Which place is cheaper, Kingston or Melbourne?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Melbourne or Kingston? 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.
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, after Sydney. It is also the capital city of the state of Victoria, in southeastern Australia. Melbourne is arguably the best city to experience culture and the arts in Australia. There is a friendly rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney over livability and popularity and Melbourne is definitely the city to visit for its parks, shopping, restaurants, galleries and theaters. Like Sydney, it is situated on the water, at the head of Port Phillip Bay. It's a beautiful city, and although it lacks the major sights that you'll find in Sydney such as the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge, you will never find yourself lacking for entertainment. It is also a wonderful base for exploring many of the nearby highlights, including Grampians National Park, The Great Ocean Road, and Phillip Island where you can view the penguin parade.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Water Sports Tour Packages in Australia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Melbourne is $179, while the average daily cost in Kingston is $107. 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 Melbourne and Kingston in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Melbourne or Kingston? 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.
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Melbourne:
Also for Melbourne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:
Prices for flights to both Kingston and Melbourne 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.
For Melbourne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
For Melbourne, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For Melbourne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Melbourne from other travelers:
Also in Melbourne, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kingston:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Melbourne and Kingston, we can see that Melbourne is more expensive. And not only is Kingston much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Melbourne is in Pacific and Kingston 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 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 Melbourne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Melbourne 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 Melbourne Expensive? and Is Kingston Expensive?.
Melbourne has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Kingston. When comparing the sizes of Melbourne and Kingston, 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.
Melbourne has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Kingston experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Both Kingston and Melbourne during the summer are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Melbourne for the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kingston year-round.
In the summer, Melbourne is cooler than Kingston. Typically, the summer temperatures in Melbourne in January average around 20°C (68°F), and Kingston averages at about 29°C (83°F)in July.
In Kingston, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Melbourne. In the summer, Melbourne often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Kingstonin July. Melbourne gets 271 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Kingston receives 254 hours of full sun.
Melbourne usually gets more rain in January than Kingstonin July. Melbourne gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Melbourne and Kingston. Many visitors come to Melbourne in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene. Kingston attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In April, Melbourne is generally much colder than Kingstonin October. Daily temperatures in Melbourne average around 15°C (60°F), and Kingston fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Kingston this time of the year. Melbourne usually receives less sunshine than Kingston during autumn. Melbourne gets 170 hours of sunny skies, while Kingston receives 229 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Kingston receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In April, Melbourne usually receives less rain than Kingstonin October. Melbourne gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
The winter brings many poeple to Melbourne as well as Kingston. Most visitors come to Melbourne for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months. The warm climate attracts visitors to Kingston throughout the year.
Melbourne is much colder than Kingston in the winter. The daily temperature in Melbourne averages around 9°C (49°F) in July, and Kingston fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in January.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Kingston. In the winter, Melbourne often gets less sunshine than Kingstonin January. Melbourne gets 139 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Kingston receives 257 hours of full sun.
Melbourne usually gets more rain in July than Kingstonin January. Melbourne gets 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
Both Kingston and Melbourne are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The spring months attract visitors to Melbourne because of the beaches and the activities around the city. Plenty of visitors come to Kingston because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the spring, Melbourne is much colder than Kingston. Typically, the spring temperatures in Melbourne in October average around 14°C (57°F), and Kingston averages at about 26°C (80°F)in April.
It's quite sunny in Kingston. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Melbourne. Melbourne usually receives less sunshine than Kingston during spring. Melbourne gets 216 hours of sunny skies, while Kingston receives 251 hours of full sun in the spring.
In October, Melbourne usually receives more rain than Kingstonin April. Melbourne gets 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
Melbourne | Kingston | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 20°C (68°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) |
Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
Mar | 19°C (65°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
Apr | 15°C (60°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
May | 13°C (55°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
Jun | 10°C (50°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
Jul | 9°C (49°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
Aug | 10°C (51°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
Sep | 12°C (53°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) |
Oct | 14°C (57°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
Nov | 16°C (61°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
Dec | 18°C (65°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) |