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

Should you visit Montego Bay or Mendoza?

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 Mendoza 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 Mendoza?

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.

Mendoza

Mendoza is a city in western Argentina and more precisely in the desertic Cuyo region. Mendoza is the center of the Argentinian wine industry and is famed around the world for its vineyards and wine production. Spread across the valley of the Rio Mendoza and in the foothills of the Andean mountain range, Mendoza is also near the Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of the Himalayas. The bustling and scenic city of wide, leafy avenues, atmospheric plazas and cosmopolitan cafes spoils visitors with unique natural attractions and historical landmarks. If you can, visit Mendoza during the harvest festival at the end of February. There are many events and festivals in Mendoza and they are usually free. Each has a different theme, and they usually have a stage with singing and dancing and booths that sell food around a plaza. Seventy percent of Argentina's wines are produced here, and Mendoza is especially known for its world-famous malbecs.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Mendoza 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.

The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $257, while the average daily cost in Mendoza is $55. 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 Mendoza in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Montego Bay $101
    Mendoza $42
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Montego Bay $202
    Mendoza $84
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and Mendoza

Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or Mendoza? 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 Mendoza


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
    Mendoza $4.11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:

  • luxury VIP Airport Transfer to RIU Palace, Reggae,Montego bay: $140
  • Zoetry Montego Bay Airport Transfers MBJ (Private Roundtrip Exclusive): $180
  • VIP Luxury Airport Transfer Mobay, Ocho Rios, Negril, Lucea,: $150
  • Tryall / Round Hill - Montego Bay Airport Transfers: $107
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Montego Bay HTL-APT (MBJ): $37
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Montego Bay APT-HTL (MBJ): $37
  • Tropical Court Hotel Private Airport Transfer: $13
  • Transfers from Montego Bay Airport to Negril: $53
  • Transfer Service, Sangster MBJ Airport From/To Iberostar zone: $64
  • Tobys Resort Private Airport Transfer: $20
  • Sunset at the Palm Private Negril Airport Transfer: $52
  • Sunscape Resorts Montego Bay Private Airport Transfers: $25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mendoza

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

  • Shared 1-Way or Round Trip MDZ Airport Transfer: $9.00
  • Private Transfers Airport Hotel in Mendoza: $13
  • MDZ Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $13
  • Mendoza Airport (MDZ) Private Transfer to Mendoza City: $18
  • MDZ Airport Private Transfer to Mendoza City Center: $22
  • Ushuaia: Transfer Ida & Volta para Cerro Castor desde hotel: $25
  • Private Transfer in Mendoza: $27
  • Private Transfer between Airport and Hotel in Mendoza: $31
  • Mendoza to Mendoza Intl Airport (MDZ)- Departure Private Transfer: $33
  • Private 1-Way or Round-Trip MDZ Airport Transfer: $38
  • Private Transfer Mendoza Airport MDZ to Lujan de Cuyo or Maipu: $38
  • Private Transfer Lujan de Cuyo or Maipu to Mendoza Airport MDZ: $38

Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Mendoza?

Prices for flights to both Mendoza 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 $141
    Mendoza $5.76

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 with Pickup from Montego Bay: $45
  • Montego Bay Jerk Tour and Rum Punch Mixology/Food Tour: $50
  • Street Food Tour in Montego Bay: $59
  • Club2727 Nightlife Experience With Optional Dinner In Montego Bay: $60
  • Mystic Lagoon Sunset Cruise with Dinner and Lagoon Swim: $85
  • Sunset Dinner at Bamboo Beach Club: $99
  • 3 to 5 Hour Private Herbal Tour Shopping and Dinner at Ricks Cafe: $120
  • Bar Hopping and Local Food Tour in Jamaica: $130
  • Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife Experience: $150
  • Restaurant Transportation for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Montego Bay: $180
  • Authentic Jamaican Food Cooking Experience in the Countryside: $195
  • Authentic Jamaican Cooking Experience in the Mountain from mobay: $210

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mendoza

For Mendoza, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Mendoza Meals Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $95
  • Mendoza Meals Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $99
  • 3h Cooking Class in Mendoza with 7 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $110
  • Original Asado Cooking Class at a Local's Home: $114
  • Sunset Horseback Riding Tour in Lunlunta with Dinner Included: $120
  • 4-Hour Argentine Cooking Class at Grazie Mille Winery: $125
  • Cooking Class with 7 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $150
  • City Tour with Dinner at a Local Restaurant: $164
  • Full-Day Small-Group Mendoza Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $197
  • Horseback Riding at Sunset and Dinner in Mendoza: $205
  • Horseback Riding at Sunset and Dinner at an Estancia in Mendoza: $210
  • Tango Show with Dinner at Hualta Winery Hotel: $220

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Montego Bay $31
    Mendoza $23
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
    $2.66
  • Snorkeling Trip
    $19
  • One Tank Dive
    $37
  • 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 Horse Back Riding & Dunn's River Falls Tour Combo: $240
  • 2 Hour Private Montego Bay City Tour with Souvenir’s Shopping: $80
  • 27/27 Lounge, Pier 1 & Margaritaville Nightlife Tour In Jamaica: $80
  • 3 Hours Private Tour in Montego Bay From Falmouth: $75
  • 3-Hour Private Tour in the Highlights of Montego Bay: $58
  • 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 Negril Beach and Rick's Cafe: $150
  • 7 Mile Beach & Ricks Cafe with free Shopping experience: $50
  • 7 Mile Beach Party Catamaran Cruise with Snorkeling & Ricks Cafe: $115
  • 7 in 1 Day Jamaican Adventure with Jhadano Tours: $50

Tours and Activities in Mendoza

For Mendoza, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • City Center Walking Tour with a Local Guide: $20
  • Mendoza City: Immigrant Sightseeing Tour – Squares, Museums, Artisans, Casino, Theater: $22
  • Malbec Experience in Bodega Tierras Altas: $22
  • Luján de Cuyo Wine Region Self-Guided Bike Tour: $23
  • Self-Guided Bike Tour in Luján de Cuyo Wine Region (Mendoza): $23
  • Standard City Tour: $23
  • Half-Day Sightseeing Tour: $24
  • City Tour of Mendoza: $25
  • Guided Walking Tour of the Historic Quarter plus Mendoza-Style Snack: $25
  • City Tour: $25
  • City Tour: $25
  • City Highlights Tour: $26

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Montego Bay $13
    Mendoza $5.85

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 Pub Crawl To Negril and Rick's Cafe: $255

Sample the Local Flavors in Mendoza

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mendoza:

  • Walking & Wine Tasting Tour & San Martin Park Gate: $17
  • Burlesque Cabaret Show with Wine: $20
  • Antigal Winery Tour with Wine Tasting & Choice of Experiences: $31
  • Maipu Wine Tour: 3 Wineries and Olive Oil Factory: $37
  • Wine, Distillery & Chocolate Tour with Tastings: $39
  • Learn to Taste Wine Like a Sommelier: Interactive Wine Tasting: $39
  • Half-Day Wine Tour with Tastings: $41
  • Classic Wine Tasting: $44
  • Mendoza Wine Tasting at Bodega Ciclo Andino with Snacks: $45
  • La Histórica Winery Tour and Wine Tasting: $48
  • Premium Wine Tasting: $66
  • Make an Argentine Asado BBQ w/ Local Host & Wine Tasting: $85


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Mendoza, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Mendoza much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and Mendoza 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 Mendoza would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mendoza 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 Mendoza.

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 Mendoza Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or Mendoza?

Mendoza has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay and Mendoza, 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.