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.
Which place is cheaper, Cancun or Ocho Rios?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Ocho Rios is $77, while the average daily cost in Cancun is $148. 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
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ocho Rios
Also for Ocho Rios, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Shuttle Transfer From Montego Bay Airport - Runaway Bay:
$24
-
Round-Trip or Direct Private Airport Transfers to Runaway Bay:
$50
-
Riu Ocho Rios Private Airport Transfer:
$80
-
Riu Ocho Rios Jamaica Private Airport Transfer:
$60
-
Relaxing Montego Bay To Ducanon and Juwel Runaway Bay Transfer:
$27
-
Private Transfer to Yaaman Adventure Park from Ocho Rios:
$60
-
Private Transfer to White River Tubing Ocho Rios:
$40
-
Private Transfer to Mystic Mountain from Ocho Rios:
$20
-
Private Transfer to Konoko Falls Botanical Gardens:
$27
-
Private Transfer to Beach Horse Back Ride and Swim:
$40
-
Private Transfer from Ocho Rios to Sangster Airport MBJ:
$60
-
Private Transfer from MBJ Airport to Resorts in Ocho Rios :
$160
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Private RoundTrip Transfer to Xplor Adventure Park from Cancun:
$297
-
Cancun Airport to Tulum Roundtrip Private Transfer:
$290
-
Transfers in Lincoln Strecth Limousine with Wi Fi on board:
$261
-
Round trip private transfer VAN-Airport-Hotel-Airport-Playa del Carmen:
$260
-
Round trip private transfer VAN-Airport-Hotel-Airport-Puerto Morelos:
$260
-
Round trip Private airport transfer to Playa del Carmen Flat Rate per vehicle:
$241
-
Full-Day Tour to Xcaret Plus with Transfer from Playa del Carmen and Lunch:
$238
-
Airport Transfers to Costa Mujeres - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE:
$232
-
Private Transfer from Cancún Airport (CUN) to Tulum :
$223
-
Private One Way Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum:
$220
-
Private Round Trip Transfer (Cancun Airport - Playa del Carmen):
$219
-
Private round airport transfer from Cancun - Puerto Aventuras - airport.:
$210
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
-
Food
Meals for one day
Ocho Rios $17
Cancun $29
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:
-
From Flavors of Jamaica Guided Food Tour:
$89
-
Taste of Jamaica Farm & Food Tour:
$98
-
Ocho Ros: Hillside Cooking Class, Jamaican Style:
$130
-
Taste of Jamaica Food Tour:
$140
-
The Jamaica School of Cooking and Ocho Rios Highlights Tour:
$141
-
Ocho Rios Sunset Catamaran Cruise with Dinner:
$218
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Captain Hook: Pirate Show and Dinner Cruise in Cancun:
$46
-
Mayan Chichen Itza And Pirate Dinner Two Day Experience:
$57
-
The Ultimate Cancun Taco & Street Mexican Food Tour:
$59
-
Dinner Show with Pirates! (2x1 Price):
$62
-
(2x1 price) Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show:
$63
-
(2x1 price) Dinner Show and Pirates Experience :
$63
-
(2x1 price)Pirate Adventure! Open Bar, Dinner and Show :
$63
-
Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals:
$64
-
Dinner Show on a Pirate Ship from Cancun with Open Bar:
$65
-
Guided Cancun Local Mexican Food Tour:
$78
-
Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors:
$78
-
Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor:
$79
Entertainment
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
$5.47
-
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.
-
Authentic Jamaican Bamboo Rafting Tour from Runaway Bay:
$194
-
Bob Marley Nine Mile Tour from Ocho Rios:
$77
-
Full-Day Tour to Blue Hole Falls with Horseback Ride from Montego Bay:
$220
-
Private Sightseeing Tour in Ocho Rios :
$30
-
Shopping Tour From Runaway Bay Hotels :
$65
-
ATV AdVENTURE FROM OCHO RIOS :
$190
-
ATV Adventure and Shopping from Falmouth (Minimum 4 persons):
$165
-
ATV, Bamboo Rafting and Horseback Riding Experience in Ocho Rios:
$275
-
ATV, Bamboo Rafting, Horseback Ride Guided Tour from Montego Bay:
$135
-
All day Tour of Ocho Rios :
$200
-
Appleton Estate Rum Tour and Tasting from Runaway Bay:
$206
-
Bamboo Rafting in Ocho Rios Private Experience:
$207
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
-
Seasick Pills
$0.60
-
Whale Shark Tour (for 2)
$102
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
ATV Jungle Adventure with Ziplines, Cenote Transportation Included:
$8.00
-
Bacalar tour + Lunch + Boat, from Cancun and Riviera Maya:
$139
-
Coco Bongo Music And Show Ticket:
$105
-
Full Day All Inclusive Catamaran Tour to Isla Mujeres :
$99
-
Holbox Island Magic Tour from Cancun :
$144
-
Riviera Maya Luxury Snorkeling Cruise with Lunch and Drinks:
$139
-
(4x1) Full day tour to Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen :
$48
-
(4x1) Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen tour in one day:
$50
-
1-Day Tour to Bacalar with Kayaking, Marmol Beach Club and Cenote:
$115
-
1-Day Xavage Park Tour from Cancun:
$186
-
12 hour Holbox Plus Tour with Cenote Lunch and Transportation:
$105
-
15 Hours Guided Tour Holbox Island in Mexico:
$115
Alcohol
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Social Pub Crawl in Cancun:
$38
-
Brewery Tour / Craft Beer Tasting Cancun Mexico:
$116
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.
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