Which place is cheaper, Antigua Guatemala or Montego Bay?
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 Montego Bay or Antigua Guatemala?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Montego Bay and Antigua Guatemala can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Montego Bay or Antigua Guatemala?
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.
Antigua Guatemala
Before a disastrous earthquake in 1773, Antigua was the colonial capital of Guatemala. For 200 years it had reigned as so and today shows remnants of its glorious past with Spanish colonial buildings and other architectural landmarks still standing. Due to this large amount of preserved architecture, Antigua was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is now the most touristed city of Guatemala.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala.
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Montego Bay Prices
Jamaica PricesAntigua Guatemala Prices
Guatemala Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontego Bay $259Antigua Guatemala $75
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $259, while the average daily cost in Antigua Guatemala is $75. 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 Montego Bay and Antigua Guatemala in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontego Bay $102Antigua Guatemala $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontego Bay $204Antigua Guatemala $44
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and Antigua Guatemala
Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or Antigua Guatemala? 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: Montego Bay Hotel Prices and Antigua Guatemala Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Montego Bay $15Antigua Guatemala $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- Mercedes Benz Sprinter Airport Transfer: $300
- Private Airport OneWay Transfer to Hotel in Montego Bay: $300
- Jet Car Adventure in Montego Bay Daytrip with Transfers: $300
- Private Transfer from Montego Bay Airport to Negril Hotels: $270
- Ocho Rios Hotels / Resort - Airport Transfers: $267
- SUV Prado Transfer from Montego Bay Airport: $257
- Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Kingston Hotels: $245
- MBJ Airport to Strawberry Hill Hotel & Spa Transfer: $243
- Private Roundtrip Transfer to/from Ohio Rios and Sangster Airport: $241
- Airport-Negril Hotels Transfers and Returns For 1- 4 persons: $230
- Private Transfer To/From Montego Bay & Airport MBJ Across Jamaica: $215
- Iberostar Airport Transfers Montego Bay MBJ (Private Roundtrip): $200
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Antigua Guatemala
Also for Antigua Guatemala, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Antigua: One way shared transfer to Guatemala City: $24
- From Panajachel: One Way Shared Transfers to Antigua: $25
- Panajachel: One way shared transfer to Antigua: $25
- One-Way Shared Van Transfer to Panajachel: $25
- Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to Airport: $27
- Private Transfer From Antigua Guatemala to La Aurora Airport: $29
- Private Ground Transfer From Antigua To Guatemala City Airport: $30
- Antigua: Private Transfer to Guatemala City Airport: $30
- Guatemala City Airport: Private Transfer to Antigua: $30
- Shared Transfer From Antigua to Panajachel (Atitlan): $30
- Private Transfer from Antigua to La Aurora Airport: $32
- From Antigua Guatemala One way shared transfer to El Paredon: $34
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Antigua Guatemala?
Prices for flights to both Antigua Guatemala and Montego Bay 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 dayMontego Bay $142Antigua Guatemala $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
- Lunch or Dinner Dining Experience in Montego Bay: $40
- Dinner or Lunch with Pickup from Montego Bay: $50
- Montego Bay Jerk Tour and Rum Punch Mixology/Food Tour: $50
- Mystic Lagoon Sunset Cruise with Dinner and Lagoon Swim: $85
- Bar Hopping and Local Food Tour in Jamaica: $117
- Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife Experience: $135
- Jamaican Seafood Street Food Tour from Montego Bay, Falmouth: $150
- Authentic Jamaican Cooking Experience in the Mountain from mobay: $210
- PRIVATE Food Tour of Local Jamaican Cuisine Montego Bay & Negril: $210
- Dinner Experience and Celebration on the Beach with Decorations: $231
- Glistening Waters, ATV ride in countryside and Dinner at Jerk hut: $250
- Private Martha Brae Raft and Luminous Lagoon Tour with Dinner: $270
Typical Food Prices in Antigua Guatemala
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Antigua Guatemala:
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Lunch$3.29
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Lunch$7.89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antigua Guatemala
For Antigua Guatemala, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Antigua: Traditional Guatemalan Cooking Classes — Casa San Miguel.: $38
- Antigua Guatemalan Authentic Cooking Class Chef David Farfan: $38
- Antigua: Traditional cooking lesson with a Guatemalan family: $48
- Antigua: Guatemalan Cooking Class with a Local Family: $60
- Antigua Street Food Tour: $65
- Private Cooking Class of Typical Guatemalan Dishes: $70
- Antigua: Cooking Class With Wine, Transfer & Vegan Option: $72
- Antigua: Cooking Class with Local Family: $75
- Local Street Food Tour of Antigua: $75
- Antigua Local: Evening Street Food Tour with Dinner: $84
- Cooking Class With Local Family: $84
- Guatemalan Cooking Class & Market Tour: $85
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montego Bay $32Antigua Guatemala $15
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$2.68
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Snorkeling Trip$19
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One Tank Dive$38
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1.5 Hr Horseback Ride$43
Tours and Activities in Montego Bay
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:
- 1 Hour Efoil Experience in Montego Bay: $150
- 1 Hour Horse Back Riding & Dunn's River Falls Tour Combo: $240
- 2 Days Of Blue Hole, Dunns River Falls & Hidden Beauty Adventure: $180
- 2 Days Private Jamaica Tour: $230
- 2 Hour Private Montego Bay City Tour with Souvenir’s Shopping: $80
- 3 Hours Private Tour in Montego Bay From Falmouth: $75
- 4 Hour ATV & Horse Back Riding Private Tour (Transportation Only): $105
- 4 Hours Party Boat Catamaran Cruise in Negril: $190
- 4 Hours Private Night Life Experience in Montego Bay: $66
- 4-Hour Catamaran Party Cruise with Open Bar from Montego Bay: $200
- 5 Hour Private Tour at Doctor's Cave Beach and Margaritaville: $108
- 5 Hour Private Tour at Negril Beach and Rick's Cafe: $150
Tours and Activities in Antigua Guatemala
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Antigua Guatemala.
- Antigua Earthquake Baroque Architecture Audio Guided Walking Tour: $5.00
- Antigua Guatemala Historic Center Self Guided Audio Walking Tour: $5.00
- Signature Lattes Tasting Experience in Antigua for Coffee Lovers: $13
- Half-Day Walking Tour: $20
- Guided City Tour with Chef David Farfan: $20
- Cultural and Fun Walking Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $22
- Walking Tour with Local Guide: $23
- From Antigua: Pacaya Volcano Tour in English/Spanish: $23
- Guided Walking Tour with Coffee: $24
- Antigua walking tour: Highlights, history, culture.: $25
- Guided Walking Tour Legends of Antigua Guatemala: $25
- La Antigua Myths and Legends Stories Night Walking Tour: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontego Bay $13Antigua Guatemala $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Antigua Guatemala
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Antigua Guatemala:
- Antigua Bar Crawl: $26
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Antigua Guatemala, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Antigua Guatemala much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and Antigua Guatemala 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 Antigua Guatemala would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Antigua Guatemala 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 Antigua Guatemala.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Montego Bay Expensive? and Is Antigua Guatemala Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or Antigua Guatemala?
Montego Bay has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Antigua Guatemala. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay and Antigua Guatemala, 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.
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.