Should you visit Montego Bay or Kingston?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Montego Bay and Kingston can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
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.
Kingston
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.
Which city is cheaper, Kingston or Montego Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $168, while the average daily cost in Kingston is $90. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Montego Bay and Kingston in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Montego Bay is $172. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
A hotel room in Kingston is about $106 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
In Montego Bay travelers spend around $69 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
Food in Kingston costs travelers about $22 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Montego Bay $69
Kingston $22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
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Night cruise and swim the Falmouth Mystic Lagoon, Dinner and Rum Punch Inclusive:
$85
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Dinner or lunch at pier one Montego bay Food Tour:
$144
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kingston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kingston.
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Jamaican Food Tour of Kingston:
$90
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Montego Bay is $12 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $24 per day to get around in Kingston.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
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(Roundtrip) Private Airport Transfer to Hotels in Montego Bay:
$41
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24 Hour Airport Transfer (Select your destination/hotel):
$42
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Ahhh Ras Natango Gallery and Garden Private Transfer:
$95
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Airport - Ocho Rios Hotels Transfers and Returns:
$260
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Airport Montego Bay To Montego Bay Hotels Shared Transfers:
$8.00
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Airport Montego Bay To Negril Hotels Shared Transfers:
$19
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Airport Montego Bay to RoseHall Hotels Shared Transfers:
$9.34
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Airport Private Transfers from Montego Bay to Hilton Rose Hall:
$21
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Airport Round Trip Transfer To Montego Bay Hotels:
$43
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Airport Round Trip Transfer in Montego Bay:
$37
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Airport Round Trip Transfer to Negril:
$107
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Airport Transfer:
$54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:
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Private Airport Transfer: Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) to Kingston:
$32
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Private Airport Transfer: Kingston to Norman Manley International Airport (KIN):
$32
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Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Kingston International Airport (KIN):
$34
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Hotel/Airport Transfers in Kingston Round Trip:
$43
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Hotel/Airport Transfers in Kingston (One Way):
$50
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Private Arrival Transfer: Kingston International Airport to Hotel:
$53
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Kingston to Kingston Norman Manley Airport (KIN) - Departure Private Transfer:
$60
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Private Kingston Airport Transfers:
$69
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Private Arrival Transfer from Jamaica Kingston Airport to Kingston City:
$70
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Private Departure Transfer from Jamaica Kingston to Kingston Airports:
$70
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Private Departure Transfer from Kingston City Center to Kingston Harbour:
$77
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Airport Transfers in Kingston Only. Round Trip:
$80
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Kingston?
Prices for flights to both Kingston 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.
Entertainment
Montego Bay's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $27 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $10 per person, per day in Kingston. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Typical Entertainment prices in Montego Bay
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Montego Bay
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:
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Shopping Tour for Whitter Village Mall Private / Charted Air Conditioned Taxi:
$10
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Montego Bay Half-Day Shopping Tour:
$10
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Montego Bay Walking Tour:
$18
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Greenwood Great House Entry Ticket:
$20
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Montego Bay Private Shopping Tour with Hotel Pickup:
$21
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Montego Bay Private Shopping Tour (HipStrip):
$22
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ATV AdVENTURE FROM OCHO RIOS:
$25
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City Tour and Shopping in Montego Bay:
$26
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The AMAZING Montego Bay Tour:
$34
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Day Tour to Dunn's River Falls and Park with Pick Up:
$35
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Skip the Line: Ahhh Ras Natango Gallery and Garden Admission Tickets:
$35
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Rose Hall Great House Private Day Tour:
$36
Tours and Activities in Kingston
Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Kingston Night Market Experience from Kingston:
$26
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Trench Town: Birthplace of Reggae Tour:
$32
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Hudson River Sightseeing Cruise from Kingston:
$34
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Bob Marley Museum and Tuff Gong Studio Combo Entrance Ticket:
$50
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Kingston Bike Tours:
$52
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Cultural Walking Tour of Kingston:
$65
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Experience Jamaica like a Jamaican:
$70
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Kingston City Tour (starting in Kingston):
$72
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The Best Farm Experience Ever:
$74
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Jamaican Music History Tour of Kingston:
$92
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The Equine Experience:
$93
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Sizzla Kalonji Museum Tour:
$103
Alcohol
The average person spends about $11 on alcoholic beverages in Montego Bay per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Kingston may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $9.14 per day on alcoholic beverages.
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:
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Hampden Rum Distillery / Montego Bay Highlight Tour & 876 Beach Club:
$82
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Montego Bay Jamaica Rum Distillery Tour Private Driver:
$215
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Montego Bay Pub Crawl To Negril and Rick's Cafe:
$255
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Kingston, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Kingston much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 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 Kingston.
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