Which place is cheaper, Charleston or Ocho Rios?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ocho Rios or Charleston?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Ocho Rios or Charleston, 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 Charleston?
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.
Charleston
Charleston is a beautiful, southern city and seaport town in South Carolina. It has a wonderful, historic downtown area that the city government works hard to maintain. Located on a peninsula that is created by two rivers, the city is a stunning setting with much character. It is a popular place to visit for its culture, architecture and cuisine. In recent years Charleston has gained popularity and it continues to grow as both a regional and international travel destination. With its rising popularity comes increasing costs. Travel costs continue to go up as restaurants and hotels raise their prices, particularly during the peak travel season and holiday periods.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from San Francisco, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOcho Rios $77Charleston $170
The average daily cost (per person) in Ocho Rios is $77, while the average daily cost in Charleston is $170. 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 Charleston in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOcho Rios $52Charleston $90
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOcho Rios $104Charleston $180
Compare Hotels in Ocho Rios and Charleston
Looking for a hotel in Ocho Rios or Charleston? 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 Charleston Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ocho Rios $7.60Charleston $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ocho Rios
Also for Ocho Rios, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Ian Fleming Ocho Rios Airport Private Transfer to Ocho Rios Hotel: $15
- Ocho Rios or Runaway Bay 2-Hour Shopping Transfer: $15
- Private Transfer from Ian Fleming Airport to Ocho Rios: $20
- Private Transfer to Mystic Mountain from Ocho Rios: $20
- Shuttle Transfer From Montego Bay Airport - Runaway Bay: $24
- AirBnB Roundtrip Shuttle / One Way MBJ Airport Transfers: $25
- Private Transfer to Konoko Falls Botanical Gardens: $27
- Relaxing Montego Bay To Ducanon and Juwel Runaway Bay Transfer: $27
- Airport Transfer Roundtrip Jamaica MBJ: $29
- Private Airport Transfer from MBJ to Ocho Rios: $30
- Private Airport transfer from Montego Bay To Ocho Rios .: $30
- Private Transfer to ATV dirt road Adventures.: $32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Charleston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Charleston:
- Charleston Airport to Isle of Palms/Sullivans Island -Roundtrip Private Transfer: $208
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Charleston city - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $175
- Charleston Airport: One-Way Transfer to Charleston: $153
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Kiawah/Seabrook Islands – Arrival Private Transfer: $118
- Charleston Airport to Isle of Palms/Sullivans Island– Arrival Private Transfer: $104
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Folly Beach - Arrival Private Transfer: $104
- Isle of Palms/Sullivans Island to Charleston Airport –Departure Private Transfer: $104
- Folly Beach to Charleston Airport (CHS) - Departure Private Transfer: $104
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Charleston city – Arrival Private Transfer: $88
- Charleston city to Charleston Airport (CHS) - Departure Private Transfer: $88
- From Boone Hall Plantation Entry with Transfers: $71
- Private Transfer from Charleston Port to Charleston Airport (CHS): $59
Is it cheaper to fly into Ocho Rios or Charleston?
Prices for flights to both Charleston 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 $17Charleston $58
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 Charleston
Some typical examples of dining costs in Charleston are as follows:
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Lunch in downtown Charleston for two$21
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Breakfast$26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Charleston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Charleston.
- Charleston Sunset Blues & BBQ Dinner Cruise: $72
- Charleston Harbor Luxury Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $88
- Luxury Harbor Dinner Cruise: $93
- Savor the Flavors Upper King Street Food Tour: $95
- Charleston Food Tour: $99
- Historic Downtown Food Tour with Tastings: $99
- 3-Hour Secret Food Tour: $108
- Charleston Farm-to-Table Food Tour and Chef's Challenge: $109
- Charleston Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $110
- Downtown Charleston Food Tour: $110
- Savor the Flavors of Charleston Walking Food Tour: $110
- Charleston's Savor the Flavors of Upper King Street Walking Food Tour: $110
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ocho Rios $15Charleston $22
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$5.47
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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.
- Blue Hole Admission Fee Ticket: $25
- Private Blue Hole and Shopping Tour from Ocho Rios: $30
- Blue Hole Private Tour from Ocho Rios with Pickup: $40
- Blue Hole And Konoko Falls Combo Tour From Ocho Rios & Runaway Bay!: $43
- Luminous lagoon Private & Group tour from Runaway Bay: $45
- Half-Day Blue Hole and Secret Falls Tour from Runaway Bay: $46
- Blue Hole Tour from Ocho Rios: $49
- Private Tour From Ocho Rios To Blue Hole Secret Falls and Shopping: $50
- Dunn's River Falls and Blue Hole Private Tour from Ocho Rios: $50
- Blue hole waterfalls tour from Ocho Rios : $51
- Private Ocho Rios highlights and beach day tour: $51
- Shared Pub Dash Tour in Ocho Rios: $55
Typical Entertainment Prices in Charleston
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Charleston are as follows:
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Patriots Point (for 2)$60
Tours and Activities in Charleston
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Charleston are as follows:
- 2 Hours Private Morris Island and River Cruise: $295
- 1.5-Hour Charleston Harbor Cruise with Live Narration: $42
- 2 Hours Shem Creek Safari Kayak Tour: $52
- 2-Hour Guided Kayak Eco Tour in Charleston: $54
- 300 Years of War and Peacetime in A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
- 90-Minute Charleston City Sightseeing Bus Tour : $37
- Access Tour to the Cameron House from Outer Banks: $225
- Afternoon Schooner Sightseeing Dolphin Cruise on Charleston Harbor: $56
- An Amazing Guided Ghost Tour: $30
- Behind the Scenes of Shem Creek Shrimp Walking Tour: $25
- Boone Hall Plantation Admission & Tour with Transportation from Charleston: $78
- Boone Hall Plantation All-Access Admission Ticket: $28
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOcho Rios $7.71Charleston $36
Sample the Local Flavors in Charleston
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Charleston:
- Charleston Women and Wine Tour: $20
- Women and Wine Tour: $20
- Charleston Terrors Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $27
- Guided Pub Crawl and Haunted History Tour: $30
- Bay Street Bastards Pub Crawl Shared Tour in Charleston : $35
- Speakeasy Sagas Prohibition Pub Crawl: $35
- Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $35
- Historic District Haunted Pub Crawl Tour: $40
- Charleston Brewery District Cruise (Public Tour): $95
- Wadmalaw Island Wine Tasting and Tea Garden Trip: $135
- Half Day Party Bus Brewery Tour of Charleston: $140
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ocho Rios and Charleston, we can see that Charleston 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 Charleston 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 Charleston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Charleston 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 Charleston Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ocho Rios or Charleston?
