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

Should you visit Ocho Rios or Paracas?

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

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

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.

Paracas

Paracas, also known as El Chaco, is a resort town on the Southern coast of the country, about 150 miles south of Lima. The town in located in one of the oldest regions of Peru, with a history dating back to 900 BC and offers many pre-Inca cultural sites throughout the area. Paracas is possibly best known for being home to the Paracas National Reserve, a nature reserve boasting one of the most abundant and diverse ecosystems in the world.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Peru, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Paracas 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 Paracas is $63. 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 Paracas in more detail.



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

Looking for a hotel in Ocho Rios or Paracas? 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 Paracas


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 Paracas Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ocho Rios $7.60
    Paracas $19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ocho Rios

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

  • Airport Transfer to Ocho Rios Hotels (Round-Trip): $110
  • Private Airport Transfer to Bahia Principe Grand Hotel : $100
  • Runaway Bay Hotels Private Transfer: $80
  • 11. Ocho Rios Hotels&Resorts Airport Private Fun-Transfer to/from Sangster Intl : $60
  • AirBnB Roundtrip Shuttle / One Way MBJ Airport Transfers: $25
  • Airport Transfer Roundtrip Jamaica MBJ: $29
  • Airport Transfers to Runaway Bay Hotels (MBJ): $56
  • Airport transfers to Hotel, Guest houses or Villas in St.Ann, Ochi Rios Jamaica: $110
  • Bahia Principe Grand Jamaica Private Airport transfer : $61
  • Convenient Airport Transfer To Riu Hotel Ocho Rios : $80
  • Couples Resorts Airport Transfers Montego Bay MBJ (Private Roundtrip): $300
  • From Scenic Guided Horseback Ride with Transfer: $195

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paracas

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Paracas:

  • Private Transfer From Paracas To Lima With 2 Stops: $175
  • Direct Private Transfer From Paracas to Lima, English Speaking Driver: $163
  • Lima: Private taxi transfer from Lima airport to Paracas: $129
  • Private Transfer from Pisko Cruise Port to Lima City Hotels: $87
  • Private Transfer from Pisco Cruise Port to Lima hotels: $87
  • Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $87
  • Private Transfer from Pisco Cruise Port to Lima City Hotels: $78
  • Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $78
  • Oneway Transfer from San Juan Airport, Hotel, Airbnb to Bayamon: $60
  • Private Transfer From San Juan Airport (SJU) to /from San Juan: $44
  • Paracas Bus Station Private Transfer: $16
  • Bus Station Private Transfer: $16

Is it cheaper to fly into Ocho Rios or Paracas?

Prices for flights to both Paracas 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
    Paracas $23

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
  • Private Hillside Cooking Class Jamaican Style with Pickup : $104
  • 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

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paracas

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Paracas.

  • From Lima:Paracas,Ica and cooking class Ceviche semi-private: $139

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ocho Rios $15
    Paracas $25
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.

  • Blue Hole Admission Fee Ticket: $25
  • Private Sightseeing Tour in Ocho Rios : $30
  • Private Blue Hole and Shopping Tour from Ocho Rios: $30
  • Private Blue hole Tour from Ocho Rios : $40
  • Ocho Rios Sightseeing and Taxi from Runaway Bay & Ocho Rios: $40
  • Blue Hole Private Tour from Ocho Rios with Pickup: $40
  • Private Guided Tour To Yaaman Adventures Safari jungle park: $40
  • Blue Hole And Konoko Falls Combo Tour From Ocho Rios & Runaway Bay!: $43
  • Private Konoko Falls and Sightseeing Tour from Ocho Rios : $45
  • Half-Day Blue Hole and Secret Falls Tour from Runaway Bay: $46
  • Blue Hole Tour from Ocho Rios: $49
  • Dunn's River Falls and Blue Hole Private Tour from Ocho Rios: $50

Tours and Activities in Paracas

Here are a few actual costs in Paracas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 2-Hour Tour to the Ballestas Islands from Puerto San Martín: $49
  • 2D: Tour Ica, Huacachina, Sandboarding, Ballestas Islands: $215
  • 4-Hour Guided Tour Paracas National Reserve: $20
  • 7-Hours Tour in Paracas National Reserve with Pickup: $38
  • ATV Tour Adventure in Reserva Nacional de Paracas: $45
  • Ballestas Islands Group Tour from Paracas : $26
  • Ballestas Islands Group Tour from San Martin Port: $50
  • Ballestas Islands Sightseeing Boat Ride from Paracas: $24
  • Ballestas Islands Tour: $24
  • Ballestas Islands Tour - Paracas: $25
  • Ballestas Islands Tour for passengers of the Puerto San Martin Cruise: $32
  • Ballestas Islands Tour from Puerto San Martin Cruise: $50

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ocho Rios $7.71
    Paracas $11


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ocho Rios and Paracas, we can see that Ocho Rios is more expensive. And not only is Paracas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ocho Rios is in Caribbean Islands and Paracas is in South 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 Paracas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Paracas 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 Paracas.

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 Paracas Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Ocho Rios or Paracas?

Ocho Rios has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Paracas. When comparing the sizes of Ocho Rios and Paracas, 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.