A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Porto vs. Montego Bay for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Porto or Montego Bay?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Porto and Montego Bay can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Porto or Montego Bay?

Porto

Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. It is also the capital of the Northern Region and a hub for commercial and industrial activity. The city is not as large as you might expect, with a population of only about 300,000 residents, but the metropolitan area has a population of about 2.5 million. This includes nearby cities such as Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia and Gondomar.

Montego Bay

As with most places around the tropical oasis of Jamaica, Montego Bay (or "MoBay") is an ideal place to visit for a Caribbean getaway. It is Jamaica's second largest city and the capital of St. James parish on the northern coast. Montego Bay is considered to be the tourist capital of the country and is where the largest airport is located, bringing in many international travelers.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Portugal, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal.


Which place is cheaper, Montego Bay or Porto?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Porto is €160, while the average daily cost in Montego Bay is €225. 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 Porto and Montego Bay in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Porto 72
    Montego Bay 88
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Porto 144
    Montego Bay 176
Compare Hotels in Porto and Montego Bay

Looking for a hotel in Porto or Montego Bay? 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 Porto


Hotels in Montego Bay


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: Porto Hotel Prices and Montego Bay Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Porto 21
    Montego Bay 13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Porto

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

  • Porto Airport: Transfer to/from Valenca Do Minho Station: $12
  • Oporto Shared Departure Transfer: From Hotels to Airport: $14
  • Oporto Airport: Private Arrival Transfer to Porto city hotels: $17
  • Private Departure Transfer: Porto city Hotels to Oporto Airport: $17
  • Private One-way Transfer from Porto Airport to Porto: $18
  • Gaia Private Transfer to Oporto Airport: $19
  • Porto Private Airport Arrival Transfer: $20
  • Transfer Porto to Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport: $21
  • Porto Airport Transfer: $24
  • Porto Private Transfer to Gaia: $24
  • Porto Airport Transfer from/to Porto Center: $24
  • Porto Private Airport Departure Transfer: $27

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:

  • Mercedes Benz Sprinter Airport Transfer: $300
  • Private Airport OneWay Transfer to Hotel in Montego Bay: $300
  • Jet Car Adventure in Montego Bay Daytrip with Transfers: $300
  • Private Transfer from Montego Bay Airport to Negril Hotels: $270
  • Ocho Rios Hotels / Resort - Airport Transfers: $267
  • SUV Prado Transfer from Montego Bay Airport: $257
  • Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Kingston Hotels: $245
  • MBJ Airport to Strawberry Hill Hotel & Spa Transfer: $243
  • Private Roundtrip Transfer to/from Ohio Rios and Sangster Airport: $241
  • Airport-Negril Hotels Transfers and Returns For 1- 4 persons: $230
  • Private Transfer To/From Montego Bay & Airport MBJ Across Jamaica: $215
  • Iberostar Airport Transfers Montego Bay MBJ (Private Roundtrip): $200

Is it cheaper to fly into Porto or Montego Bay?

Prices for flights to both Montego Bay and Porto 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
    Porto 63
    Montego Bay 123

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Porto

For Porto, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Pastel de Nata Cooking Class with Porto Wine (Sé do Porto): $41
  • Porto Food Tour Market Tapas and Port Wine Cellar Experience: $71
  • Dinner with Fado and Portuguese Traditional Music: $71
  • Bolhão Market Guided Food Tour: $77
  • Private Fabulist Food Tour: $83
  • Taste of the Ocean Authentic Porto Seafood Tour: $83
  • Authentic Porto Small Group Food Tour with Local Tastings: $87
  • 4 Hour Traditional Aveiro Portuguese Food Tour: $88
  • Porto Food Tour: $88
  • Private Walking Food Tour with Tastings: $100
  • Fado Tour with Guide, Dinner & Live Show in Porto: $100
  • Authentic Porto Food Tour & Market Experience: $101