Charleston has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Ocho Rios. When comparing the sizes of Ocho Rios and Charleston, 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.
When is the best time to visit Ocho Rios or Charleston?
Charleston has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Ocho Rios experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Ocho Rios or Charleston in the Summer?
Both Charleston and Ocho Rios during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Ocho Rios because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, the beaches, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Charleston this time of year.
Ocho Rios is around the same temperature as Charleston in the summer. The daily temperature in Ocho Rios averages around 29°C (83°F) in July, and Charleston fluctuates around 82°F (28°C).
In Charleston, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Ocho Rios. In the summer, Ocho Rios often gets less sunshine than Charleston. Ocho Rios gets 254 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Charleston receives 293 hours of full sun.
Charleston gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Ocho Rios usually gets less rain in July than Charleston. Ocho Rios gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Charleston receives 6.9 inches (176 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyOcho Rios 29°C (83°F)Charleston 82°F (28°C)
Should I visit Ocho Rios or Charleston in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Ocho Rios and Charleston. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ocho Rios year-round. Furthermore, many travelers come to Charleston for the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Ocho Rios is a little warmer than Charleston. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Ocho Rios in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Charleston averages at about 67°F (19°C).
In Ocho Rios, it's very sunny this time of the year. Ocho Rios usually receives more sunshine than Charleston during autumn. Ocho Rios gets 229 hours of sunny skies, while Charleston receives 197 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Ocho Rios gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Ocho Rios usually receives more rain than Charleston. Ocho Rios gets 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain, while Charleston receives 2.9 inches (74 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberOcho Rios 28°C (82°F)Charleston 67°F (19°C)
Should I visit Ocho Rios or Charleston in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Ocho Rios as well as Charleston. Ocho Rios attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, many visitors come to Charleston in the winter for the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In January, Ocho Rios is generally much warmer than Charleston. Daily temperatures in Ocho Rios average around 26°C (79°F), and Charleston fluctuates around 47°F (9°C).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Ocho Rios this time of the year. In the winter, Ocho Rios often gets more sunshine than Charleston. Ocho Rios gets 257 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Charleston receives 188 hours of full sun.
Ocho Rios usually gets less rain in January than Charleston. Ocho Rios gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Charleston receives 3.3 inches (85 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryOcho Rios 26°C (79°F)Charleston 47°F (9°C)
Should I visit Ocho Rios or Charleston in the Spring?
Both Charleston and Ocho Rios are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Ocho Rios throughout the year. Also, most visitors come to Charleston for the beaches and the natural beauty during these months.
Ocho Rios is a little warmer than Charleston in the spring. The daily temperature in Ocho Rios averages around 26°C (80°F) in April, and Charleston fluctuates around 64°F (18°C).
It's quite sunny in Charleston. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Ocho Rios. Ocho Rios usually receives less sunshine than Charleston during spring. Ocho Rios gets 251 hours of sunny skies, while Charleston receives 275 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Ocho Rios usually receives less rain than Charleston. Ocho Rios gets 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Charleston receives 2.7 inches (69 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilOcho Rios 26°C (80°F)Charleston 64°F (18°C)
Typical Weather for Charleston and Ocho Rios
| Ocho Rios | Charleston | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 47°F (9°C) | 3.3 inches (85 mm) |
| Feb | 26°C (79°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 50°F (10°C) | 3.3 inches (85 mm) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 58°F (14°C) | 4.3 inches (110 mm) |
| Apr | 26°C (80°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 64°F (18°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 72°F (22°C) | 4.2 inches (106 mm) |
| Jun | 28°C (83°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 78°F (26°C) | 6.4 inches (163 mm) |
| Jul | 29°C (83°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 82°F (28°C) | 6.9 inches (176 mm) |
| Aug | 29°C (83°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 81°F (27°C) | 7.1 inches (181 mm) |
| Sep | 29°C (83°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) | 76°F (25°C) | 4.8 inches (121 mm) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) | 67°F (19°C) | 2.9 inches (74 mm) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 58°F (15°C) | 2.5 inches (63 mm) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 51°F (10°C) | 3.1 inches (78 mm) |
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.