Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Ocho Rios or Puerto Vallarta, 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 Puerto Vallarta?
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.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta remains a popular tourist destination with Americans, particularly during spring break when students flock to the area. The area is quite beautiful and has many gorgeous beaches, interesting jungles and waterfalls nearby, and no shortage of luxury resorts and four star restaurants. Many of the locals speak English and are friendly and open to helping tourists with directions or general information. Puerto Vallarta's popularity means that its prices are some of the highest in Mexico, particularly during holidays when the area can get quite crowded.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Ocho Rios Prices
Jamaica PricesPuerto Vallarta Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOcho Rios $87Puerto Vallarta $136
The average daily cost (per person) in Ocho Rios is $87, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $136. 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 Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOcho Rios $52Puerto Vallarta $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOcho Rios $104Puerto Vallarta $122
Compare Hotels in Ocho Rios and Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a hotel in Ocho Rios or Puerto Vallarta? 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 Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ocho Rios $7.46Puerto Vallarta $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ocho Rios
Also for Ocho Rios, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrive Like Royalty VIP Airport Transfer from Montego Bay: $9.99
- Private Ian Fleming Airport Transfer to Ocho Rios and Runaway Bay: $15
- Private Airport Transfer from Ian Fleming Airport to Ocho Rios: $18
- Montego Bay Airport (MBJ) Transfer One-Way or Round-Trip to Hotel: $19
- Private Transfer From the Ocho Rios Airport/ Ian Fleming: $20
- Private Transfer from Ian Fleming Airport to Ocho Rios: $20
- Private Round Trip Transfer to YAAMAN Adventure Park Ocho Rios: $27
- ATV Tour Ocho Rios - Private Transfer Only (Activity Fee Excluded): $27
- Private Transfer to Konoko Falls Botanical Gardens: $30
- Montego Bay Airport Transfer: $39
- Private Transfer From Kingston Airport To Kingston Hotel One Way: $40
- Private Nightlife Transfer Around Ocho Rios: $40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Puerto Vallarta Airport to Hotel Private Transfer by Minivan: $288
- Diva Tours VIP Airport Round-Trip Transfer San Pancho-Sayulita: $280
- Private Roundtrip Transfer Airport Hotel or Airbnb up to 12px: $245
- NAYARIT VIP Round Trip Transfers Airport - Bucerias - Airport: $209
- Private AC Airport Transfer to Sayulita: $200
- Private Airport Transfers across Bahía de Banderas: $150
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Puerto Vallarta Port-RoundTrip Private Transfer: $142
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Punta de Mita hotels - Private Arrival Transfer: $138
- Punta de Mita to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) - Private Departure Transfer: $138
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Puerto Vallarta - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $137
- Airport Transfer Puerto Vallarta: $135
- Private transfer round trip Puerto Vallarta Airport To Hotel In Luxury Vehicle: $129
Is it cheaper to fly into Ocho Rios or Puerto Vallarta?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta 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 $28Puerto Vallarta $61
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:
- Taste of Jamaica Food Tour from Ocho Rios: $150
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Ultimate Taco Tour in Puerto Vallarta with Vallarta Food Tours: $55
- Vegan Food Tour in Vallarta: $59
- Taste of Pitillal Food Tour by Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Winner 2026 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Bucerias Taco Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Puerto Vallarta Guided Food Tour with 8 Locals Favorites Tastings: $65
- Seafood Lover's Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $65
- Vallarta Tales Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $69
- Vallarta by Road Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $85
- Bucerias Bike and Food Tour: $90
- Mexican Cooking Class & Unlimited Margaritas: $94
- Live Mexican Cooking Class with Local Chef: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ocho Rios $15Puerto Vallarta $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$5.37
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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.
- Ocho Rios Shopping Tour: $20
- VIP Dunn River Falls and Blue Hole Experience: $25
- Bob Marley Nine Mile Tour: $35
- Ocho Rios City Bus Tour (Beach, Sightseeing & Shopping): $40
- Luminous lagoon Private & Group tour from Runaway Bay: $45
- Ocho Rios Scenic, Shopping and Lunch Tour: $45
- Blue Hole Private Tour from Ocho Rios with Pickup: $45
- Blue Hole Tour from Ocho Rios: $49
- Blue Hole And Konoko Falls Combo Tour From Ocho Rios & Runaway Bay!: $50
- Jamaican Escapade Experience Dunn's River's Natural Majesty: $50
- Dunn's River Falls and Blue Hole Private Tour from Ocho Rios: $50
- Dunn's River Falls and Ocho Rios Sightseeing with Shopping: $50
Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- 2 Hour Private Surfing Experience in Puerto Vallarta: $99
- 2 Hours Catamaran Sunset Tour: $99
- 4-Hour Whale Watching Cruise in Puerto Vallarta: $119
- ATV Adventure in Puerto Vallarta (Single): $107
- ATV Jorullo Bridge Tour: $174
- ATV Jungle and River Adventure in Puerto Vallarta (3.5 Hours): $166
- ATV Tour Rio Cuale Sierra Madre Mountains and tequila tasting: $77
- ATV and RZR Jorullo Bridge Experience in Puerto Vallarta: $169
- ATV-Zip Line Combo Adventure Tour from Puerto Vallarta: $160
- Adventure Cruise to Los Arcos, Ánimas and Quimixto with Open Bar: $100
- All terrain 4X4 Viking tour in Puerto Vallarta: $205
- All terrain ATV Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $110
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOcho Rios $7.57Puerto Vallarta $23
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 Puerto Vallarta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
- Puerto Vallarta Pub Crawl: $22
- Secret Agave Bar Crawl in Vallarta: $98
- Cachasol Tequila Tasting & Raicilla Distillery Tour: $101
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ocho Rios and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ocho Rios or Puerto Vallarta?
Puerto Vallarta has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Ocho Rios. When comparing the sizes of Ocho Rios and Puerto Vallarta, 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.