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay

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

  • Lunch or Dinner Dining Experience in Montego Bay: $40
  • Montego Bay Jerk Tour and Rum Punch Mixology/Food Tour: $50
  • Dinner or Lunch with Pickup from Montego Bay: $50
  • Mystic Lagoon Sunset Cruise with Dinner and Lagoon Swim: $85
  • Bar Hopping and Local Food Tour in Jamaica: $117
  • 3 to 5 Hour Private Herbal Tour Shopping and Dinner at Ricks Cafe: $120
  • Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife Experience: $135
  • Jamaican Seafood Street Food Tour from Montego Bay, Falmouth: $150
  • Authentic Jamaican Food Cooking Experience in the Countryside: $195
  • Authentic Jamaican Cooking Experience in the Mountain from mobay: $210
  • PRIVATE Food Tour of Local Jamaican Cuisine Montego Bay & Negril: $210
  • Dinner Experience and Celebration on the Beach with Decorations: $231

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Porto 25
    Montego Bay 27

Tours and Activities in Porto

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Porto.

  • Porto Walking Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City: $1.18
  • Porto Gaia Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $1.42
  • Porto Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $2.46
  • Aveiro Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $3.17
  • Self-Guided Tours in Porto with 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.53
  • Porto - Origin & Present - Guided Tour: $3.54
  • Porto Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $3.54
  • Porto's #1 Walking Tour: $3.54
  • Porto History and Culture Walking Tour with Local Guides: $3.54
  • Porto Highlights the Original Walking Tour: $4.72
  • Porto Self Guided Audio Experience: $6.00
  • Porto Audio guided walking tour 3h00 and 27 audio commentary: $6.96

Typical Entertainment Prices in Montego Bay

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:


  • Admission to Doctor's Cave Beach
    2.32
  • Snorkeling Trip
    16
  • One Tank Dive
    33
  • 1.5 Hr Horseback Ride
    37

Tours and Activities in Montego Bay

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:

  • 1 Hour Efoil Experience in Montego Bay: $150
  • 1 Hour Horse Back Riding & Dunn's River Falls Tour Combo: $240
  • 2 Days Of Blue Hole, Dunns River Falls & Hidden Beauty Adventure: $180
  • 2 Days Private Jamaica Tour: $230
  • 2 Hour Private Montego Bay City Tour with Souvenir’s Shopping: $80
  • 3 Hours Private Tour in Montego Bay From Falmouth: $75
  • 4 Hour ATV & Horse Back Riding Private Tour (Transportation Only): $105
  • 4 Hours Party Boat Catamaran Cruise in Negril: $190
  • 4 Hours Private Night Life Experience in Montego Bay: $66
  • 4-Hour Catamaran Party Cruise with Open Bar from Montego Bay: $200
  • 5 Hour Private Tour at Doctor's Cave Beach and Margaritaville: $108
  • 5 Hour Private Tour at Negril Beach and Rick's Cafe: $150

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Porto 19
    Montego Bay 11

Sample the Local Flavors in Porto

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Porto:

  • Crazy Pub Crawl with 9 Drinks, Free Shots, Wild Games +VIP: $14
  • Porto Pub Crawl With Unlimited Beer: $21
  • Private visit with wine tasting in Alijó Douro: $24
  • Chocolate and Wine Tasting Activity in Matosinhos Portugal: $25
  • Pub Crawl Porto: $25
  • Poças Guided Visit and Port Wine Tasting with Pastel de Nata: $27
  • Premium wine tasting at Quinta das Arcas: $28
  • Wine tasting of 5 Port Wines with a Sommelier: $29
  • Fado Concert with Port Wine Tasting at Quinta da Boeira: $29
  • Port : Cockburn's Port Lodge Tour & Main Room Wine Tasting: $31
  • Porto Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour with Wine tasting & Night tour: $32
  • Cálem Cellar Tour, Live Fado Show and Wine Tasting: $33

Sample the Local Flavors in Montego Bay

Also in Montego Bay, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Appleton Estate Admission Ticket & Distillery Tour with Tastings: $39


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Porto and Montego Bay, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Porto much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Porto is in Europe and Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Porto would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Porto 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 Montego Bay would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montego Bay than you might in Porto.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Porto Expensive? and Is Montego Bay Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Porto or Montego Bay?

Porto has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Porto and Montego Bay, 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 Porto or Montego Bay?

