A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Negril vs. Mexico City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Negril or Mexico City?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Negril and Mexico City. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Negril or Mexico City?

Negril

Negril is a town in western Jamaica known for its miles of white sand beaches and cliffs. It is certainly one of the more laid back towns on the island yet still attracts a lot of tourists. The hotels are as close to the water as you can get, and the sand gets whiter and whiter the further away from populated areas you get. The water is unbelievably clear and warm in Negril!

Mexico City

Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico.


Which place is cheaper, Mexico City or Negril?

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 Negril is $153, while the average daily cost in Mexico City is $225. 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 Negril and Mexico City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Negril $104
    Mexico City $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Negril $208
    Mexico City $82
Compare Hotels in Negril and Mexico City

Looking for a hotel in Negril or Mexico City? 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 Negril


Hotels in Mexico City


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: Negril Hotel Prices and Mexico City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Negril $8.55
    Mexico City $13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Negril

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Negril:


  • Taxi From Airport
    $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Negril

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

  • Sandals South Coast Private Transfer (White House): $83
  • Royalton Negril Resort Airport Transfer: $53
  • Roundtrip Transfer To or From Jam West Adventure: $100
  • Round-trip Airport Transfer to Grand Palladium Resort & Spa: $68
  • Round trip airport hotel transfer MBJ-Negril: $125
  • Private, Round-Trip Negril Airport Transfer: $200
  • Private Transfers: Montego Bay Airport ↔ Sandals Southcoast: $100
  • Private Transfers-Negril and Runaway Bay hotels(Round Trip): $180
  • Private Transfer to dunns river falls And Blue Hole: $83
  • Private Transfer to Mystic Mountain Jamaica From Negril Hotels: $200
  • Private Transfer from Sangster Intl Airport to Negril Jamaica: $60
  • Private Transfer from MontegoBay Airport to Lucea/Grand Palladium: $35

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:


  • Metro
    $1.15
  • Uber Ride
    $4.03

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City

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

  • Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Visit with Transfer: $599
  • Teotihuacan: Private Balloon Flight with optional Transfer: $293
  • Mexico City to Guanajuato - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $291
  • Private Transfer Mexico City to Oaxaca with Flexible Stops: $280
  • Shared Balloon Flight in Teotihuacan with transfer: $274
  • Mexico Airport (MEX) Tecozautla - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $248
  • Private Transfer Mexico City to San Miguel with Flexible Stops: $240
  • Balloon adventure: transfer+breakfast in the cave+guided pyramids: $239
  • Balloon Flight in Teotihuacan Transfers and Breakfast Included: $236
  • Private Airport Transfer to Hotel de CDMX (8 to 11 people): $236
  • Mexico Airport(MEX) to Chignahuapan - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $231
  • Transfer from Airport to Hotel: $220

Is it cheaper to fly into Negril or Mexico City?

Prices for flights to both Mexico City and Negril 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
    Negril $39
    Mexico City $46

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Negril

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

  • The Jungle Nightclub Experience with Optional Dinner in Negril: $80
  • Local food tour and local fields: $164

Typical Food Prices in Mexico City

For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch for Two
    $13
  • Coffee and Snacks
    $4.49
  • Dinner for 2
    $26

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City

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

  • Art and Food Tour with Lunch: $54
  • San Juan Market Food Tour Exotic Bites & Flavors: $55
  • Coyoacan Market Food Tour Urban Eats & Local Legends: $55
  • Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
  • CDMX Historic Center Food Tour: $59
  • Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $63
  • 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $65
  • Old Town Food Tour of 7 Tastings & Secret Dish: $66
  • Frida Kahlo Museum & Coyoacan Tacos & Food Tour: $69
  • Mexico City Food Tour: Historic Center, Heritage on a Plate: $70
  • Vegan & Veggie Market Tour with Cooking Lesson: $71
  • 4h Cooking Class in 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $75

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Negril $26
    Mexico City $15
Typical Entertainment Prices in Negril

For Negril, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • 2 Hr Horseback Ride
    $43

Tours and Activities in Negril

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

  • 3 Hour Day Party Pass for Tourists at Jamaica Countryside Estate: $85
  • ATV Adventure and Zipline with Rick's Cafe Sunset Tour in Negril: $42
  • ATV's, Shopping, Seven Mile Beach,Catamaran Cruise to Ricks Cafe: $130
  • Appleton Estate Rum Tour [Transportation services]: $125
  • Appleton and Y.S Falls Tour from Negril Hotels: $261
  • Bamboo Rafting and Rick Cafe Negril Private Tour: $161
  • Bambuza ATV, Zipline and Horseback Adventure from Negril: $190
  • Benta River Falls & Rick's Cafe Day Tour from Grand Palladium: $133
  • Blue Hole Secret Falls and Dunns River Falls Adventure: $134
  • Boat tour: $123
  • Bob Marley's Nine Mile Day-Trip w/Admission & Guided Tour from Grand Palladium: $145
  • Dune Buggies Experience and Mayfield falls: $276

Tours and Activities in Mexico City

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

  • 1 Day Tour to Zacatlán and Chignahuapan from Mexico city: $200
  • 1 day in Puebla and Cholula in private tour from Mexico city: $160
  • 100% Private Teotihuacan Tour from Mexico City: $132
  • 100% Private Tour in Teotihuacán Pyramids from Mexico City: $120
  • 100% private tour in Chapultepec Castle & around (with transport): $77
  • 100% private tour to hotsprings Tolantongo from Mexico city: $177
  • 2D: Frida Kahlo Museum(No ticket)-Xochimilco & Cuernavaca - Taxco: $194
  • 3-in-1 Tour: Teotihuacan + Breakfast in La Gruta + Transportation: $100
  • 3X1 Tour in Xochimilco UNAM and Coyoacan: $60
  • A Hidden Foodie Experience in Mercado de Jamaica: $135
  • A Tour through the Guadalupe Basilica Grounds: $46
  • A Walking Tour in San Ángel with Mezcal Tasting: $48

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Negril $9.93
    Mexico City $20

Sample the Local Flavors in Negril

Also in Negril, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Negril One Love Bus Bar Crawl: $26

Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City

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

  • Guided Pub Crawl with Party Games: $23
  • Mexico City Pub Crawl: $26
  • Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $94
  • The Mexican Wine Tasting and Pairing: $127
  • Distillery Tour and Lucha Libre Spirits and Showdown: $127
  • Private Cheese and Wine Tour to Queretaro: $479


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

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


Which is Bigger, Negril or Mexico City?

Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 3760 times larger than the population of Negril. When comparing the sizes of Negril and Mexico City, 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.