Should you visit Montego Bay or Saint Croix?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Montego Bay and Saint Croix can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
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.
Saint Croix
Sometimes all you want out of a vacation is the warmth of the sun, the sound of the waves and the taste of a cold drink. No more. No less. That's exactly what you can expect in St. Croix.
The largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix is a place of our leisure and relaxation. It's a bit of an expensive lifestyle for its 50,000 residents and daily visitors, but when you're living on island time, money is never a worry. There are no worries on island time.
This once volcanic island is covered in incredible beaches, stunning mountains, palm tress in the wind and historic colonial towns. While they may be a bit old and rundown, the Danish architecture still stands as a unique part of this island's legacy. Don't expect much window-shopping, though. That was not a feature incorporated in this style of architecture. If you want to know if a store is open, just step on in, but remember, shop hours are also running on island time.
Which city is cheaper, Saint Croix or Montego Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $162, while the average daily cost in Saint Croix is $189. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Montego Bay and Saint Croix in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Montego Bay is $166. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $119. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Saint Croix the cost is $238 on average.
Food
In Montego Bay travelers spend around $66 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
While meal prices in Saint Croix can vary, the average travelers spends about $45 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Saint Croix should cost around $18 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Saint Croix is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Montego Bay $66
Saint Croix $45
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
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Night cruise and swim the Falmouth Mystic Lagoon, Dinner and Rum Punch Inclusive:
$85
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Dinner or lunch at pier one Montego bay Food Tour:
$144
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Montego Bay is $12 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
The average price of local transportation around Saint Croix is $28 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
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Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Montego Bay International Airport:
$5.33
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Shared Arrival Transfer: Montego Bay International Airport to Hotel:
$5.34
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Airport Montego Bay To Montego Bay Hotels Shared Transfers:
$8.00
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Airport Montego Bay to RoseHall Hotels Shared Transfers:
$9.34
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Shuttle Bus airport departure One Way transfer to MBJ Airport - from ALL hotels:
$10
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Shuttle Bus airport arrival One Way transfer from MBJ Airport - to ALL hotels:
$10
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Shared Round-Trip Transfer: Montego Bay International Airport:
$11
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Zoëtry Resorts private Airport Transfer:
$11
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Sandals Royal Hotel Private Airport Transfer:
$13
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Private Airport Transfer to Royal Decameron Cornwall Beach:
$13
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Grandiosa Hotel Private Airport Transfer:
$13
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Tropical Court Hotel Private Airport Transfer:
$13
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Saint Croix?
Prices for flights to both Saint Croix 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.
Entertainment
Montego Bay's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $26 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Saint Croix's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $46 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Typical Entertainment prices in Montego Bay
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Montego Bay
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:
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Shopping Tour for Whitter Village Mall Private / Charted Air Conditioned Taxi:
$10
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Montego Bay Half-Day Shopping Tour:
$10
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Montego Bay Walking Tour:
$18
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Greenwood Great House Entry Ticket:
$20
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Montego Bay Private Shopping Tour with Hotel Pickup:
$21
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Montego Bay Private Shopping Tour (HipStrip):
$22
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ATV AdVENTURE FROM OCHO RIOS:
$25
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City Tour and Shopping in Montego Bay:
$26
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The AMAZING Montego Bay Tour:
$34
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Day Tour to Dunn's River Falls and Park with Pick Up:
$35
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Skip the Line: Ahhh Ras Natango Gallery and Garden Admission Tickets:
$35
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Rose Hall Great House Private Day Tour:
$36
Alcohol
The average person spends about $11 on alcoholic beverages in Montego Bay per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
The average person spends about $22 on alcoholic beverages in Saint Croix per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
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:
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Hampden Rum Distillery / Montego Bay Highlight Tour & 876 Beach Club:
$82
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Montego Bay Jamaica Rum Distillery Tour Private Driver:
$215
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Montego Bay Pub Crawl To Negril and Rick's Cafe:
$255
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Saint Croix, we can see that Saint Croix is more expensive. And not only is Montego Bay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Montego Bay would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Montego Bay 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 Saint Croix would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Croix than you might in Montego Bay.
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