Which place is cheaper, Roatan or Montego Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Montego Bay or Roatan?
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 Roatan 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 Roatan?
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.
Roatan
Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, and The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontego Bay $203Roatan $38
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $203, while the average daily cost in Roatan is $38. 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 Roatan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontego Bay $104Roatan $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontego Bay $208Roatan $22
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and Roatan
Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or Roatan? 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 Roatan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Montego Bay $15Roatan $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- Shared Transfer: From/to Montego Bay International Airport: $8.33
- Montego Bay Hotels Private Airport Transfer : $10
- Montego Bay Hotels Private Transfer : $10
- Riu Reggae , Riu Palace & Riu Mobay Montego Bay Airport Transfers: $11
- Private Transfer Sangster International Airport to Montego Bay: $12
- Private Airport Transfer to Royal Decameron Cornwall Beach : $13
- Private Airport Transfer to Sandals Montego : $13
- Tropical Court Hotel Private Airport Transfer : $13
- Shuttle Transfer From Montego Bay Airport - Montego Bay: $13
- MBJ Airport: Private Transfer to Montego Bay: $14
- Montego Bay Airport Private Transfer to Riu Montego Bay, Reggae, Palace: $14
- Private Airport Transfer to Breathless/ to Secrets Resort: $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$4.26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- Transfers to West End by night from hotels in West Bay or Sandy Bay: $15
- Roatan to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Round trip transfers from airport or ferry to hotel: $40
- Chocolate Factory, Rum Factory, Markets, Island Tour, Private Transfer: $50
- Roatan Private Sloths, Monkeys, Birds Encounters, City Tour and Transfer: $60
- Mayan Eden Eco Park, Chocolate Factory & Transfer: $65
- West Bay Beach, Chocolate, & Rum Factory & Transfer: $67
- Mayan Eden Eco Wildlife Park, City Tour & Private Transfer: $67
- Ground transfers and ticket ferry to Utila or La Ceiba: $80
- Roatan Private Catamaran Shipwreck, Blue Channel and Starfish with Transfer: $90
- West Bay Aquarium Snorkeling, Chocolate & Rum Factory, City Tour plus Transfer: $91
- Extreme Zipline, City Tour, Chocolate, Rum Factory, Beach Break, Transfer: $91
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Roatan?
Prices for flights to both Roatan 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 $84Roatan $9.43
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
- Dinner or Lunch with Pickup from Montego Bay: $40
- 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
- Private Beach Day and Street Food Tour from Montego Bay: $130
- Rick’s Cafe Cliff Diving, Sunset & Dinner Tour with Transportation : $130
- Flavors of Jamaica Food Tour from Montego Bay: $147
- Sunset Boat Ride in the Falmouth Luminous Lagoon swim and Dinner : $165
- 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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Cooking classes from a Local!: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montego Bay $32Roatan $27
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
- Montego Bay Private Shopping Tour with Hotel Pickup: $30
- Private Shopping Tour in Montego Bay with Hotel Pickup: $35
- Rose Hall Great House Haunted Night Tour: $35
- Montego Bay Sightseeing Tour and Souvenir Shopping: $35
- Shopping and Sightseeing Tour of Montego Bay City: $39
- Montego Bay Walking Tour: $40
- Bamboo Rafting, Hip-Strip & Margaritaville Tour from Montego Bay: $40
- The AMAZING Montego Bay Tour: $43
- Private Montego Bay Shopping Tour with Transportation: $45
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Shore Excursion: Roatan VIP Customizable Island Tour: $35
- Roatan Private Snorkeling Experience with Pick Up: $35
- Roatan Fun Bus Group Sightseeing Island Private Tour: $37
- Eco-Walk Nature Tour: $41
- Shore Excursion: Private Half-Day Sightseen Tour and Beach: $45
- Customizable Best Of Roatan Island Tour in Honduras: $45
- Roatan Chocolate Factory Rum Factory and Beach Day Tour: $45
- Monkeys & sloth hangout,Chocolate Factory,Rum Factory, island tour/Beach : $49
- Monkeys and Sloth Hang Out with Island Tour in Roatan: $49
- Goodman's Island Style Roatan Highlights Tour: $50
- Roatan City Tour-Viewpoints, Landmarks, Chocolate and Rum Tasting: $50
- Good Samaritan Tour: $51
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontego Bay $13Roatan $7.07
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: $103
- Montego Bay Jamaica Rum Distillery Tour Private Driver: $215
Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:
- Half-Day Tour in Roatan With Brewery, Rum and Chocolate Factories visit: $46
- Bar Crawl Tour in West End Village by Pedibike- Let the Good Times Roll: $80
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Roatan, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Roatan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and Roatan is in Central 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 Roatan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Roatan 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 Roatan.
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 Roatan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or Roatan?
Montego Bay has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay and Roatan, 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.