Which place is cheaper, Cancun 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.
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Should you visit Ocho Rios or Cancun?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Ocho Rios or Cancun, 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 Cancun?
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.
Cancun
In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.
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Ocho Rios Prices
Jamaica PricesCancun Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOcho Rios $87Cancun $162
The average daily cost (per person) in Ocho Rios is $87, while the average daily cost in Cancun is $162. 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 Cancun in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOcho Rios $52Cancun $94
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOcho Rios $104Cancun $188
Compare Hotels in Ocho Rios and Cancun
Looking for a hotel in Ocho Rios or Cancun? 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: Ocho Rios Hotel Prices and Cancun Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ocho Rios $7.46Cancun $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ocho Rios
Also for Ocho Rios, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Ocho Rios Port to Montego Bay Sangster Airport(MBJ): $80
- Runaway Bay to Norman Manley Airport (KIN) - Departure Private Transfer: $126
- Runaway Bay Hotels Transfers between Montego Bay Airport: $60
- Runaway Bay Hotels Private Airport Transfer: $53
- Roundtrip Airport Transfer from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios and Runaway Bay Hotels: $240
- Round-Trip or Direct Private Airport Transfers to Runaway Bay: $50
- Riu Ocho Rios Jamaica Private Airport Transfer: $80
- Private Transfers To/From Ocho Rios & OCJ Airport Across Jamaica: $143
- Private Transfer to horseback,Bluehole,River rafting in OchoRios.: $70
- Private Transfer to Yaaman Adventure Park from Ocho Rios: $65
- Private Transfer to Mystic Mountain from Ocho Rios: $40
- Private Transfer to Beach Horse Back Ride and Swim: $45
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
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Taxi Around Town$1.61
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$13
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$16
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Local Bus (for 2)$1.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Limo Transfer Airport Cancun - Puerto Morelos Hotel Zone: $279
- Private Transfer Cancun Airport to Chiquilá Holbox Ferry: $279
- Full-Day Tour to Xcaret Plus with Transfer from Playa del Carmen and Lunch: $265
- Cancún Airport (CUN) to Tulum - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $264
- Private Transfer roundtrip (Cancun Airport-Akumal): $259
- Cancun Airport Private Transfer to Tulum (Round Trip): $250
- Private Transfer from Cancún Airport (CUN) to Tulum: $241
- Holbox Private Transfer from Cancun Hotels or Airport: $229
- Airport Transfers to Costa Mujeres - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $227
- Luxury one way transfer to Tulum from Cancun airport: $220
- Private One Way Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $220
- Round private transfer Airport- Akumal - Airport.: $220
Is it cheaper to fly into Ocho Rios or Cancun?
Prices for flights to both Cancun 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
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Food Meals for one dayOcho Rios $28Cancun $48
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:
- Flavors of Jamaica Food Tour from Runaway Bay: $138
- Taste of Jamaica Food Tour from Ocho Rios: $150
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour in Cancun with a Local Guide: $61
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Cancun Street Food Tour – Local Market & Downtown Experience: $69
- Tortilla Trails Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $69
- Cancun Food Tour - Taco Attack: Street Food & Tequila Tasting: $69
- Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Cancun Taco & Mexican Food Tour with Tequila Tasting: $79
- Cancun Hands-On Mexican Cooking Class: $79
- Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show at Cancun Couples Special: $80
- Cancun Private Mural Art and Food Tour: $81
- Puerto Morelos Walking Food Tour: $82
- Cancun Walking Food Tour: Local Food, Markets, and Street Art.: $82
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ocho Rios $15Cancun $34
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ocho Rios
For Ocho Rios, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Tour of Brimmer Hall Estate$11
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Admission to Coyaba Gardens$5.37
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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.
- ATV Adventure and Shopping from Falmouth (Minimum 4 persons): $165
- ATV and Dunns River Falls Adventure: $205
- ATV, Bamboo Rafting & Horseback Ride Tour From Montego Bay: $411
- ATV, Bamboo Rafting and Horseback Riding Experience in Ocho Rios: $219
- ATV, Bamboo Rafting, and Horseback Ride Tour From Montego Bay: $110
- ATV, Horseback Riding and Bluehole Adventure Tour: $189
- Aqua Fun Tours Dunns Falls, River Tubing and Horse Back: $170
- Bali Style High Ropes Swing and Dunn's River Fall Adventure: $230
- Bamboo Rafting & Horseback Ride n Swim Guided Tour In Ocho Rios: $95
- Bamboo Rafting & River Tubing Tour Ocho Rios(Entry Fee Included): $195
- Bamboo Rafting and ATV Jungle Adventure in Jamaica: $200
- Bamboo Rafting, Margaritaville & Sightseeing Tour In Ocho Rios: $65
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Seasick Pills$0.58
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$98
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Day ATV, Horse Ride, Ziplines and Cenote Adventure from Cancun: $40
- 1 Day Tour to Bacalar, Cenotes and 7 color Lagoon with lunch from Cancun: $125
- 1-Day Tour to Bacalar with Kayaking, Marmol Beach Club and Cenote: $119
- 1-hour Clear Boat Tour in Nichupte Lagoon from Cancun: $22
- 2 Day Combo Tour, Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor and Chichen Itza Option: $280
- 2 Island Adventure: Contoy & Mujeres with Snorkeling & open bar: $80
- 2 Islands Tour - Isla Contoy and Isla Mujeres from Playa del Carmen: $160
- 2 in 1 Parasailing and Jet Sky Tour in Cancun: $140
- 2-day tour: Isla Mujeres catamaran and Chichen Itzá: $118
- 2x1 Tulum tour and Chichen Itza tour for 1 price in 2 days: $139
- 3 in 1 Tour to Coba Cenote and Maya Village: $139
- 3-Hour Private Walking Tour with a Local Guide in Cancun: $88
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOcho Rios $7.57Cancun $13
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- A bespoke wine tastings crafted for unforgettable moments: $86
- Bar Crawl Madness Tour in Cancun: $115
- Brewery Tour Craft Beer Tasting Cancun Mexico: $130
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ocho Rios and Cancun, we can see that Cancun is more expensive. And not only is Ocho Rios much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ocho Rios is in Caribbean Islands and Cancun 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 Ocho Rios would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ocho Rios 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 Cancun would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cancun than you might in Ocho Rios.
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 Cancun Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ocho Rios or Cancun?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Ocho Rios. When comparing the sizes of Ocho Rios and Cancun, 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.