Which place is cheaper, San Cristobal de Las Casas 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 San Cristobal de Las Casas?
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 Cristobal de Las Casas 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 Cristobal de Las Casas?
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 Cristobal de Las Casas
Far away from the luxuries of Cancun and Cabo, Mexico's San Cristobal de las Casas is a stunning colonial city located in the southern state of Chiapas. Due to its strategic location, the town is commonly used as a transfer point for travelers looking to cross the border between Guatemala and Mexico. San Cristobal also has an immensely strong appeal among budget-minded travelers as it's one of Mexico's most affordable cities.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen.
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Montego Bay Prices
Jamaica PricesSan Cristobal de Las Casas Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontego Bay $260San Cristobal de Las Casas $113
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $260, while the average daily cost in San Cristobal de Las Casas is $113. 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 Cristobal de Las Casas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontego Bay $102San Cristobal de Las Casas $45
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontego Bay $204San Cristobal de Las Casas $90
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and San Cristobal de Las Casas
Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or San Cristobal de Las Casas? 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 San Cristobal de Las Casas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Montego Bay $15San Cristobal de Las Casas $31
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- Zoetry Montego Bay Airport Transfers MBJ (Private Roundtrip Exclusive): $180
- Zoëtry Resorts Montego Bay Airport Transfer: $20
- VIP Runaway Bay Transfer: $160
- VIP Luxury Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Montego Bay/ Falmouth: $74
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Montego Bay APT-HTL (MBJ): $37
- Transfer Service, Sangster MBJ Airport From/To Runaway Bay: $172
- Transfer Service, Sangster MBJ Airport From/To Iberostar zone: $64
- The Spa Retreat Boutique Hotel Private Airport Transfer: $50
- Sunset at the Palm Private Negril Airport Transfer: $52
- Sunscape Splash Montego Bay Private Airport Transfer: $20
- Sports bar Day or Nightlife Experience with Private Transfer: $70
- Silver Sands Hotel Private Airport Transfer: $53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Cristobal de Las Casas
Also for San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer Hotel in San Cristobal de las Casas to TGZ Airport: $103
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or San Cristobal de Las Casas?
Prices for flights to both San Cristobal de Las Casas 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 $142San Cristobal de Las Casas $39
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 Dining Experience in Montego Bay: $40
- Montego Bay City and Food Tour All Inclusive Experience: $50
- Dinner or Lunch with Pickup from Montego Bay: $50
- Montego Bay Jerk Tour and Rum Punch Mixology/Food Tour: $50
- 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: $76
- Sunset Dinner at Bamboo Beach Club: $99
- 3 to 5 Hour Private Herbal Tour Shopping and Dinner at Ricks Cafe: $120
- Jamaican Seafood Street Food Tour from Montego Bay, Falmouth: $130
- Bar Hopping and Local Food Tour in Jamaica: $130
- Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife Experience: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montego Bay $32San Cristobal de Las Casas $14
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$2.69
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Snorkeling Trip$19
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One Tank Dive$38
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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 Efoil Experience in Montego Bay: $150
- 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 Days Private Jamaica Tour: $230
- 27/27 Lounge, Pier 1 & Margaritaville Nightlife Experience: $76
- 27/27 Lounge, Pier 1 & Margaritaville Nightlife Tour In Jamaica: $72
- 3 Hours Private Tour in Montego Bay From Falmouth: $75
- 4 Hour ATV & Horse Back Riding Private Tour (Transportation Only): $105
- 4 Hours Party Boat Catamaran Cruise in Negril: $190
- 4 Hours Private Night Life Experience in Montego Bay: $66
- 4-Hour Catamaran Party Cruise with Open Bar from Montego Bay: $200
- 5 Hour Private Tour at Negril Beach and Rick's Cafe: $150
Tours and Activities in San Cristobal de Las Casas
For San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Rancho Nuevo Caves and Arcotete Ecotourism Center: $23
- Tour of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan: $27
- Indigenous Communities Tour of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantán: $46
- Private Tour in San Cristobal de las Casas: $54
- Adventure to the Sumidero Canyon Viewpoints and Chiapa de Corzo: $54
- Tour to the Viewpoints, Sumidero Canyon and Chiapa de Corzo: $58
- Tour to the Chiflón Waterfalls and Montebello Lagoons: $58
- Full Day Tour of Montebello Lakes and El Chiflon Waterfall: $60
- Bike Tour Chiapas Indigenous Peoples: $62
- Tour to San Juan Chamula & Zinacantan Indian communities: $69
- Food Walking Tour San Cristobal de las Casas: $76
- Blue Water Misol-ha and Palenque Tour from San Cristobal.: $80
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontego Bay $13San Cristobal de Las Casas $29
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and San Cristobal de Las Casas, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is San Cristobal de Las Casas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and San Cristobal de Las Casas 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 San Cristobal de Las Casas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Cristobal de Las Casas 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 Cristobal de Las Casas.
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 Cristobal de Las Casas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or San Cristobal de Las Casas?
San Cristobal de Las Casas has a larger population, and is about 56% larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay and San Cristobal de Las Casas, 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.