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

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Should you visit Montego Bay or Santa Elena?

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 Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena?

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.

Santa Elena

Santa Elena is a cute town, and the closest to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It's one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, and is a great place to experience the cloud forest and see some of country's unique wildlife.

In the Monteverde Cloud Forest you have a good chance of seeing rare quetzals which are the national bird of Costa Rica. Other common animals include white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, orange-kneed tarantulas, any of 8-9 species of hummingbirds, and sloth.

Santa Elena is about 1,400 meters above sea level and has a humid and damp environment. The average yearly temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and the average rainfall is 3,000 millimetres. Humidity can be anywhere between 74% and 97%.

Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena or Montego Bay?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $204, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is $88. 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 Santa Elena in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Montego Bay $104
    Santa Elena $52
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Montego Bay $208
    Santa Elena $104
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and Santa Elena

Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or Santa Elena? 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 Santa Elena


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Montego Bay $15
    Santa Elena $11

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
  • Airport Limousine Transfers Montego Bay Limo Service (Private ): $600
  • Airport Transfer Roundtrips Kingston to Montego Bay/Vice Versa: $550
  • Airport Transfers Montego Bay Luxury Sedan Car (Private): $460
  • Round Hill Villas Exclusive Airport Transfers Montego Bay (Private Roundtrip): $430
  • Private RoundTrip Transfer: Donald Sangster Airport MBJ to Kingston by Minivan: $417
  • Black River and YS Falls Adventure with Transfer: $387
  • Airport Transfer To Montego Bay Hotels (Round-Trip): $330
  • Montego Bay to Kingston Hotel/Airport Transfer : $320
  • Private Airport Transfer from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios Jamaica: $310
  • Private Round Trip Transfer Donald Sangster Airport MBJ to Mandeville by Minivan: $283
  • Ocho Rios Hotels / Resort - Airport Transfers: $267

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena

Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Shuttle Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal: $27
  • Peñas Blancas to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $38
  • Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $177
  • Private Transfer From Monteverde to San Jose With 2 Stops: $210
  • Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $211
  • Private Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
  • Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 7 to 10 passengers: $268
  • One-Way Private Transfer: Monteverde to Quepos and Manuel Antonio: $276
  • One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
  • Private Transfer Service From Monteverde To Arenal La Fortuna: $305
  • One way Private Transfer from Monteverde to Jaco up to 5 passengers.: $320
  • Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 11 to 15 passengers: $402

Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Santa Elena?

Prices for flights to both Santa Elena 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
    Santa Elena $23

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
  • 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
  • Dinner or lunch at pier one Montego bay Food Tour: $144
  • Flavors of Jamaica Food Tour from Montego Bay: $147
  • Sunset Boat Ride in the Falmouth Luminous Lagoon with Dinner : $149
  • Full Day Martha Brae Rafting & Luminous Lagoon Tour with Dinner: $158
  • Sunset Boat Cruise in Falmouth Luminous Lagoon, Swim and Dinner : $170
  • [PRIVATE] Premium Jamaican Food Tour of Local Cuisine: $174
  • 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

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Elena

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

  • Farm Tour & Farm to Table Dinner: $50

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Montego Bay $32
    Santa Elena $29
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:

  • ATV, Bamboo Rafting, and Horseback Ride Tour From Montego Bay: $360
  • Appleton Estate Rum Tour and Pelican Bar Customize Tour: $120
  • Black River Day Adventure Tour: $92
  • Blue Hole & Secrets Falls and White River Tubing Private Tour: $155
  • Bob Marley Nine Mile and Dunn's River Falls Tour From Montego Bay : $350
  • Catamaran Party Cruise and Snorkeling from Montego Bay and surrounding areas: $220
  • Dirt Adventure ATV from Montego Bay: $160
  • Dunn’s River Falls,Zip lining & horseback riding Combo tour from Montego Bay : $380
  • Floyds Pelican Bar Private Tour : $155
  • Green Grotto Cave Private Tour: $115
  • Horseback Riding and Tour from Montego Bay : $230
  • Local Bar Hop Tour in Montego Bay with private transportation : $180

Tours and Activities in Santa Elena

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.

