Which place is cheaper, Kingston or Reykjavik?
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 Reykjavik or Kingston?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Reykjavik or Kingston, 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: Reykjavik or Kingston?
Reykjavik
Reykjavik is the capital and largest city in the country of Iceland. The city is where the vast majority of the country's population resides and the urban area has about 200,000 residents. The city is sprawling, with a large area covered in suburbs. The the city center is quite compact, with many interesting and colorful houses. There are a lot of things that attract tourists to this city, including an interesting culture and history as well as plenty of shopping and dining opportunities.
Kingston
Kingston is Jamaica's capital city with a population of about 579,000. For being located on an island, Kingston is a very large city with several different zip codes. Not only is Kingston the cultural capital of the country, but also the commercial one as well.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Iceland, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Iceland.
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Reykjavik Prices
Iceland PricesKingston Prices
Jamaica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayReykjavik $298Kingston $125
The average daily cost (per person) in Reykjavik is $298, while the average daily cost in Kingston is $125. 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 Reykjavik and Kingston in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personReykjavik $155Kingston $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomReykjavik $310Kingston $126
Compare Hotels in Reykjavik and Kingston
Looking for a hotel in Reykjavik or Kingston? 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: Reykjavik Hotel Prices and Kingston Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Reykjavik $51Kingston $29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Reykjavik
Also for Reykjavik, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Alesund : Private Transfer to/from Ålesund Airport and City: $116
- Blue Lagoon Admission with Mask, Drink, Transfers from Reykjavik: $236
- Blue Lagoon Iceland Admission Ticket with Optional Transfer: $206
- Blue Lagoon Private Transfer To/ From Reykjavik: $174
- Blue Lagoon Transfer from Reykjavik or Keflavik Airport: $200
- Blue Lagoon Transfer from/to Keflavik International Airport: $70
- Blue Lagoon with Private Roundtrip Transfer: $613
- Cruise Port Private Transfer to Keflavik Airport: $197
- Cruise Port Transfer : Reykjavik to Cruise Port: $174
- From Reykjavík: Blue Lagoon Premium Admission with Transfer: $206
- From Reykjavík: Private Transfer From OR To Blue Lagoon: $59
- From Reykjavík: The Lava Tunnel tour with Round-trip Transfer: $146
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:
- VIP Private Airport Transfer: Norman Manley to Montego Bay Hotels: $123
- Transfer from Norman Manley Airport (KIN) to Kingston Hotels: $150
- Transfer for Kingston Airport to or from Hotels in Falmouth Area: $173
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Kingston Airport (KIN): $54
- Private Transfers: Kingston Airport ↔ Montego Bay Area: $215
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport Across Jamaica: $49
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport (KIN) Across Jamaica: $48
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport (KIN) Across Jamaica: $25
- Private Transfer to and from Kingston International Airport: $73
- Private Transfer from Montego Bay Cruise Port to Kingston Hotels: $260
- Private Transfer from Kingston hotel to Falmouth Cruise Port: $196
- Private Transfer from Kingston Airport (KIN) to Falmouth Port: $196
Is it cheaper to fly into Reykjavik or Kingston?
Prices for flights to both Kingston and Reykjavik 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 dayReykjavik $58Kingston $45
Typical Food Prices in Reykjavik
For Reykjavik, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner (Fish Market)$198
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Reykjavik
For Reykjavik, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Harbor Cruise with 3-Course Dinner: $137
- Food Tour by locals: $140
- Authentic Reykjavik Food Tour with Flea Market Delights: $146
- Icelandic Food Tour: $147
- The Reykjavik Harbor Food Tour: $147
- Reykjavík Food Tour with 5 Authentic Local Tastings & Secret Dish: $151
- Food Tour with 6+ Tastings of Icelandic Classics: $154
- The Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour: $171
- Christmas Food Tour with Tastings and Drinks: $171
- Reykjavík All In One Food Tour - Eat, Drink & Explore with Locals: $203
- Private Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour: $241
- Private Vegetarian Reykjavik Food Tour: $241
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Reykjavik $80Kingston $12
Typical Entertainment Prices in Reykjavik
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Reykjavik's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Art Museum$12
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Wine and Spa$32
Tours and Activities in Reykjavik
For Reykjavik, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Reykjavik Audio Guided Walking Tour 2h30 and 20 reviews: $6.84
- Reykjavik Viking Roots to Modern Marvels Self Guided Walking Tour: $7.00
- A Self-Guided Thingvellir National Park Walking Tour: $9.99
- Viking Reykjavik GPS App Walking Tour Mobile Game: $10
- Reykjavik History and Sightseeing Walking Tour: $16
- Caves of Laugarvatn Standard Tour: $16
- Reykjavík: National Museum of Iceland Entry Ticket: $21
- Reykjavik Art Museum Entry Ticket: $21
- Volcano Express Entry Ticket at Harpa: $24
- Mosfellsbæ: Authentic Icelandic Wool Yarn Factory Tour: $26
- Icelandic Phallological Museum Entry Ticket: $29
- Saga Museum Entry Ticket: $33
Tours and Activities in Kingston
Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- ATV Adventure of Ocho Rios: $130
- Bamboo Rafting and Boston Jerk Centre Tour in Portland Jamaica: $220
- Black River Safari Tour from Kingston: $272
- Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour from Kingston: $231
- Blue Mountain Coffee Tasting & Farm Tour from Kingston: $150
- Blue Mountain Craighton Estate Coffee Tasting Tour / Devon House: $180
- Blue Mountain Waterfall and Sightseeing Ecotour: $200
- Blue Mountains Coffee Private Tour from Kingston: $180
- Bluehole, Dunn's River Falls and Port Royal all in one tour: $690
