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

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Should you visit Montego Bay or Saint Thomas?

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 Saint Thomas 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.

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 Thomas

Saint Thomas is a beautiful island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Together with St. John, St. Croix, and Water Island, it forms the unincorporated territory of the United States. The island is also home to the territorial capital and port of Charlotte Amalie. The island's population is just over 50,000, which is slightly less than half of the territory's total population.

Which city is cheaper, Saint Thomas or Montego Bay?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $163, while the average daily cost in Saint Thomas is $175. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Montego Bay and Saint Thomas in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Montego Bay $83
    Saint Thomas $105
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Montego Bay $166
    Saint Thomas $210

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Montego Bay $12
    Saint Thomas $29

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:

  • Private RoundTrip Transfer Donald Sangster Airport MBJ to Port Antonio byMinivan: $633
  • From Sangster Airport to Port Antonio: Private Transfer: $474
  • Airport Transfers Montego Bay Luxury Sedan Car (Private): $453
  • Private RoundTrip Transfer: Donald Sangster Airport MBJ to Kingston by Minivan: $417
  • Luxury White House Hotels Transfers: $400
  • Luxury Negril Hotels Transfers: $400
  • Luxury Ocho Rios Hotels Transfers: $400
  • Airport transfers: $345
  • Mini Van Luxury Ocho Rios Hotels Transfers: $308
  • Private Round Trip Transfer Donald Sangster Airport MBJ to Mandeville by Minivan: $283
  • Montego Bay to Kingston Hotel/Airport Transfer: $272
  • Airport - Ocho Rios Hotels Transfers and Returns: $260

Typical Local Transportation prices in Saint Thomas

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Saint Thomas are as follows:


  • Scooter Rental
    $65
  • Taxi Ride
    $5.00

Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Saint Thomas?

Prices for flights to both Saint Thomas 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 $67
    Saint Thomas $43

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.

  • Night cruise and swim the Falmouth Mystic Lagoon, Dinner and Rum Punch Inclusive: $85
  • Dinner or lunch at pier one Montego bay Food Tour: $144

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Thomas

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

  • Charlotte Amalie: Flavors of St Thomas Food Tour: $112

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Montego Bay $26
    Saint Thomas $48
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
    $2.74
  • Snorkeling Trip
    $19
  • One Tank Dive
    $38
  • 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:

  • "Ocho Rios Nature Lovers Tour": $75
  • (MBJ) Montego Bay Highlight Tour: $45
  • 3-Day Sightseeing Tour of Portland and Ocho Rios starting in Montego Bay: $695
  • 3-Day Sightseeing Tour of Treasure Beach and Negril departing from Montego Bay: $695
  • 3-Hour Reggae & Snorkeling Catamaran Cruise from Montego Bay: $99
  • 4 Hours Montego Bay Private Sightseeing Highlight Tour: $308
  • 7 Hour Lethe River Rafting, Beach, City Tour & Local Market: $125
  • 7 Mile Beach Private Tour from Montego Bay or Falmouth: $108
  • 7-Day Bus Tour Across Jamaica from Montego Bay: $2,769
  • A Culinary Experience at Zimbali Retreat: $185
  • A Private Tour of Southcoast Saint Elizabeth: $256
  • ATV AdVENTURE FROM OCHO RIOS: $25

Tours and Activities in Saint Thomas

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Thomas.

  • Bird Island Sunset Kayak Adventure: $39
  • St. Thomas: Island Tour with Mountain Top and Magens Bay: $68
  • Snorkel St. John Tour from Sapphire & Margaritaville: $135
  • St. Thomas Mangrove Kayak, Hike, & Snorkel Tour with Lunch: $139
  • St. John: Kayak, Hike & Snorkel 5-Hour Adventure: $149

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Montego Bay $11
    Saint Thomas $22

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:

  • Hampden Rum Distillery / Montego Bay Highlight Tour & 876 Beach Club: $82
  • Montego Bay Jamaica Rum Distillery Tour Private Driver: $215
  • Montego Bay Pub Crawl To Negril and Rick's Cafe: $255

About these numbers

When comparing the travel costs between Montego Bay and Saint Thomas, we can see that Saint Thomas is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Caribbean Islands, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

Related Articles for Saint Thomas
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Montego Bay vs. Saint Thomas Travel Comparison

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