Which place is cheaper, Medellin or Montego Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Montego Bay or Medellin?
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 Medellin 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 Medellin?
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.
Medellin
In addition to big improvements in public safety, Medellin has witnessed a huge surge in urban development projects, including Colombia's first metro system and cable cars to service poorer neighborhoods located high on the mountain sides. There is an abundance of parks, libraries, museums and public spaces with many cultural events taking place. Many travelers also enjoy visiting the surrounding villages, where life is simple and landscapes and nature reserves are wonderful. Medellin has now become one of the "it" cities in the world, with tons of tourists visiting and foreigners settling and retiring here. Beautiful mountains, warm weather, friendly locals, and a vibrant culture are just a few of the reasons why you should visit Medellin.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontego Bay $203Medellin $23
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $203, while the average daily cost in Medellin is $23. 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 Medellin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontego Bay $104Medellin $4.75
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontego Bay $208Medellin $9.50
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and Medellin
Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or Medellin? 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 Medellin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Montego Bay $15Medellin $4.14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- Airport Transfer To Hotels in Negril : $60
- Airport Transfer To S Hotel (Round-trip): $35
- Airport Transfer to Montego Bay Hotels (Round-Trip): $54
- Airport Transfers to Iberostar Hotel (Round-trip): $53
- MBJ Airport Private Round Trip Transfer to Hotels in Montego Bay Area: $27
- Riu Reggae , Riu Palace & Riu Mobay Montego Bay Airport Transfers: $11
- Round-Trip Transfer Airport Transfer to Hotels in Montego Bay : $41
- Roundtrip Transfer from Montego Bay Airport to Meliá Braco Hotel: $80
- Shared Airport Transfer To Montego Bay Hotels: $55
- 2727lounge/Magarativille/Pier1 & taboo nightlife private transfer: $35
- Airport Transfer To Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa: $60
- Airport Transfer to Excellence Oyster Bay and Royalton: $35
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Medellin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Medellin:
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Taxi$1.65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Medellin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Medellin:
- Santa Marta Airport to Santa Marta (or vice versa) Private Transfer : $16
- Medellin Airport (MDE) to Downtown hotels - Arrival Transfer: $21
- Transfer Private Car from Medellin city - Medellin Airport (MDE): $23
- Medellín Airport shuttle - Airport Transfer: $25
- Medellin hotels to Medellin Airport (EOH) - Departure Transfer: $27
- Medellin to Olaya Herrera Airport(EOH)-Departure Private Transfer: $27
- Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH) to Medellin -Arrival Private Transfer: $27
- Private Transfer Aerop Jose Maria Cordova - Up to 3 people: $33
- Transfer in Private Car from Guatape- Medellin airport (MDE): $34
- Medellín Private Transfer from Olaya Herrera (EOH) Airport to Medellín City: $44
- Transfer José María Córdova Airport - Medellin - Private Ride Airport .. !!: $45
- RoundtripTransfer Privatecar Medellin Airport (MDE) Medellin City: $47
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Medellin?
Prices for flights to both Medellin 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 $84Medellin $9.61
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
Typical Food Prices in Medellin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Medellin:
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Lunch$2.10
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Medellin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Medellin.
- Homemade Paisa Dinner at a Local's Home in Medellín: $69
- Homemade Paisa Dinner at a Local's Home in Medellín: $71
- Sabor Colombiano Cooking Studio: $100
- Combo Tour: Street Art, Christmas Lights and Food Tour in Medellin: $131
- Comuna 13, Fruit & Street Food Tour: $166
- Private tour: Medellin City – Pablo Escobar and Food Tour: $166
- Combo Tour: Metro System, Christmas Lights and Food Tour of Medellin: $166
- A Night Out in Medellin with Dinner and Drinks Included: $175
- ATV Adventure Including Medellin City and Food Tour: $185
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montego Bay $32Medellin $13
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:
- Greenwood Great House Entry Ticket: $20
- Cinnamon Hill Great House Tour - Home of Johnny Cash: $23
- Skip the Line: Rose Hall Great House & Garden Tour Ticket: $30
- Private Shopping Tour in Montego Bay with Hotel Pickup: $35
- Montego Bay Sightseeing Tour and Souvenir Shopping: $35
- Rose Hall Great House Haunted Night Tour: $35
- Skip the Line: Ahhh Ras Natango Gallery and Garden Admission Tickets: $35
- Shopping and Sightseeing Tour of Montego Bay City: $39
- Shopping and Sightseeing Local Guided Tour In Montego Bay: $40
- Bamboo Rafting, Hip-Strip & Margaritaville Tour from Montego Bay: $40
- Montego Bay Walking Tour: $40
- Private Montego Bay Shopping Tour with Transportation: $45
Tours and Activities in Medellin
Here are a few actual costs in Medellin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Skip the Line: Museum of Antioquia Admission Ticket: $7.20
- Comuna 13 GraffiTour with Spray Painting and Typical Food C13: $11
- Graffitour Medellín: History, Transformation and Overcoming": $13
- Shared Tour of the Historical and Cultural Center of Medellín: $13
- Post-conflict and Violence Tour (after Pablo) in Medellin: $13
- GRAFITOUR COMUNA 13 more than a tour an EXPERIENCE: $15
- Walking Historical tour of Medellín, walking reality.: $15
- 90 Minute Walking Tour of Guatapé: $16
- From violence to innovation (Virtual Guided Tour): $19
- Comuna 13 History and Graffiti Tour with Cable Car: $20
- Storytellers Tours: $21
- Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour with Street Food: $22
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontego Bay $13Medellin $7.21
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 Medellin
Also in Medellin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- 4 Hours Pub Crawl Nightlife in Medellin: $41
- All-Inclusive Comuna 13 Nightlife Bar Crawl with Locals: $130
- Medellin Pub Crawl Including Food and City Tour: $139
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Medellin, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Medellin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and Medellin 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 Medellin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Medellin 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 Medellin.
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 Medellin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or Medellin?
Medellin has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay and Medellin, 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.