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

Should you visit Negril or Rosario Islands?

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 Rosario Islands. 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 Rosario Islands?

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!

Rosario Islands

The Rosario Islands, also referred to as Coral Islands of Rosario, is an archipelago located off the coast of Colombia, approximately 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Cartagena. The Rosario Islands are integrated by 28 islands and all of them form one of the 46 Natural National Parks of Colombia, created to protect one of the most important coral reefs in the Colombian Caribbean Coast. Only three of these islands are property of the Colombian state. Before establishing the national park in 1977, wealthy families used this natural paradise to build their summer houses, but then the government allowed them to keep their properties, only if they paid annual rent and taxes to be there, and complied with certain rules to preserve the ecosystem of the islands. People can visit the national park area of the islands, and tours are available. Isla Rosario has an aquarium and open-sea oceanarium that people can visit. Activities on the Rosario Islands include swimming, snorkeling and fishing, among others. The best time to visit Colombia in general, and especially the Rosario Islands is the dry-season months from December to March. These uninterrupted sunny days are just perfect for a Caribbean coastal experience and to enjoy all the activities it has to offer.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Colombia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Colombia.


Which place is cheaper, Rosario Islands 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 $150, while the average daily cost in Rosario Islands is $108. 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 Rosario Islands in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Negril $102
    Rosario Islands $33
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Negril $204
    Rosario Islands $66
Compare Hotels in Negril and Rosario Islands

Looking for a hotel in Negril or Rosario Islands? 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 Rosario Islands


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 Rosario Islands Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Negril $8.39
    Rosario Islands $46
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:

  • Airport Transfer To Negril: $60
  • Azul Sensatori Jamaica Airport Transfers: $90
  • Club Kingston VIP Lounge & Fast Track with Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer: $112
  • Comfortable Montego Bay Airport to Grand Palladium Transfer 1 Way: $23
  • Convenient Airport Transfer To Hotels in Negril : $75
  • Exclusive Tours and Airport Transfers from (MBJ) To Negril : $50
  • Grand Palladium Airport Transfer: $37
  • Grand Palladium Airport Transfer : $45
  • Grand Palladium Airport Transfer : $40
  • Grand Palladium Airport Transfers Montego Bay MBJ (Private Rountrip): $200
  • Grand Palladium Jamaica & Lady Hamilton MBj Airport Transfer: $60
  • Grand Palladium Jamaica - Lady Hamilton Airport Transfer MBJ ***: $15

Is it cheaper to fly into Negril or Rosario Islands?

Prices for flights to both Rosario Islands 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 $38
    Rosario Islands $48

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Negril

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

  • Dinner in the Sky Jamaica Round Trip Taxi & Guide only: $42
  • The Jungle Nightclub Experience with Optional Dinner in Negril: $80
  • Zimbali Mountain Cooking Studio: $105
  • Cultural Food Tour & Seven Mile Beach At Negril’s Margaritaville: $150
  • Local food tour and local fields : $164

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Negril $26
    Rosario Islands $14
Typical Entertainment Prices in Negril

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


  • 2 Hr Horseback Ride
    $42

Tours and Activities in Negril

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

  • Rockland's Bird Sanctuary Tour from Montego Bay/ Falmouth: $56
  • Negril Beach Experience & Rick's Cafe from Negril: $59
  • Buddle's Taxi and Tours : $60
  • Rick's Cafe Sunset Cruise : $60
  • Private Negril Beach Experience and Rick's Cafe from Negril: $60
  • Negril Glass Bottom Boat Tour Snorkeling and Booby Cay: $65
  • Negril Country Side Tour & Rick's Cafe : $82
  • Off-road ATV Adventure with Wall Climbing: $85
  • PARTY Catamaran Cruise with Snorkeling Rick's Cafe ADULTS ONLY: $88
  • NEGRIL CRUISE Sunset Ricks Cafe Adults only ALL HOTELS : $89
  • Rick's Cafe Sunset Cruise and Snorkelling: $90
  • Family Catamaran Cruise from Jamwest Beach Negril Hotels: $90

Tours and Activities in Rosario Islands

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

  • One-day tour to Playa Blanca by land Popular sector: $50
  • Tour to Chichen Itza Cenote and Valladolid Plus: $67

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Negril $9.74
    Rosario Islands $5.98

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


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Negril and Rosario Islands, we can see that Negril is more expensive. And not only is Rosario Islands much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Negril is in Caribbean Islands and Rosario Islands is in South 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 Rosario Islands would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rosario Islands 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 Rosario Islands.

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