  • Admission Ticket to Las Pumas Rescue Center : $20
  • Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $20
  • Cloud Forest hanging bridges Treetops Tour : $20
  • Selvatura Park: Herpetarium Tour in Monteverde: $22
  • Butterfly Garden Tour in Monteverde: $22
  • Curi-cancha Bird-watching & wildlife tour : $23
  • Night Adventures in Monteverde: $24
  • Tour in Monteverde Curi-cancha reserve : $25
  • Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour: $25
  • Guided Butterfly Conservatory Tour in Costa Rica: $26
  • Adventure Day - Outdoor activities for Family and Friends Special Package.: $29
  • CuriCancha Reserve Admission Ticket: $33

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Montego Bay $13
    Santa Elena $5.96

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 Distillery Tour Admission with Tastings by Chukka: $39
  • Montego Bay Pub Crawl To Negril and Rick's Cafe: $103
  • Hampden Rum Distillery / Montego Bay Highlight Tour : $120
  • Montego Bay Jamaica Rum Distillery Tour Private Driver: $215

How are these travel costs calculated?

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


When is the best time to visit Montego Bay or Santa Elena?

Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.

Should I visit Montego Bay or Santa Elena in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Montego Bay as well as Santa Elena. Montego Bay attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year.

It's quite rainy in Santa Elena. Montego Bay usually gets less rain in July than Santa Elena. Montego Bay gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Montego Bay this time of the year. In the summer, Montego Bay often gets more sunshine than Santa Elena. Montego Bay gets 257 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 164 hours of full sun.

In the summer, Montego Bay is around the same temperature as Santa Elena. Typically, the summer temperatures in Montego Bay in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Santa Elena averages at about 28°C (82°F).


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Montego Bay 28°C (82°F) 
    Santa Elena 28°C (82°F)

Should I visit Montego Bay or Santa Elena in the Autumn?

Both Santa Elena and Montego Bay are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Montego Bay throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Santa Elena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. It's quite rainy in Montego Bay. In October, Montego Bay usually receives less rain than Santa Elena. Montego Bay gets 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montego Bay. Montego Bay usually receives more sunshine than Santa Elena during autumn. Montego Bay gets 233 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Montego Bay is generally around the same temperature as Santa Elena. Daily temperatures in Montego Bay average around 27°C (81°F), and Santa Elena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Montego Bay 27°C (81°F) 
    Santa Elena 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Montego Bay or Santa Elena in the Winter?

Both Santa Elena and Montego Bay during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Montego Bay because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round.

Montego Bay usually gets more rain in January than Santa Elena. Montego Bay gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

In Santa Elena, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Montego Bay. In the winter, Montego Bay often gets less sunshine than Santa Elena. Montego Bay gets 226 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 264 hours of full sun.

Montego Bay is cooler than Santa Elena in the winter. The daily temperature in Montego Bay averages around 24°C (75°F) in January, and Santa Elena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Montego Bay 24°C (75°F) 
    Santa Elena 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Montego Bay or Santa Elena in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Montego Bay and Santa Elena. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montego Bay year-round. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In April, Montego Bay usually receives more rain than Santa Elena. Montego Bay gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Santa Elena this time of the year. In Montego Bay, it's very sunny this time of the year. Montego Bay usually receives less sunshine than Santa Elena during spring. Montego Bay gets 225 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.

In the spring, Montego Bay is cooler than Santa Elena. Typically, the spring temperatures in Montego Bay in April average around 25°C (77°F), and Santa Elena averages at about 29°C (85°F).


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Montego Bay 25°C (77°F) 
    Santa Elena 29°C (85°F)

Typical Weather for Santa Elena and Montego Bay

Montego Bay Santa Elena
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 24°C (75°F) 70 mm (2.8 in) 27°C (81°F) 8 mm (0.3 in)
Feb 24°C (75°F) 30 mm (1.2 in) 28°C (83°F) 2 mm (0.1 in)
Mar 25°C (77°F) 30 mm (1.2 in) 29°C (84°F) 4 mm (0.2 in)
Apr 25°C (77°F) 60 mm (2.4 in) 29°C (85°F) 28 mm (1.1 in)
May 26°C (79°F) 80 mm (3.1 in) 29°C (83°F) 226 mm (8.9 in)
Jun 27°C (81°F) 80 mm (3.1 in) 28°C (82°F) 226 mm (8.9 in)
Jul 28°C (82°F) 60 mm (2.4 in) 28°C (82°F) 164 mm (6.5 in)
Aug 28°C (82°F) 80 mm (3.1 in) 26°C (79°F) 289 mm (11.4 in)
Sep 27°C (81°F) 110 mm (4.3 in) 28°C (82°F) 328 mm (12.9 in)
Oct 27°C (81°F) 130 mm (5.1 in) 27°C (81°F) 254 mm (10 in)
Nov 26°C (79°F) 120 mm (4.7 in) 27°C (81°F) 121 mm (4.8 in)
Dec 25°C (77°F) 100 mm (3.9 in) 27°C (81°F) 33 mm (1.3 in)


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.
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Montego Bay vs. Santa Elena Travel Comparison

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