A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Montego Bay vs. Iquique for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Montego Bay or Iquique?

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 Iquique 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 Iquique?

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.

Iquique

Located in a golden crescent of coastline, the beautiful beach city with an ocean that's several shades of blue and a historic centre that offers the perfect balance of culture and relaxation is counted among Chile's premier beach resorts. The city is home to the duty free zone called "Zofri" and a growing number of high rise resort hotels along its beaches. Slightly more expensive and polluted than neighboring population centers, such as Arica, Iquique and its chaotic duty-free shopping zone (zona franca) have become the perfect summer holiday destination for Chilean families.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Iquique or Montego Bay?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $203, while the average daily cost in Iquique is $96. 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 Iquique in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Montego Bay $104
    Iquique $43
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Montego Bay $208
    Iquique $86
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and Iquique

Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or Iquique? 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.

Hotels in Montego Bay


Hotels in Iquique


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Montego Bay $15
    Iquique $23

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

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Iquique

Also for Iquique, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Sandboard activity in Iquique with transfer: $60

Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Iquique?

Prices for flights to both Iquique 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Montego Bay $84
    Iquique $34

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Montego Bay $32
    Iquique $27
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montego Bay

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:


  • Admission to Doctor's Cave Beach
    $2.74
  • Snorkeling Trip
    $19
  • One Tank Dive
    $38
  • 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 Iquique

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Iquique.

  • City tour of Iquique with navigation to the Esmeralda buoy: $50
  • Guided City Tour with Boat Trip to Esmeralda Buoy: $60
  • City Tour in Iquique: $89
  • Pintados Geoglyphs, Humberstone and Salar Crespo tour: $145

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Montego Bay $13
    Iquique $20

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 Montego Bay and Iquique, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Iquique much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and Iquique is in South 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 Iquique would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Iquique 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 Iquique.

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 Iquique Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or Iquique?

Iquique has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay and Iquique, 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.