Which place is cheaper, Ottawa 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.
Jump to 
Should you visit Montego Bay or Ottawa?
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 Ottawa 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 Ottawa?
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.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada, located on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River. A city of many ethnic populations, Ottawa is uniquely bilingual with English as the first language of the population's majority and French as a close second. It is best known as the nation's capital, which is centered on Parliament Hill, an architectural landmark as well as the seat of government.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Canada, and The Best Coach Bus Tours in Canada.
-
Montego Bay Prices
Jamaica PricesOttawa Prices
Canada Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontego Bay $258Ottawa $131
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $258, while the average daily cost in Ottawa is $131. 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 Ottawa in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontego Bay $102Ottawa $18
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontego Bay $204Ottawa $36
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and Ottawa
Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or Ottawa? 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 Ottawa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Montego Bay $15Ottawa $7.01
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- Zoetry Montego Bay Airport Transfers MBJ (Private Roundtrip Exclusive): $180
- VIP Luxury Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Montego Bay/ Falmouth: $74
- VIP Luxury Airport Transfer Mobay, Ocho Rios, Negril, Lucea,: $200
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Montego Bay APT-HTL (MBJ): $37
- Transfer Service, Sangster MBJ Airport From/To Iberostar zone: $64
- The Spa Retreat Boutique Hotel Private Airport Transfer: $50
- Sunscape Splash Montego Bay Private Airport Transfer: $20
- Sports bar Day or Nightlife Experience with Private Transfer: $70
- Shared Shuttle Transfer to Montego Bay Airport: $30
- Secrets and Breathless Montego Bay Private Airport Transfer: $20
- Secrets Wild Orchid Private Airport Transfer: $20
- Secrets St. James Private Airport Transfer: $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ottawa
Also for Ottawa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Arrival Transfer from Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Airport YOW: $40
- Hand-Feed Wild Birds on a Nature Walk with Transfer: $42
- Private Transfer from Ottawa Airport (YOW) to Ottawa City: $55
- Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier Airport (YOW) to Ottawa City - Arrival Private Transfer: $60
- Ottawa Train Station via Rail Transfer Service 1 Hour: $94
- Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier Airport (YOW) to Ottawa - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $119
- Ottawa Parc Omega Private Tour with Hotel Transfer: $220
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Ottawa?
Prices for flights to both Ottawa 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 dayMontego Bay $142Ottawa $28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
- 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
- Bar Hopping and Local Food Tour in Jamaica: $117
- 3 to 5 Hour Private Herbal Tour Shopping and Dinner at Ricks Cafe: $120
- Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife Experience: $135
- Jamaican Seafood Street Food Tour from Montego Bay, Falmouth: $150
- Sunset Boat Cruise and Luminous Lagoon with Dinner and Transfer: $150
- Private Beach Day and Street Food Tour from Montego Bay: $170
- Authentic Jamaican Food Cooking Experience in the Countryside: $195
- Dinner Experience and Celebration on the Beach with Decorations: $231
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ottawa
For Ottawa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Kids Cooking Class in Real Experience at Cookiddoo: $56
- ByWard Market Chocolate Food Tour with Tastings: $66
- Oh Canada Eh!? Ottawa Dinner Musical with Live Music and Comedy: $76
- ByWard Market Food Tour with 7 Local Tastings: $84
- Lower Town Guided Food Tour with Tastings: $89
- Evening Byward Market Food Tour: $90
- Local Market Food Tour - Downtown Ottawa: $92
- Ottawa - Byward Market Food Tour: $94
- Ottawa - Taste of Canada Food Tour: $95
- A Taste of Canada Food Tour: $97
- Ottawa Food Tour with ByWard Market Flavors & 6 Local Tastings: $97
- ByWard Market Progressive Dinner Food Tour: $141
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montego Bay $31Ottawa $39
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$2.67
-
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:
- “ATV Adventure & Rick’s Café Experience from Montego Bay: $123
- 1 Hour Horse Back Riding & Dunn's River Falls Tour Combo: $240
- 2 Days Of Blue Hole, Dunns River Falls & Hidden Beauty Adventure: $180
- 2 Days Private Jamaica Tour: $230
- 27/27 Lounge, Pier 1 & Margaritaville Nightlife Tour In Jamaica: $72
- 3 Hours Private Tour in Montego Bay From Falmouth: $75
- 3-Hour Private Tour in the Highlights of Montego Bay: $58
- 4 Hour ATV & Horse Back Riding Private Tour (Transportation Only): $105
- 4 Hours Private Night Life Experience in Montego Bay: $66
- 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 Private Tour: $122
Tours and Activities in Ottawa
For Ottawa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- City Highlights Walking Tour | 3-Hour: $5.00
- Ottawa City Highlights 3 Hour Walking Tour | Gratuity-Based: $5.00
- Ottawa Walking Tour 2h20 and 25 audio commentary: $6.88
- Ottawa Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $6.99
- Ottawa Mystery Quest: Self-Guided Detective Adventure: $7.34
- Ottawa Downtown Historic Smartphone Guided Walking Tour: $7.75
- Ottawa's Hidden History: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $8.99
- Ottawa Valleyview Little Animal Farm Tour: $10
- Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Ottawa by Wacky Walks: $10
- Ottawa The Wild Side GPS App Walking Tour Mobile Game: $15
- Ottawa Roller Skating Rink Ticket with Skates included: $17
- Skate & Play Roller Rink Entry Ticket: $18
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontego Bay $13Ottawa $18
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: $231
- Montego Bay Pub Crawl To Negril and Rick's Cafe: $255
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Ottawa, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Ottawa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and Ottawa is in North 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 Ottawa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ottawa 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 Ottawa.