- Bob Marley Guided City Tour: $95
- Bob Marley Museum Entry Ticket: $30
- Bob Marley Museum, Devon House and Downtown Kingston Tour: $125
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayReykjavik $31Kingston $11
Typical Alcohol Prices in Reykjavik
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Reykjavik are as follows:
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Beer$9.76
Sample the Local Flavors in Reykjavik
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Reykjavik:
- Flóki Whisky Distillery Tour & Tasting in Reykjavík: $48
- Craft Beer and Brewery Tour in Iceland: $48
- Eimverk Distillery Guided Tour with Tasting: $48
- Reykjavík Pub Crawl Tour with Drinks and Games: $115
- Icelandic Bar Crawl Experience: $159
Sample the Local Flavors in Kingston
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kingston:
- Worthy Park Estate Rum Distillery Tour with Tasting: $144
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Reykjavik and Kingston, we can see that Reykjavik is more expensive. And not only is Kingston much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Reykjavik is in Europe and Kingston 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 Kingston would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kingston 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 Reykjavik would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Reykjavik than you might in Kingston.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Reykjavik Expensive? and Is Kingston Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Reykjavik or Kingston?
Kingston has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Reykjavik. When comparing the sizes of Reykjavik and Kingston, 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 Reykjavik or Kingston?
Reykjavik has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Kingston experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Reykjavik or Kingston in the Summer?
Both Kingston and Reykjavik during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Reykjavik because of the hiking and the family-friendly experiences. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kingston year-round.
In July, Reykjavik is generally much colder than Kingston. Daily temperatures in Reykjavik average around 11°C (52°F), and Kingston fluctuates around 29°C (83°F).
In Kingston, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Reykjavik often gets less sunshine than Kingston. Reykjavik gets 171 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Kingston receives 254 hours of full sun.
Reykjavik usually gets more rain in July than Kingston. Reykjavik gets 52 mm (2 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyReykjavik 11°C (52°F)Kingston 29°C (83°F)
Should I visit Reykjavik or Kingston in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Reykjavik and Kingston. The hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Reykjavik this time of year. Kingston attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
It's quite cold in Reykjavik in the autumn. Reykjavik is much colder than Kingston in the autumn. The daily temperature in Reykjavik averages around 5°C (41°F) in October, and Kingston fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Kingston this time of the year. Reykjavik usually receives less sunshine than Kingston during autumn. Reykjavik gets 83 hours of sunny skies, while Kingston receives 229 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Kingston receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Reykjavik usually receives less rain than Kingston. Reykjavik gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberReykjavik 5°C (41°F)Kingston 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Reykjavik or Kingston in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Reykjavik as well as Kingston. Many travelers come to Reykjavik for the shopping scene and the cuisine. The warm climate attracts visitors to Kingston throughout the year.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Reykjavik. In the winter, Reykjavik is much colder than Kingston. Typically, the winter temperatures in Reykjavik in January average around -0°C (32°F), and Kingston averages at about 26°C (79°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Kingston. In the winter, Reykjavik often gets less sunshine than Kingston. Reykjavik gets 27 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Kingston receives 257 hours of full sun.
Reykjavik usually gets more rain in January than Kingston. Reykjavik gets 76 mm (3 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryReykjavik -0°C (32°F)Kingston 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Reykjavik or Kingston in the Spring?
Both Kingston and Reykjavik are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Reykjavik in the spring for the natural beauty. Plenty of visitors come to Kingston because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Reykjavik can get quite cold in the spring. In April, Reykjavik is generally much colder than Kingston. Daily temperatures in Reykjavik average around 3°C (38°F), and Kingston fluctuates around 26°C (80°F).
It's quite sunny in Kingston. Reykjavik usually receives less sunshine than Kingston during spring. Reykjavik gets 140 hours of sunny skies, while Kingston receives 251 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Reykjavik usually receives more rain than Kingston. Reykjavik gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilReykjavik 3°C (38°F)Kingston 26°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Kingston and Reykjavik
| Reykjavik | Kingston | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -0°C (32°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) |
| Feb | 1°C (33°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 1°C (34°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Apr | 3°C (38°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 7°C (44°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
| Jun | 10°C (49°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jul | 11°C (52°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Aug | 11°C (52°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Sep | 8°C (46°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) |
| Oct | 5°C (41°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Nov | 1°C (35°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | 0°C (32°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) |
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.