A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ocho Rios vs. Boquete for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Ocho Rios or Boquete?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Ocho Rios or Boquete, 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: Ocho Rios or Boquete?

Ocho Rios

Ocho Rios, or "Ochi" is a town located on the northeastern shore of Jamaica and is a popular hub for cruise ships. It is a great destination for tourists as it has many resorts and beautiful beaches.

Boquete

Boquete is a village located in the pacific west of Panama. This town very recently became an attractive destination for tourists and expatriates. Before the early 2000's, it was a quiet town hidden away in the mountains with very little tourism. After the development of Valle Escondido, which is a largely residential area, many North Americans flocked to this town and an expat community developed. Boquete is known for it's near perfect year round temperature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit, beautiful untouched nature, and world renowned coffee.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.


Which place is cheaper, Boquete or Ocho Rios?

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 Ocho Rios is $87, while the average daily cost in Boquete is $67. 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 Ocho Rios and Boquete in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ocho Rios $52
    Boquete $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ocho Rios $104
    Boquete $44
Compare Hotels in Ocho Rios and Boquete

Looking for a hotel in Ocho Rios or Boquete? 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 Ocho Rios


Hotels in Boquete


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: Ocho Rios Hotel Prices and Boquete Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ocho Rios $7.46
    Boquete $5.22

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ocho Rios

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

  • Jamaica Private Hotel and Airport Transfer: $5.00
  • Montego Bay Airport (MBJ) Transfer One-Way or Round-Trip to Hotel: $19
  • Private Transfer From the Ocho Rios Airport/ Ian Fleming: $20
  • Private Round Trip Transfer to YAAMAN Adventure Park Ocho Rios: $27
  • Private Round Trip Transfer to Dunns River Climb and Zipline over the Falls!: $34
  • Montego Bay Airport Transfer: $39
  • Private Nightlife Transfer Around Ocho Rios: $40
  • Private Transfer to ATV dirt road Adventures.: $40
  • Private Airport Transfer from Ocho Rios: $40
  • Private Transfer From Kingston Airport To Kingston Hotel One Way: $40
  • Private Transfer to Beach Horse Back Ride and Swim: $45
  • Private Nightlife and Clubbing Tour Ocho Rios - Transfer Only: $49

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boquete

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boquete:

  • Private transfer from Boquete to Bocas del Toro: $165

Is it cheaper to fly into Ocho Rios or Boquete?

Prices for flights to both Boquete and Ocho Rios 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
    Ocho Rios $28
    Boquete $32

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ocho Rios

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

  • Exclusive Sunset Dinner At Reggae Hill: $99
  • Flavors of Jamaica Food Tour from Runaway Bay: $138
  • Taste of Jamaica Food Tour from Ocho Rios: $150

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ocho Rios $15
    Boquete $17
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ocho Rios

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


  • Tour of Brimmer Hall Estate
    $11
  • Admission to Coyaba Gardens
    $5.37
  • Tour of Prospect Plantation
    $18

Tours and Activities in Ocho Rios

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

  • Ocho Rios Shopping Tour: $20
  • VIP Dunn River Falls and Blue Hole Experience: $25
  • Original Blue Hole St. Ann Ocho Rios Jamaica Admission Fee Ticket: $25
  • Blue Hole Admission Fee Ticket: $26
  • Bamboo River Rafting and Blue Hole Waterfall Adventure Ocho Rios: $30
  • Private Dunn's River Falls, Ocho Rios Sightseeing and shopping: $35
  • Ocho Rios City Bus Tour (Beach, Sightseeing & Shopping): $40
  • Blue Hole Private Tour from Ocho Rios with Pickup: $45
  • Blue Hole Tour from Ocho Rios: $49
  • Blue Hole And Konoko Falls Combo Tour From Ocho Rios & Runaway Bay!: $50
  • Private Ocho Rios highlights and beach day tour: $51
  • Blue Hole Tour From Ocho Rios: $55

Tours and Activities in Boquete

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boquete are as follows:

  • Ancestral Coffee Experience in Boquete: $55
  • Boquete Adventure - E-Bike Tour (2 hrs.) (2 Person Min.): $55
  • Boquete Panoramic Tour: $200
  • Boquete Rock climbing tour: $80
  • Cangilones Mini Canyons Tour: $38
  • Cloud Forest Wildlife Hike Tour: $36
  • Family Tour (Experiences in caldera): $85
  • Guided E-Bike Panoramic Tour: $75
  • Guided Hike and Coffee Farm Tour with Tasting: $99
  • Hands-On Coffee Experience with Tasting: $40
  • Chasing Waterfalls Adventure in Boquete: $100
  • Coffee Tasting Experience-Los Molinos Hotel-Panama's Top Product: $25

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ocho Rios $7.57
    Boquete $4.45

Sample the Local Flavors in Ocho Rios

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

  • Bar Hopping, Pub Crawl, Shopping and Sightseeing Tour Ocho Rios: $90


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

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


Which is Bigger, Ocho Rios or Boquete?

Ocho Rios has a larger population, and is about 54% larger than the population of Boquete. When comparing the sizes of Ocho Rios and Boquete, 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.