Which place is cheaper, Belize City or Montego Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Montego Bay or Belize City?
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 Belize City 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 Belize City?
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.
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It was once the capital of the country, but due to massive hurricane damage in 1961, the country decided to relocate it capital. With a population of 57,000 people, Belize City is located right at the mouth of the Haulover Creek.
This gorgeous tropical city experiences a monsoon climate – meaning there are warm and humid conditions throughout the course of the year. There is a wet season from May to January, so plan for a little bit of rain in that time.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Belize.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontego Bay $203Belize City $88
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $203, while the average daily cost in Belize City is $88. 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 Belize City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontego Bay $104Belize City $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontego Bay $208Belize City $98
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and Belize City
Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or Belize City? 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 Belize City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Montego Bay $15Belize City $5.82
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- Transfer from/to Airport, Riu Reggae, Riu Montego Bay, Riu Palace: $17
- Transfer Service, Sangster MBJ Airport From/To Iberostar zone: $55
- Tobys Resort Private Airport Transfer: $20
- Sunset at the Palms Negril Airport Transfers: $53
- Southcoast Private Airport Transfer: $108
- Shuttle Transfer From Montego Bay Airport - Negril: $27
- Shuttle Transfer From Montego Bay Airport - Lucea : $20
- Shared Transfer: From/to Montego Bay International Airport: $8.33
- Secrets Wild Orchid Hotel Airport Transfer : $21
- Secrets Wild Ochid/ St. James Private Airport Transfer: $43
- Secrets Resort Airport Transfer: $20
- Secrets & Breathless Hotel Montego Bay - Private Airport Transfer: $24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belize City
Also for Belize City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Belize city water taxi terminal to Airport transfer: $30
- We do transfers from airport to any where in Belize.: $49
- Transfer Belize city to bacalar: $50
- Private Transfer from Belize City Port to Belize Airport (BZE): $60
- Belize: Belize City to/from San Ignacio Shuttle Transfer: $68
- Belize City to/from Placencia/Hopkins Shuttle Transfer: $113
- Private Transfer from Belize City and Airport to Placencia: $150
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Belize City?
Prices for flights to both Belize City 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 $84Belize City $27
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Belize City
For Belize City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Altun Ha Mayan Site & Food Tour: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montego Bay $32Belize City $29
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
Tours and Activities in Belize City
For Belize City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Belize City Tour: $40
- Belizean Bits & Bites Food Tastings and City Tour in Belize: $50
- Hassle free Cave Tubing Adventure from Belize City with Lunch: $55
- Charlie's Cave Tubing Tour for cruisers (lunch included): $65
- Second largest Barrier Reef Adventure Snorkeling: $70
- Guided Cave Kayaking Tour with Pickup: $77
- Altun Ha Mayan Ruins and River Wallace and Manatee Watch Tour: $85
- Cave Tubing Experience from Belize City: $85
- Altun Ha Mayan Site tour from Belize City: $85
- Half-Day Altun Ha Temple & Belize City Tour: $86
- Turtle Garden Snorkeling Tour and Island Break : $90
- Howler Monkey Sanctuary Tour from Belize City: $90
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontego Bay $13Belize City $12
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Belize City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Belize City:
- Belize: City Highlights Tour with Rum Distillery Visit: $49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Belize City, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Belize City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and Belize City 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 Belize City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Belize City 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 Belize City.
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 Belize City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or Belize City?
Montego Bay has a larger population, and is about 35% larger than the population of Belize City. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay and Belize City, 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 Montego Bay or Belize City?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.
Should I visit Montego Bay or Belize City in the Summer?
Both Belize City and Montego Bay during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Montego Bay because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Belize City year-round.
Belize City gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Montego Bay usually gets less rain in July than Belize City. Montego Bay gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Belize City receives 243 mm (9.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
In Belize City, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Montego Bay. In the summer, Montego Bay often gets more sunshine than Belize City. Montego Bay gets 257 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Belize City receives 226 hours of full sun.
In the summer, Montego Bay is around the same temperature as Belize City. Typically, the summer temperatures in Montego Bay in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Belize City averages at about 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyMontego Bay 28°C (82°F)Belize City 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Montego Bay or Belize City in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Montego Bay and Belize City. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montego Bay year-round. Belize City attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Belize City receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Montego Bay gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Montego Bay usually receives less rain than Belize City. Montego Bay gets 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Belize City receives 255 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
In Montego Bay, it's very sunny this time of the year. Montego Bay usually receives more sunshine than Belize City during autumn. Montego Bay gets 233 hours of sunny skies, while Belize City receives 196 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Montego Bay is generally around the same temperature as Belize City. Daily temperatures in Montego Bay average around 27°C (81°F), and Belize City fluctuates around 26°C (80°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberMontego Bay 27°C (81°F)Belize City 26°C (80°F)
Should I visit Montego Bay or Belize City in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Montego Bay as well as Belize City. Montego Bay attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Belize City throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in Belize City. Montego Bay usually gets less rain in January than Belize City. Montego Bay gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Belize City receives 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Montego Bay this time of the year. In the winter, Montego Bay often gets more sunshine than Belize City. Montego Bay gets 226 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Belize City receives 199 hours of full sun.
Montego Bay is around the same temperature as Belize City in the winter. The daily temperature in Montego Bay averages around 24°C (75°F) in January, and Belize City fluctuates around 24°C (74°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryMontego Bay 24°C (75°F)Belize City 24°C (74°F)
Should I visit Montego Bay or Belize City in the Spring?
Both Belize City and Montego Bay are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Montego Bay throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Belize City because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In April, Montego Bay usually receives more rain than Belize City. Montego Bay gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Belize City receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
It's quite sunny in Belize City. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montego Bay. Montego Bay usually receives less sunshine than Belize City during spring. Montego Bay gets 225 hours of sunny skies, while Belize City receives 256 hours of full sun in the spring.
In the spring, Montego Bay is around the same temperature as Belize City. Typically, the spring temperatures in Montego Bay in April average around 25°C (77°F), and Belize City averages at about 27°C (80°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilMontego Bay 25°C (77°F)Belize City 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Belize City and Montego Bay
| Montego Bay | Belize City | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (75°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 24°C (74°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (75°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Mar | 25°C (77°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 25 mm (1 in) |
| Apr | 25°C (77°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| May | 26°C (79°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 258 mm (10.2 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 243 mm (9.6 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 187 mm (7.4 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 287 mm (11.3 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 255 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 183 mm (7.2 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (77°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 25°C (76°F) | 138 mm (5.4 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.