A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Montego Bay vs. San Carlos de Bariloche for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Montego Bay or San Carlos de Bariloche?

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 San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche?

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.

San Carlos de Bariloche

Set in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Argentina, San Carlos de Bariloche is the biggest city in the Lake District. Bariloche is popular for skiing and snowboarding in the winter and trekking, swimming, fishing and horseback riding in the summertime.

No matter the time of year, there is something for everyone in Bariloche. Skiing season begins from June to October while fishing season is from November to April. Summer is from December to March, but visiting during low seasons (Spring in October to December and Autumn in late-April to mid-June) also has its benefits when it comes to saving cash and avoiding crowds.

Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking in Patagonia.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, San Carlos de Bariloche or Montego Bay?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $203, while the average daily cost in San Carlos de Bariloche is $7.40. 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 San Carlos de Bariloche in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Montego Bay $104
    San Carlos de Bariloche $2.68
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Montego Bay $208
    San Carlos de Bariloche $5.36
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and San Carlos de Bariloche

Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or San Carlos de Bariloche? 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.

Hotels in Montego Bay


Hotels in San Carlos de Bariloche


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 San Carlos de Bariloche Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Montego Bay $15
    San Carlos de Bariloche $2.28

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 Transfer : $10
  • Montego Bay Hotels Private Airport Transfer : $10
  • Riu Reggae , Riu Palace & Riu Mobay Montego Bay Airport Transfers: $11
  • Private Transfer Sangster International Airport to Montego Bay: $12
  • RIU Reggae Palace and RIU Montego Bay Private Airport Transfer: $13
  • Private Airport Transfer to Sandals Montego : $13
  • MBJ Airport: Private Transfer to Montego Bay: $14
  • Private Airport Transfer to Hyatt Ziva & Zilara to Jewel Grande: $14
  • Relaxing Airport To Resort In Montego Bay Transfer: $14
  • Private Airport Transfer to Breathless/ to Secrets Resort: $14
  • Private Airport Transfer to Half Moon - Holiday Inn - Zoetry: $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Carlos de Bariloche

Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Carlos de Bariloche:

  • Bariloche: 1-Way or Round-Trip BRC Airport Transfer: $9.00
  • Private transfer Bariloche Airpot- Hotels: $13
  • Transfers in Bariloche: $22
  • Transfer from the Airport to Bariloche: $26
  • Shared Transfer One Way - Bariloche Airport to Hotel or v.v.: $26
  • Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bariloche Airport: $26
  • Bariloche Airport (BRC) to Cerro Catedral - Arrival Transfer: $27
  • Bariloche: One-Way Private Transfer from Airport: $35
  • Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Tambo Viejo: $36
  • Bariloche Airport Arrival Shuttle Transfer: $36
  • Bariloche Airport Departure Shuttle Transfer: $36
  • Private Transfer from Lago Moreno to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $46

Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or San Carlos de Bariloche?

Prices for flights to both San Carlos de Bariloche 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 $84
    San Carlos de Bariloche $2.78

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay

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

  • 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
  • Rick’s Cafe Cliff Diving, Sunset & Dinner Tour with Transportation : $130
  • Sunset Boat Ride in the Falmouth Luminous Lagoon swim and Dinner : $165
  • Sunset Boat Cruise in Falmouth Luminous Lagoon, Swim and Dinner : $170
  • Restaurant Transportation for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Montego Bay: $180
  • 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

Typical Food Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche

Some typical examples of dining costs in San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:


  • Pastries
    $0.01
  • Empanadas
    $0.03

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Montego Bay $32
    San Carlos de Bariloche $3.05
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:

  • 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
  • Private Shopping Tour in Montego Bay with Hotel Pickup: $35
  • Montego Bay Sightseeing Tour and Souvenir Shopping: $35
  • Rose Hall Great House Haunted Night Tour: $35
  • Skip the Line: Ahhh Ras Natango Gallery and Garden Admission Tickets: $35
  • Shopping and Sightseeing Tour of Montego Bay City: $39
  • Shopping and Sightseeing Local Guided Tour In Montego Bay: $40
  • Bamboo Rafting, Hip-Strip & Margaritaville Tour from Montego Bay: $40
  • Montego Bay Walking Tour: $40
  • Private Montego Bay Shopping Tour with Transportation: $45

Tours and Activities in San Carlos de Bariloche

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:

  • Bariloche: 4-Hour Cerro Catedral Base Tour: $15
  • Classic Bariloche: Half-Day Sightseeing Excursion: $26
  • Bariloche: Half Day Small Circuit Tour - Mt Campanario and Llao Llao Peninsula: $28
  • German Footprint & Nazi presence - Walking Tour in Bariloche: $29
  • German Footprint Tour: $29
  • Indigenous People of Patagonia History Tour: $29
  • From Bariloche: Half-Day Circuito Chico Sightseeing Tour: $38
  • Small Circuit Tour: Mt Campanario and Llao Llao Peninsula: $39
  • Bariloche: Full-Day El Bolsón and Puelo Lake Tour: $42
  • Half-Day Tour to Circuito Chico and Cerro Catedral with Transportation: $56
  • President Peron in Bariloche - Historic Tour: $60
  • Pablo Bernasconi's Art Gallery Guided Tour: $60

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Montego Bay $13
    San Carlos de Bariloche $1.83

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: $215

Typical Alcohol Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in San Carlos de Bariloche from other travelers:


  • Beer
    $0.01


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and San Carlos de Bariloche, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is San Carlos de Bariloche much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and San Carlos de Bariloche is in South 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 San Carlos de Bariloche would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche.

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 San Carlos de Bariloche Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or San Carlos de Bariloche?

San Carlos de Bariloche has a larger population, and is about 15% larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay and San Carlos de Bariloche, 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.