Porto has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Montego Bay experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Porto or Montego Bay in the Summer?

Both Montego Bay and Porto during the summer are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Porto for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montego Bay year-round.

In the summer, Porto is cooler than Montego Bay. Typically, the summer temperatures in Porto in July average around 21°C (69°F), and Montego Bay averages at about 28°C (82°F).

In Montego Bay, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Porto. In the summer, Porto often gets more sunshine than Montego Bay. Porto gets 308 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montego Bay receives 257 hours of full sun.

Porto usually gets less rain in July than Montego Bay. Porto gets 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Porto 21°C (69°F) 
    Montego Bay 28°C (82°F)

Should I visit Porto or Montego Bay in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Porto and Montego Bay. Many visitors come to Porto in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area. Montego Bay attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In October, Porto is generally much colder than Montego Bay. Daily temperatures in Porto average around 17°C (62°F), and Montego Bay fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Montego Bay this time of the year. Porto usually receives less sunshine than Montego Bay during autumn. Porto gets 184 hours of sunny skies, while Montego Bay receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Montego Bay receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Porto gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Porto usually receives around the same amount of rain as Montego Bay. Porto gets 131 mm (5.2 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Porto 17°C (62°F) 
    Montego Bay 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Porto or Montego Bay in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Porto as well as Montego Bay. Most visitors come to Porto for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months. The warm climate attracts visitors to Montego Bay throughout the year.

Porto is much colder than Montego Bay in the winter. The daily temperature in Porto averages around 10°C (50°F) in January, and Montego Bay fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montego Bay. In the winter, Porto often gets less sunshine than Montego Bay. Porto gets 124 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montego Bay receives 226 hours of full sun.

Porto receives a lot of rain in the winter. Porto usually gets more rain in January than Montego Bay. Porto gets 171 mm (6.7 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Porto 10°C (50°F) 
    Montego Bay 24°C (75°F)

Should I visit Porto or Montego Bay in the Spring?

Both Montego Bay and Porto are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The spring months attract visitors to Porto because of the activities around the city and the natural beauty. Plenty of visitors come to Montego Bay because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the spring, Porto is much colder than Montego Bay. Typically, the spring temperatures in Porto in April average around 14°C (56°F), and Montego Bay averages at about 25°C (77°F).

It's quite sunny in Montego Bay. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Porto. Porto usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Montego Bay during spring. Porto gets 217 hours of sunny skies, while Montego Bay receives 225 hours of full sun in the spring.

It's quite rainy in Porto. In April, Porto usually receives more rain than Montego Bay. Porto gets 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Porto 14°C (56°F) 
    Montego Bay 25°C (77°F)

Typical Weather for Montego Bay and Porto

Porto Montego Bay
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 10°C (50°F) 171 mm (6.7 in) 24°C (75°F) 70 mm (2.8 in)
Feb 11°C (51°F) 169 mm (6.7 in) 24°C (75°F) 30 mm (1.2 in)
Mar 12°C (54°F) 112 mm (4.4 in) 25°C (77°F) 30 mm (1.2 in)
Apr 14°C (56°F) 112 mm (4.4 in) 25°C (77°F) 60 mm (2.4 in)
May 16°C (60°F) 89 mm (3.5 in) 26°C (79°F) 80 mm (3.1 in)
Jun 19°C (66°F) 53 mm (2.1 in) 27°C (81°F) 80 mm (3.1 in)
Jul 21°C (69°F) 16 mm (0.6 in) 28°C (82°F) 60 mm (2.4 in)
Aug 20°C (69°F) 22 mm (0.9 in) 28°C (82°F) 80 mm (3.1 in)
Sep 20°C (67°F) 64 mm (2.5 in) 27°C (81°F) 110 mm (4.3 in)
Oct 17°C (62°F) 131 mm (5.2 in) 27°C (81°F) 130 mm (5.1 in)
Nov 13°C (55°F) 152 mm (6 in) 26°C (79°F) 120 mm (4.7 in)
Dec 11°C (51°F) 176 mm (6.9 in) 25°C (77°F) 100 mm (3.9 in)