Which place is cheaper, Rapid City 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.
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Should you visit Montego Bay or Rapid City?
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 Rapid City 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 Rapid City?
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.
Rapid City
Rapid City is a large city in western South Dakota that is considered the gateway to the Black Hills National Forest. Rapid City is often used as a base for all types of outdoor activities, including tours to the infamous Mount Rushmore and surrounding parks. The city has a budding art scene and offers the perfect combination of a metropolitan city surrounded by stunning natural scenery. Rapid City experiences the best weather from June-September with temperatures in the 70's and 80's Fahrenheit. Temperatures drop to the low 20's F in the winter and the area receives the most rain pour in April and May.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, and The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America.
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Montego Bay Prices
Jamaica PricesRapid City Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontego Bay $259Rapid City $133
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $259, while the average daily cost in Rapid City is $133. 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 Rapid City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontego Bay $102Rapid City $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontego Bay $204Rapid City $120
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and Rapid City
Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or Rapid City? 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 Rapid City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Montego Bay $15Rapid City $53
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
- Zoëtry Resorts Montego Bay Airport Transfer: $20
- VIP Runaway Bay Transfer: $160
- VIP Private Airport Transfer Montego Bay: $20
- VIP Luxury Private Transfer To and From (MBJ): $100
- VIP Airport Transfer to Hotel in Montego Bay: $30
- Tryall / Round Hill - Montego Bay Airport Transfers: $107
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Montego Bay APT-HTL (MBJ): $37
- Transfer from/to Airport, Riu Reggae, Riu Montego Bay, Riu Palace: $28
- Transfer Service, Sangster MBJ Airport From/To Runaway Bay: $172
- Transfer Service, Sangster MBJ Airport From/To Iberostar zone: $64
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Rapid City?
Prices for flights to both Rapid City 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 $142Rapid City $41
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 City and Food Tour All Inclusive Experience: $48
- 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: $95
- Sunset Dinner at Bamboo Beach Club: $99
- 3 to 5 Hour Private Herbal Tour Shopping and Dinner at Ricks Cafe: $120
- Bar Hopping & Local Food Tour-From Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios: $130
- Jamaican Seafood Street Food Tour from Montego Bay, Falmouth: $150
- Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife: $150
- Sunset Boat Cruise and Luminous Lagoon with Dinner and Transfer: $150
- Authentic Jamaican Food Cooking Experience in the Countryside: $195
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montego Bay $31Rapid City $26
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$2.68
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Snorkeling Trip$19
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One Tank Dive$37
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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 Days Of Blue Hole, Dunns River Falls & Hidden Beauty Adventure: $180
- 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 Private Night Life Experience in Montego Bay: $66
- 7 Mile Beach & Ricks Cafe with free Shopping experience: $50
- 7 Mile Beach Private Tour: $122
- 7 Mile Beach and Rick's Cafe Private Tour: $80
- 7 Mile Beach and Rick's Cafe in Negril from Montego Bay Private Tour: $120
- ATV & Horseback Riding combo tour Montego Bay with Pickup: $190
Tours and Activities in Rapid City
For Rapid City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Black Hills Rushmore to Crazy Horse Self Guided GPS Driving Tour: $12
- Mount Rushmore Self-Guided Audio Tour Guide: $15
- Black Hills Self Guided Driving Audio Tour: $20
- Mount Rushmore Theodore Roosevelt and Badlands Self-Guided Tour: $33
- Mt Rushmore Lighting Ceremony Shared Tour: $100
- Mt Rushmore 8pm Lighting Ceremony Shared Tour: $100
- Bus Tour of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills: $133
- From Mt. Rushmore Memorial Tour: $164
- Guided Tour with Journey Museum Admission: $164
- Mount Rushmore Memorial Shared Tour from Rapid City, South Dakota: $164
- Rapid City Shared Tour: $164
- Mount Rushmore and Black Hills Tour with Two Meals and a Music Variety Show: $164
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontego Bay $13Rapid City $6.93
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:
- Montego Bay Jamaica Rum Distillery Tour Private Driver: $250
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Rapid City, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Rapid City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and Rapid City 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 Rapid City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rapid City 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 Rapid City.
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 Rapid City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or Rapid City?
Montego Bay has a larger population, and is about 34% larger than the population of Rapid City. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay and Rapid City, 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.