Which place is cheaper, Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe?
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 Fe 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 Fe?
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 Fe
Santa Fe is the state capital of New Mexico as well as the oldest state capital in the United States, founded in 1607. It has become a popular travel destination due to the surrounding scenic beauty, its long history, cultural diversity especially with its proximity to American Indian pueblos and culture, and a rich concentration of arts, music, and food.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, and The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America.
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Montego Bay Prices
Jamaica PricesSanta Fe Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontego Bay $259Santa Fe $190
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $259, while the average daily cost in Santa Fe is $190. 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 Fe in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontego Bay $102Santa Fe $81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontego Bay $204Santa Fe $162
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and Santa Fe
Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or Santa Fe? 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 Santa Fe Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Montego Bay $15Santa Fe $61
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- Mercedes Benz Sprinter Airport Transfer: $300
- Jet Car Adventure in Montego Bay with Transfers: $300
- Chevy Suburban Montego Bay Airport Transfer: $300
- Private Transfer from Montego Bay Airport to Negril Hotels: $270
- Private Transfer from Montego Bay Airport To Ocho Rios: $267
- SUV Prado Transfer from Montego Bay Airport: $257
- Private Luxury Transfers in Montego Bay – Reliable Services: $250
- Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Kingston Hotels: $245
- Private Roundtrip Transfer to/from Ohio Rios and Sangster Airport: $241
- Private Transfer To/From Montego Bay & Airport MBJ Across Jamaica: $238
- Airport-Negril Hotels Transfers and Returns For 1- 4 persons: $230
- ATV and Zipline Combo Tour with Round-Trip Transfers: $225
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Fe
Also for Santa Fe, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- New Mexico: Private Transfer from Santa Fe Regional Airport: $196
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Santa Fe?
Prices for flights to both Santa Fe 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 $142Santa Fe $75
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 with Pickup from Montego Bay: $45
- Montego Bay City and Food Tour All Inclusive Experience: $48
- 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: $95
- Sunset Dinner at Bamboo Beach Club: $99
- 3 to 5 Hour Private Herbal Tour Shopping and Dinner at Ricks Cafe: $120
- Bar Hopping & Local Food Tour-From Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios: $130
- Jamaican Seafood Street Food Tour from Montego Bay, Falmouth: $150
- Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife: $150
- Sunset Boat Cruise and Luminous Lagoon with Dinner and Transfer: $150
- Authentic Jamaican Food Cooking Experience in the Countryside: $195
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Fe
For Santa Fe, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Santa Fe Sweet & Spicy Food Tour: Churros, Biscochitos & More: $70
- New Mexican Flavors Food Tour of the Santa Fe Plaza: $187
- Savor Wine Pairing Dinner: $243
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montego Bay $31Santa Fe $17
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$2.68
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Snorkeling Trip$19
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One Tank Dive$37
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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 Horse Back Riding & Dunn's River Falls Tour Combo: $240
- 2 Days Of Blue Hole, Dunns River Falls & Hidden Beauty Adventure: $180
- 2 Hour Private Montego Bay City Tour with Souvenir’s Shopping: $80
- 27/27 Lounge, Pier 1 & Margaritaville Nightlife Tour In Jamaica: $80
- 3 Hours Private Tour in Montego Bay From Falmouth: $75
- 3-Hour Private Tour in the Highlights of Montego Bay: $58
- 4 Hours Private Night Life Experience in Montego Bay: $66
- 7 Mile Beach & Ricks Cafe with free Shopping experience: $50
- 7 Mile Beach Private Tour: $122
- 7 Mile Beach and Rick's Cafe Private Tour: $80
- 7 Mile Beach and Rick's Cafe in Negril from Montego Bay Private Tour: $120
- ATV & Horseback Riding combo tour Montego Bay with Pickup: $190
Tours and Activities in Santa Fe
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Fe.
- Santa Fe Historic Downtown Smart Phone Audio App Self Guided GPS Walking Tour: $9.75
- Murder Mystery Detective Experience in Santa Fe NM: $15
- Self-Guided Santa Fe Historic Walking Audio Tour: $15
- Historic Santa Fe Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $15
- High Road to Taos Self Guided Audio Driving Tour from Santa Fe: $15
- Santa Fe Shadows Ghost Tour: Echoes from El Camino Real: $24
- Santa Fe Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour and Game: $25
- Allan Houser Sculpture Garden and Studio Tour: $35
- Meow Wolf The House of Eternal Return Ticket: $36
- Guided Historic Downtown Walking Tour: $40
- Assassins, Spies & the Manhattan Project Walking Tour in Santa Fe: $40
- Historic Downtown Santa Fe Walking Tour: $40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontego Bay $13Santa Fe $9.68
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 Jamaica Rum Distillery Tour Private Driver: $250
Sample the Local Flavors in Santa Fe
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Santa Fe:
- Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery Tour and Tasting: $25
- New Mexico Wine Tasting Small Group Tour: $159
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Santa Fe, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Santa Fe much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Fe 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 Fe.
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 Santa Fe Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or Santa Fe?
Montego Bay has a larger population, and is about 20% larger than the population of Santa Fe. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay and Santa Fe, 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.