A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Moshi vs. Kingston for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Moshi or Kingston?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Moshi or Kingston, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Moshi or Kingston?

Moshi

Moshi is a town in northern Tanzania, near the Kenyan border. It’s known as a gateway to Kilimanjaro National Park, home to Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. Trails run up the mountain's cloud-ringed, snow-capped dome, through alpine forests and meadows home to elephants and leopards. The noticeably clean capital of the densely populated Kilimanjaro region sits at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro and makes a good introduction to the splendors of the north. It's a low-key place with an appealing blend of African and Asian influences and a self-sufficient, prosperous feel, due in large part to its being the center of one of Tanzania's major coffee-growing regions. Virtually all visitors are here to climb Mt Kilimanjaro or to recover after having done so. Yet there’s much more to do, including cultural tours and hikes on the mountain’s lower slopes.

Kingston

Kingston is Jamaica's capital city with a population of about 579,000. For being located on an island, Kingston is a very large city with several different zip codes. Not only is Kingston the cultural capital of the country, but also the commercial one as well.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Tanzania, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Tanzania.


Which place is cheaper, Kingston or Moshi?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Moshi is $83, while the average daily cost in Kingston is $125. 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 Moshi and Kingston in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Moshi $36
    Kingston $63
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Moshi $72
    Kingston $126
Compare Hotels in Moshi and Kingston

Looking for a hotel in Moshi or Kingston? 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 Moshi


Hotels in Kingston


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: Moshi Hotel Prices and Kingston Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Moshi $17
    Kingston $29

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Moshi

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

  • Airport Transfer between Moshi and Kilimanjaro International Airport: $82
  • Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) Private Transfer to Mount Kilimanjaro: $78
  • Kilimanjaro Airport JRO Private Taxi Transfer: $55
  • Kilimanjaro Airport Private Transfer from/to Moshi: $49
  • Kilimanjaro Airport Transfer: $60
  • Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) Transfer/Taxi Services: $53
  • Moshi to Arusha or Arusha to Moshi Transfer (Intercity transfer): $93
  • Private Airport Transfer Moshi to Kilimanjaro Int Airport (JRO): $50
  • Private Airport transfers from any hotel in Zanzibar (Departures): $30
  • Private Transfer from Kilimanjaro Airport to Moshi: $47
  • Reliable Kilimanjaro Airport Transfer to Your Hotel: $55

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:

  • Transfer from Norman Manley Airport (KIN) to Kingston Hotels: $150
  • Transfer for Kingston Airport to or from Hotels in Falmouth Area: $173
  • Round trip -Airport Transfers from Kingston.: $80
  • Private Transfers: Kingston Airport ↔ Montego Bay Area: $215
  • Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport Across Jamaica: $49
  • Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport (KIN) Across Jamaica: $55
  • Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport (KIN) Across Jamaica: $25
  • Private Transfer to and from Kingston International Airport: $73
  • Private Transfer from Montego Bay Port to Kingston Airport (KIN): $256
  • Private Transfer from Montego Bay Cruise Port to Kingston Hotels: $255
  • Private Transfer from Kingston hotel to Falmouth Cruise Port: $192
  • Private Transfer from Kingston Airport (KIN) to Falmouth Port: $192

Is it cheaper to fly into Moshi or Kingston?

Prices for flights to both Kingston and Moshi 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
    Moshi $34
    Kingston $45

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Moshi

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

  • Kili View Tanzanian Cooking Class: $26
  • Kilimanjaro : Cooking, Brew, Hiking & Feast in Materuni Village: $57
  • Traditional Tanzanian Cooking Class in Moshi with a Local Family: $79
  • Private Market Tour and Tanzanian Cooking Class in Moshi: $109
  • Spice Picking with Zanzibar Cooking Class: $193
  • 3 Days Chaga Culture: Cooking, NGO Projects, Banana Beer, Hiking: $201

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Moshi $18
    Kingston $12

Tours and Activities in Moshi

For Moshi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Moshi Tanzanite Experience Discover Tanzania’s Rare Blue Gem: $8.00
  • Moshi City Tour: Explore the Foothill of Kilimanjaro on Foot: $20
  • Moshi/Arusha: Materuni Waterfalls, Coffee Tour & Hot Springs: $21
  • Moshi Coffee Plantation & Chagga Culture Half-Day Tour: $25
  • Materuni Waterfalls, Coffee Plantations & Banana beer experiences: $29
  • Materuni Waterfalls Hike and Organic Coffee Brewing Half day Tour: $30
  • Materuni Waterfall and Coffee Plantation Half Day Tour: $30
  • Private Materuni Waterfall Hike Coffee Tour and Traditional Lunch: $35
  • Moshi city tour: $40
  • 1-Day Moshi Villages bike tour: $50
  • Bodaboda Experience to Materuni Waterfall and Coffee Tour: $52
  • Materuni Waterfalls & Coffee Tour from Moshi: $55

Tours and Activities in Kingston

Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • ATV adventure in ocho rios: $104
  • Art Walk, Bob Marley Museum Kingston City Tour: $130
  • Bamboo Rafting and Boston Jerk Centre Tour in Portland Jamaica: $220
  • Blue Mountain Coffee Tasting & Farm Tour from Kingston: $150
  • Blue Mountain Waterfall and Sightseeing Ecotour: $200
  • Bluehole, Dunn's River Falls and Port Royal all in one tour: $690
  • Bob Marley Guided City Tour: $95
  • Bob Marley Museum and Kingston Sightseeing from Port Royal Cruise Port: $205
  • Bunny Lee Museum and Recording Studio Admission Ticket: $30
  • Club Kingston VIP Departure Lounge Experience: $38
  • Cultural City Tour of Kingston: $105
  • Cultural Walking Tour of Kingston: $65

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Moshi $3.35
    Kingston $11

Sample the Local Flavors in Kingston

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kingston:

  • Worthy Park Estate Rum Distillery Tour with Tasting: $144


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Moshi and Kingston, we can see that Kingston is more expensive. And not only is Moshi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Moshi is in Africa and Kingston is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Moshi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Moshi 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 Kingston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kingston than you might in Moshi.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Moshi Expensive? and Is Kingston Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Moshi or Kingston?

Kingston has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Moshi. When comparing the sizes of Moshi and Kingston, 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.