Should you visit Montego Bay or Vieques Island?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Montego Bay and Vieques Island can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
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.
Vieques Island
Amidst the melodious chorus of coqui frogs and gentle whispers of palm trees blowing in an evening breeze, you will find that the waters around you glow just as brightly as the stars above. This tropical paradise is none other than Vieques, Puerto Rico. Tropical forests, bioluminescent bays, coral reefs--this island attracts visitors from all around the world who seek to see the wonders and beauties of the tropics. This island suits those from all walks of life, from history buffs seeking to learn about its unique past to nature-lovers wanting to admire its untouched wilderness. Vieques is the place for a perfect vacation!
Which city is cheaper, Vieques Island or Montego Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $163, while the average daily cost in Vieques Island is $136. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Montego Bay and Vieques Island in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Montego Bay is $166. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Travelers usually pay around $148 for a double occupancy room in Vieques Island If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
In Montego Bay travelers spend around $67 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
Food in Vieques Island costs travelers about $43 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Montego Bay $67
Vieques Island $43
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
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Night cruise and swim the Falmouth Mystic Lagoon, Dinner and Rum Punch Inclusive:
$85
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Dinner or lunch at pier one Montego bay Food Tour:
$144
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Montego Bay is $12 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Vieques Island than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $24 on transportation in Vieques Island on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
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Private RoundTrip Transfer Donald Sangster Airport MBJ to Port Antonio byMinivan:
$633
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Airport Transfers Montego Bay Luxury Sedan Car (Private):
$453
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Private RoundTrip Transfer: Donald Sangster Airport MBJ to Kingston by Minivan:
$417
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Luxury White House Hotels Transfers:
$400
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Luxury Negril Hotels Transfers:
$400
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Luxury Ocho Rios Hotels Transfers:
$400
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Airport transfers:
$345
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Mini Van Luxury Ocho Rios Hotels Transfers:
$308
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Private Round Trip Transfer Donald Sangster Airport MBJ to Mandeville by Minivan:
$283
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Montego Bay to Kingston Hotel/Airport Transfer:
$272
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Airport - Ocho Rios Hotels Transfers and Returns:
$260
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Montego Bay Airport Transfer:
$260
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Vieques Island?
Prices for flights to both Vieques Island 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.
Entertainment
Montego Bay's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $26 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing expenses in Vieques Island, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $27 per day, per person.
Typical Entertainment prices in Montego Bay
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Montego Bay
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:
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"Ocho Rios Nature Lovers Tour":
$75
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(MBJ) Montego Bay Highlight Tour:
$45
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3-Day Sightseeing Tour of Portland and Ocho Rios starting in Montego Bay:
$695
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3-Day Sightseeing Tour of Treasure Beach and Negril departing from Montego Bay:
$695
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3-Hour Reggae & Snorkeling Catamaran Cruise from Montego Bay:
$99
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4 Hours Montego Bay Private Sightseeing Highlight Tour:
$308
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7 Hour Lethe River Rafting, Beach, City Tour & Local Market:
$125
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7 Mile Beach Private Tour from Montego Bay or Falmouth:
$108
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7-Day Bus Tour Across Jamaica from Montego Bay:
$2,769
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A Culinary Experience at Zimbali Retreat:
$185
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A Private Tour of Southcoast Saint Elizabeth:
$256
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ATV AdVENTURE FROM OCHO RIOS:
$25
Alcohol
The average person spends about $11 on alcoholic beverages in Montego Bay per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Vieques Island, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $24.
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:
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Hampden Rum Distillery / Montego Bay Highlight Tour & 876 Beach Club:
$82
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Montego Bay Jamaica Rum Distillery Tour Private Driver:
$215
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Montego Bay Pub Crawl To Negril and Rick's Cafe:
$255
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Vieques Island, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Vieques Island much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Vieques Island would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vieques Island 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 Vieques Island.
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