Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or Negril?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Negril or Puerto Vallarta?
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 Puerto Vallarta. 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 Puerto Vallarta?
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!
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta remains a popular tourist destination with Americans, particularly during spring break when students flock to the area. The area is quite beautiful and has many gorgeous beaches, interesting jungles and waterfalls nearby, and no shortage of luxury resorts and four star restaurants. Many of the locals speak English and are friendly and open to helping tourists with directions or general information. Puerto Vallarta's popularity means that its prices are some of the highest in Mexico, particularly during holidays when the area can get quite crowded.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNegril $139Puerto Vallarta $115
The average daily cost (per person) in Negril is $139, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $115. 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 Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNegril $106Puerto Vallarta $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNegril $212Puerto Vallarta $126
Compare Hotels in Negril and Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a hotel in Negril or Puerto Vallarta? 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: Negril Hotel Prices and Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Negril $8.71Puerto Vallarta $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Negril
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Negril:
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Taxi From Airport$14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Negril
Also for Negril, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Comfortable Montego Bay Airport to Grand Palladium Transfer: $23
- Comfortable Montego Bay Airport to Negril Resorts Transfer: $33
- Private Transfer from MBJ Airport to Grand Palladium Hotel: $36
- Grand Palladium Airport Transfer: $37
- Round-Trip or Direct Private Airport Transfer to Lucea Resorts: $37
- Private Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Grand Palladium: $40
- Grand Palladium Private Transfers from MBJ Airport: $40
- Montego Bay Airport Transfer To Negril Hotels Private: $47
- Private Airport Transfer Grand Palladium/ Lady Hamilton Jamaica: $47
- Grand Palladium Private Airport Transfer: $48
- Private Airport Transfers to Negril Hotels: $48
- Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Negril Hotel: $50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Private Transfer from Sayulita to Guadalajara: $239
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR): Transfer to Puerto Vallarta: $209
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Sayulita hotels - Private Roundtrip Transfer: $192
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Puerto Vallarta - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $153
- Private Transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport to Nayarit: $145
- Airport Transfer Puerto Vallarta : $135
- Private transfer round trip Puerto Vallarta Airport To Hotel In Luxury Vehicle: $129
- Puerto Vallarta Airp.(PVR): Transfer to Puerto Vallarta Port: $118
- Puerto Vallarta Cruise Port: Transfer to Puerto Vallarta: $118
- Private Transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) for 4-7 people to Nayarit: $102
- Sayulita hotels to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) – Private Departure Transfer : $96
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Minivan Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVT) -City Center: $93
Is it cheaper to fly into Negril or Puerto Vallarta?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta 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
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Food Meals for one dayNegril $23Puerto Vallarta $37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Negril
For Negril, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Club2727 Nightlife Experience with Optional Dinner in Montego Bay: $60
- The Jungle Nightclub Experience with Optional Dinner in Negril: $85
- Zimbali Mountain Cooking Studio: $105
- Local food tour and local fields : $164
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Dinner Tacos Food Tour: $55
- Off The Beaten Path Food Tour. Dinner in Pitillal : $55
- Puerto Vallarta 3-Hour Food Tour of Authentic Local Cuisine: $59
- Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Puerta Vallarta: Seafood Lover's Food Tour: $59
- Signature Taco and Street Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $65
- Vallarta by Road Food Tour: $75
- Mexican Cooking Class, Tequila Tasting & Unlimited Margaritas: $75
- Bucerias Bike and Food Tour: $90
- Mexican Cooking Class and Tequila Tasting: $96
- Sayulita Tacos and Tequila Food Tour : $99
- Cooking Class and Market Tour: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Negril $27Puerto Vallarta $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Negril
For Negril, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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2 Hr Horseback Ride$44
Tours and Activities in Negril
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Negril.
- Cruise Ship Excursion in Montego Bay : $41
- From Negril/Palladium: Negril Beach and Ricks Cafe Tour: $49
- Private Glass Bottom Boat Sight Seeing Tour Jamaica: $58
- Buddle's Taxi and Tours : $60
- Blue Hole Mineral Springs, Rick's Café, and Shopping Combo Tour: $75
- Negril Beach and Catamaran Cruise: $79
- Negril guided day tour:7 mile beach and sunset at Ricks Cafe: $80
- Ricks Cafe Sunset Catamaran Cruise Negril Palladium Montego Bay: $85
- Jamwest JamCulture Tour from Negril: $89
- Bob Marley Birth Place Nine Mile Day Tour: $94
- Negril Catamaran Adults Only Cruise, Snorkeling and Rick's Cafe from Negril: $110
- Must Do-Accompong Town Maroon Village Tour & Celebration from Negril: $112
Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- 3-hr ATV Mountian Exclusive Tour to Sierra Madre: $65
- Snorkel Adventure at Majahuitas Beach: $54
- Zip Line Adventure in the heights in Puerto Vallarta 10 zip lines: $66
- 2 Hour and 30 Minutes Walking Tour in 5 De Diciembre: $45
- 2 Hours Catamaran Sunset Tour: $99
- 3-Hour Exclusive Guided RZR Adventure Sierra Madre Mountains Tour: $125
- 360 Puerto Vallarta City Tour with Lunch: $65
- 4 Hour Surf Experience in Corral Del Risco: $75
- 8 hour All Inclusive Tour in Catamaran Arcos Animas Quimixto: $78
- 8 hour All Inclusive Tour in Catamaran Arcos Animas Quimixto: $82
- ATV Adventure from Puerto Vallarta: $110
- ATV Adventure in Puerto Vallarta (Single): $105
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNegril $10Puerto Vallarta $24
Sample the Local Flavors in Puerto Vallarta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
- All you can drink Bar Crawl: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Negril and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Negril is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Vallarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Negril is in Caribbean Islands and Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Vallarta 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 Negril would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Negril than you might in Puerto Vallarta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Negril Expensive? and Is Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Negril or Puerto Vallarta?
Puerto Vallarta has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Negril. When comparing the sizes of Negril and Puerto Vallarta, 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.