Which place is cheaper, San Pedro La Laguna or Montego Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Montego Bay or San Pedro La Laguna?
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 Pedro La Laguna 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 Pedro La Laguna?
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 Pedro La Laguna
Located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful volcanic lake ringed by small towns and villages that are highly frequented by backpackers. Panajachal is one of the best known of the towns, as well as the main entry point of the region, while others like San Pedro La Laguna are quieter and more off the beaten path. Lake Atitlan and its villages attract visitors for its scenic beauty, outdoor activities, and Mayan culture nearby.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Guatemala, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Guatemala.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontego Bay $203San Pedro La Laguna $36
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $203, while the average daily cost in San Pedro La Laguna is $36. 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 Pedro La Laguna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontego Bay $104San Pedro La Laguna $8.23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontego Bay $208San Pedro La Laguna $16
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and San Pedro La Laguna
Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or San Pedro La Laguna? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Montego Bay $15San Pedro La Laguna $13
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
- Tryall / Round Hill - Montego Bay Airport Transfers: $107
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Montego Bay HTL-APT (MBJ): $37
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Montego Bay APT-HTL (MBJ): $37
- Transfer Service, Sangster MBJ Airport From/To Iberostar zone: $55
- Sunset at the Palms Negril Airport Transfers: $53
- Southcoast Private Airport Transfer: $109
- Shuttle Transfer From Montego Bay Airport - RoseHall : $17
- Shuttle Transfer From Montego Bay Airport - Montego Bay: $13
- Secrets Wild Orchid Private Airport Transfer: $20
- Secrets Wild Orchid Hotel Airport Transfer : $21
- Secrets Wild Ochid/ St. James Private Airport Transfer: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or San Pedro La Laguna?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro La Laguna 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 $84San Pedro La Laguna $11
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
- Flavors of Jamaica Food Tour from Montego Bay: $147
- Sunset Booze Cruise and Luminous Lagoon with Dinner and Transfer : $165
- Restaurant Transportation for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Montego Bay: $180
- [PRIVATE] Premium Jamaican Food Tour of Local Cuisine: $190
Typical Food Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lemonade$2.06
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Cake$1.29
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Ice cream$0.39
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Hot Cocoa & Banana Bread$2.96
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Guatemalan street food tour with a local bilingual guide: $40
- Temazcal sauna and dinner, cultural sharing experience: $44
- Maya Cooking Class from Panajachel: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montego Bay $32San Pedro La Laguna $21
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:
- ATV Adventure to Seven Mile Beach and Ricks Cafe: $220
- ATV, Bamboo Rafting, and Horseback Ride Tour From Montego Bay: $173
- Black River Day Adventure Tour: $92
- Bob Marley Nine Mile and Dunn's River Falls Tour From Montego Bay : $240
- Catamaran Party Cruise and Snorkeling from Montego Bay: $220
- Dirt Adventure ATV from Montego Bay: $160
- Dunns River & BlueHole Tour Includes Entry Fees: $289
- Falmouth Mystic from Montego Bay Luminous Lagoon Night Tour: $90
- Floyds Pelican Bar Private Tour : $155
- Green Grotto Cave Private Tour: $115
- Horseback Riding and Tour from Montego Bay : $230
- Jet Ski, Parasailing and Margaritaville Guided Tour: $220
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for San Pedro La Laguna's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Canopy Tour (for 2)$39
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Kayaking (for 2)$1.93
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Coffee Tour (for 2)$6.95
Tours and Activities in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Beading Class and tour a Non-profit vocational training center a Fun cultural sharing experience: $28
- Tour a NGO non profit Vocational Training Center Amigos de Santa Cruz and explore the Mayan village: $33
- Coffee Tour in Lake Atitlán: $35
- Day of the Dead Giant Kite Festival Cultural Experience: $35
- Biking tour through the towns of Santa Catarina and San Antonio: $46
- Sololá Colourful Market Day Tour: $50
- Private Tour of Lake Atitlán by Mototaxi: $50
- 5-Hour Private Birdwatching Experience in San Juan La Laguna: $50
- Lake Atitlan Lower Mayan Trail Hiking Tour from Panajachel: $51
- Get fun with an Adventure Tour - Zip Line (Canopy): $51
- Sunrise Hike Tour on Indian's Nose Mountain: $52
- sunset tour : $55
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontego Bay $13San Pedro La Laguna $5.58
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:
- Montego Bay Pub Crawl To Negril and Rick's Cafe: $103
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and San Pedro La Laguna, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro La Laguna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and San Pedro La Laguna 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 San Pedro La Laguna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Pedro La Laguna 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 Pedro La Laguna.
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 Pedro La Laguna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or San Pedro La Laguna?
Montego Bay has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of San Pedro La Laguna. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay and San Pedro La Laguna, 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.