo: $240
- 3 Hours Private Highlights Tour & Shopping in Montego Bay Jamaica: $100
- 3 Hours Private Tour in Montego Bay From Falmouth: $75
- 7 Mile Beach & Ricks Cafe with free Shopping experience: $50
- ATV Adventure and Rick's Cafe Tour with Transportation: $238
- ATV Jungle Safari Tour from Montego Bay: $125
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLisbon €18Montego Bay €11
Sample the Local Flavors in Lisbon
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lisbon:
- Lisbon Port Wine Tasting at Taylors Shop and Tasting Room: $19
- 1-Hour Portuguese Wine Tasting Session: $22
- Pub Crawl with Open Bar, Shots & VIP Club Entry: $23
- Pub Crawl with Open Bar (Premium Upgrade Available): $23
- Lisbon Pub Crawl: Unlimited Drinks, Shots & V.I.P Club Entry: $23
- Lisbon Pub Crawl: $24
- Lisbon Pub Crawl: $24
- Portuguese Wine Tasting: $25
- Guided Port Wine Tasting Apéritif/Digestif: $28
- Port Wine Tasting Apéritif/Digestif at Portuguese Wine Bar: $29
- Lisbon Wine Tasting: $29
- A Taste of Wine Tasting Experience: $42
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lisbon and Montego Bay, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Lisbon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lisbon is in Europe 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 Lisbon would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lisbon 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 Lisbon.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lisbon Expensive? and Is Montego Bay Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Lisbon or Montego Bay?
Lisbon has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Lisbon 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 Lisbon or Montego Bay?
Lisbon 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 Lisbon or Montego Bay in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Lisbon as well as Montego Bay. Many visitors come to Lisbon in the summer for the beaches, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences. The warm climate attracts visitors to Montego Bay throughout the year.
In July, Lisbon is generally cooler than Montego Bay. Daily temperatures in Lisbon average around 23°C (73°F), and Montego Bay fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montego Bay. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Lisbon this time of the year. In the summer, Lisbon often gets more sunshine than Montego Bay. Lisbon gets 352 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montego Bay receives 257 hours of full sun.
Lisbon usually gets less rain in July than Montego Bay. Lisbon gets 5 mm (0.2 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 JulyLisbon 23°C (73°F)Montego Bay 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Lisbon or Montego Bay in the Autumn?
Both Montego Bay and Lisbon are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Lisbon for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months. Plenty of visitors come to Montego Bay because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Lisbon is cooler than Montego Bay in the autumn. The daily temperature in Lisbon averages around 19°C (66°F) in October, and Montego Bay fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
It's quite sunny in Montego Bay. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Lisbon. Lisbon usually receives less sunshine than Montego Bay during autumn. Lisbon gets 213 hours of sunny skies, while Montego Bay receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Montego Bay. In October, Lisbon usually receives less rain than Montego Bay. Lisbon gets 80 mm (3.1 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 OctoberLisbon 19°C (66°F)Montego Bay 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Lisbon or Montego Bay in the Winter?
Both Montego Bay and Lisbon during the winter are popular places to visit. The winter months attract visitors to Lisbon because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montego Bay year-round.
In the winter, Lisbon is much colder than Montego Bay. Typically, the winter temperatures in Lisbon in January average around 12°C (53°F), and Montego Bay averages at about 24°C (75°F).
In Montego Bay, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Lisbon often gets less sunshine than Montego Bay. Lisbon gets 144 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montego Bay receives 226 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Lisbon. Lisbon usually gets more rain in January than Montego Bay. Lisbon gets 110 mm (4.3 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 JanuaryLisbon 12°C (53°F)Montego Bay 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit Lisbon or Montego Bay in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Lisbon and Montego Bay. The beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty are the main draw to Lisbon this time of year. Montego Bay attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In April, Lisbon is generally much colder than Montego Bay. Daily temperatures in Lisbon average around 16°C (60°F), and Montego Bay fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Montego Bay this time of the year. In Lisbon, it's very sunny this time of the year. Lisbon usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Montego Bay during spring. Lisbon gets 235 hours of sunny skies, while Montego Bay receives 225 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Lisbon usually receives around the same amount of rain as Montego Bay. Lisbon gets 64 mm (2.5 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 AprilLisbon 16°C (60°F)Montego Bay 25°C (77°F)
Typical Weather for Montego Bay and Lisbon
| Lisbon | Montego Bay | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Feb | 13°C (55°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Mar | 14°C (58°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 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.