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 Ottawa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or Ottawa?
Ottawa has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay and Ottawa, 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 Ottawa?
Ottawa has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Montego Bay experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Montego Bay or Ottawa in the Summer?
Both Ottawa 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. Furthermore, many visitors come to Ottawa in the summer for the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Montego Bay is a little warmer than Ottawa. Typically, the summer temperatures in Montego Bay in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Ottawa averages at about 21°C (71°F).
In Ottawa, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Montego Bay. In the summer, Montego Bay often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Ottawa. Montego Bay gets 257 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ottawa receives 268 hours of full sun.
Montego Bay usually gets less rain in July than Ottawa. Montego Bay gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Ottawa receives 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyMontego Bay 28°C (82°F)Ottawa 21°C (71°F)
Should I visit Montego Bay or Ottawa in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Montego Bay and Ottawa. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montego Bay year-round. Furthermore, most visitors come to Ottawa for the shopping scene during these months.
In October, Montego Bay is generally much warmer than Ottawa. Daily temperatures in Montego Bay average around 27°C (81°F), and Ottawa fluctuates around 9°C (48°F).
In Montego Bay, it's very sunny this time of the year. Montego Bay usually receives more sunshine than Ottawa during autumn. Montego Bay gets 233 hours of sunny skies, while Ottawa receives 116 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Montego Bay gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Montego Bay usually receives more rain than Ottawa. Montego Bay gets 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Ottawa receives 75 mm (3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberMontego Bay 27°C (81°F)Ottawa 9°C (48°F)
Should I visit Montego Bay or Ottawa in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Montego Bay as well as Ottawa. Montego Bay attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the winter months attract visitors to Ottawa because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
The weather in Ottawa can be very cold. Montego Bay is much warmer than Ottawa in the winter. The daily temperature in Montego Bay averages around 24°C (75°F) in January, and Ottawa fluctuates around -10°C (14°F).
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 Ottawa. Montego Bay gets 226 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ottawa receives 93 hours of full sun.
Montego Bay usually gets more rain in January than Ottawa. Montego Bay gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Ottawa receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryMontego Bay 24°C (75°F)Ottawa -10°C (14°F)
Should I visit Montego Bay or Ottawa in the Spring?
Both Ottawa 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.
In the spring, Montego Bay is much warmer than Ottawa. Typically, the spring temperatures in Montego Bay in April average around 25°C (77°F), and Ottawa averages at about 6°C (44°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montego Bay. Montego Bay usually receives more sunshine than Ottawa during spring. Montego Bay gets 225 hours of sunny skies, while Ottawa receives 180 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Montego Bay usually receives less rain than Ottawa. Montego Bay gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Ottawa receives 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilMontego Bay 25°C (77°F)Ottawa 6°C (44°F)
Typical Weather for Ottawa and Montego Bay
| Montego Bay | Ottawa | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (75°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | -10°C (14°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (75°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | -9°C (16°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Mar | 25°C (77°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | -2°C (28°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) |
| Apr | 25°C (77°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 6°C (44°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| May | 26°C (79°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 21°C (71°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (77°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | -7°C (20°F) | 73 mm (2.9 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.