Which place is cheaper, Ocean City or Ocho Rios?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ocho Rios or Ocean City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Ocho Rios or Ocean City, 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 Ocean City?
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.
Ocean City
One of the most popular vacation areas of the U.S. east coast, Ocean City is a long-time resort town, taking roots as a getaway when the first beach-front cottage was built in 1869. The destination sits on a strip of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Isle of Wight Bay. The Atlantic Hotel was the first major hotel, built in 1875 and still in business today. It has been family owned and operated since Charles W. Purnell bought it in 1923.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in United States of America, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOcho Rios $77Ocean City $160
The average daily cost (per person) in Ocho Rios is $77, while the average daily cost in Ocean City is $160. 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 Ocean City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOcho Rios $52Ocean City $83
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOcho Rios $104Ocean City $166
Compare Hotels in Ocho Rios and Ocean City
Looking for a hotel in Ocho Rios or Ocean City? 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 Ocean City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ocho Rios $7.60Ocean City $47
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Ocho Rios or Ocean City?
Prices for flights to both Ocean City 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 $17Ocean City $49
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ocho Rios $15Ocean City $18
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
Tours and Activities in Ocean City
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ocean City are as follows:
- Assateague Island Morning Cruise: $79
- Atlantic Coastline Parasailing Adventure: $132
- Atlantic Ocean Catamaran Cruise with Crew: $125
- Banana Boat Fun Adventure: $33
- Bay Hopping Food Boat Tour with Tastings: $179
- Downtown and Boardwalk Foodie Walking Tour: $110
- Guided Happy Hour Bar Hopping Tour: $50
- High-Speed Sunrise Cruise and Dolphin Watching: $25
- High-Speed Sunset Cruise & Dolphin Watch: $36
- Midtown District Walking Foodie Tour: $110
- Speedboat Coastal Tour with Dolphin Spotting: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOcho Rios $7.71Ocean City $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ocho Rios and Ocean City, we can see that Ocean City 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 Ocean City 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 Ocean City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ocean City 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 Ocean City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ocho Rios or Ocean City?
Ocho Rios has a larger population, and is about 32% larger than the population of Ocean City. When comparing the sizes of Ocho Rios and Ocean City, 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 Ocean City?
Ocean City 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 Ocean City in the Summer?
Both Ocean City 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. Also, most visitors come to Ocean City for the beaches and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
Ocho Rios is a little warmer than Ocean City in the summer. The daily temperature in Ocho Rios averages around 29°C (83°F) in July, and Ocean City fluctuates around 77°F (25°C).
Ocean City gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Ocho Rios usually gets less rain in July than Ocean City. Ocho Rios gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Ocean City receives 4.3 inches (110 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyOcho Rios 29°C (83°F)Ocean City 77°F (25°C)
Should I visit Ocho Rios or Ocean City in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Ocho Rios and Ocean City. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ocho Rios year-round. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Ocean City because of the shopping scene.
In the autumn, Ocho Rios is much warmer than Ocean City. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Ocho Rios in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Ocean City averages at about 58°F (14°C).
Ocho Rios gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Ocho Rios usually receives more rain than Ocean City. Ocho Rios gets 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain, while Ocean City receives 3.4 inches (87 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberOcho Rios 28°C (82°F)Ocean City 58°F (14°C)
Should I visit Ocho Rios or Ocean City in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Ocho Rios as well as Ocean City. Ocho Rios attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Ocean City this time of year.
It's quite cold in Ocean City in the winter. In January, Ocho Rios is generally much warmer than Ocean City. Daily temperatures in Ocho Rios average around 26°C (79°F), and Ocean City fluctuates around 35°F (2°C).
Ocho Rios usually gets less rain in January than Ocean City. Ocho Rios gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Ocean City receives 3.6 inches (93 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryOcho Rios 26°C (79°F)Ocean City 35°F (2°C)
Should I visit Ocho Rios or Ocean City in the Spring?
Both Ocean City 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, many travelers come to Ocean City for the beaches.
Ocho Rios is much warmer than Ocean City in the spring. The daily temperature in Ocho Rios averages around 26°C (80°F) in April, and Ocean City fluctuates around 54°F (12°C).
In April, Ocho Rios usually receives less rain than Ocean City. Ocho Rios gets 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Ocean City receives 3.2 inches (81 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilOcho Rios 26°C (80°F)Ocean City 54°F (12°C)
Typical Weather for Ocean City and Ocho Rios
| Ocho Rios | Ocean City | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 35°F (2°C) | 3.6 inches (93 mm) |
| Feb | 26°C (79°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 37°F (3°C) | 3.5 inches (88 mm) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 45°F (7°C) | 4.1 inches (103 mm) |
| Apr | 26°C (80°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 54°F (12°C) | 3.2 inches (81 mm) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 63°F (17°C) | 3.6 inches (92 mm) |
| Jun | 28°C (83°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 72°F (22°C) | 3.6 inches (92 mm) |
| Jul | 29°C (83°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 77°F (25°C) | 4.3 inches (110 mm) |
| Aug | 29°C (83°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 76°F (24°C) | 5.3 inches (135 mm) |
| Sep | 29°C (83°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) | 69°F (20°C) | 3.7 inches (94 mm) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) | 58°F (14°C) | 3.4 inches (87 mm) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 49°F (9°C) | 3.2 inches (80 mm) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 39°F (4°C) | 3.7 inches (93 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.