Which place is cheaper, Montego Bay or Rio de Janeiro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Rio de Janeiro or Montego Bay?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Rio de Janeiro and Montego Bay can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Rio de Janeiro or Montego Bay?
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.
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 Contiki Tours to Brazil, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRio de Janeiro $105Montego Bay $203
The average daily cost (per person) in Rio de Janeiro is $105, while the average daily cost in Montego Bay is $203. 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 Rio de Janeiro and Montego Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRio de Janeiro $66Montego Bay $104
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRio de Janeiro $132Montego Bay $208
Compare Hotels in Rio de Janeiro and Montego Bay
Looking for a hotel in Rio de Janeiro 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.
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: Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices and Montego Bay Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rio de Janeiro $7.97Montego Bay $15
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
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Taxi Ride$2.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Rio de Janeiro City center - Airport (GIG): $13
- Rio Santos Dumont (SDU): Shuttle Transfer to/from Hotels: $15
- Rio Galeão Airport (GIG): Shuttle Transfer to/from Hotels: $15
- Private transfer Economico GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 3 pax to Zona Sul: $18
- Shared Transfer From or To Airport: $19
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Rio de Janeiro Airport (SDU) - Rio City Center: $19
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Rio de Janeiro City Center -Airport (SDU): $19
- Transfer service from / to Porto Maravilha - Zona Sul: $19
- One Way Shared Transfer from Airport to hotels in Rio de Janeiro: $20
- Private Transfer: Rio de Janeiro to Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont Airport (SDU): $21
- Private Transfer: Rio de Janeiro International Airport (GIG) to Rio: $21
- Private Transfer: Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) to Rio de Janeiro: $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- Airport Transfer To Hotels in Negril : $60
- Airport Transfer To S Hotel (Round-trip): $35
- Airport Transfer to Montego Bay Hotels (Round-Trip): $54
- Airport Transfers to Iberostar Hotel (Round-trip): $53
- MBJ Airport Private Round Trip Transfer to Hotels in Montego Bay Area: $27
- Riu Reggae , Riu Palace & Riu Mobay Montego Bay Airport Transfers: $11
- Round-Trip Transfer Airport Transfer to Hotels in Montego Bay : $41
- Roundtrip Transfer from Montego Bay Airport to Meliá Braco Hotel: $80
- Shared Airport Transfer To Montego Bay Hotels: $55
- 2727lounge/Magarativille/Pier1 & taboo nightlife private transfer: $35
- Airport Transfer To Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa: $60
- Airport Transfer to Excellence Oyster Bay and Royalton: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Rio de Janeiro or Montego Bay?
Prices for flights to both Montego Bay and Rio de Janeiro 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 dayRio de Janeiro $20Montego Bay $84
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:
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Popcorn$0.59
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Corn on the Cob$0.78
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Hamburger$0.98
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.
- Waterfront Dinner & Live Music Experience: $46
- Barra da Tijuca Food Tour with Drinks: $72
- THE BEST FOOD TOUR: $79
- Feijoada Food Tour in Rio de Janeiro with Hotel pick-up and drop-off: $80
- Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local: $82
- Dinner & Rio Scenarium Nightclub Admission with Transfer: $85
- 9-Recipe Boozy Brazilian Cooking Class: $85
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Rio Scenarium Entrance, Dinner, and Open Bar: $105
- Rio Scenarium: Fast Track Entrance, Dinner & Open Bar: $115
- Brazilian Cooking Class: $129
- Rio: Ginga Tropical Folkloric Show & Optional Dinner: $142
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
- Private Transportation to DINNER or NIGHT CLUBS: $55
- Lunch or Dinner with Pickup from Montego Bay : $81
- Night cruise and swim the Falmouth Mystic Lagoon, Dinner and Rum Punch Inclusive: $85
- Rick’s Cafe Cliff Diving, Sunset & Dinner Tour with Transportation : $130
- Sunset Boat Ride in the Falmouth Luminous Lagoon swim and Dinner : $165
- Sunset Boat Cruise in Falmouth Luminous Lagoon, Swim and Dinner : $170
- Restaurant Transportation for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Montego Bay: $180
- Houseboat Restaurant and Grill for Dinner Private Transportation : $180
- Private Sea-Food Tour & Floyds Pelican Bar from Montego Bay or ..: $185
- [PRIVATE] Premium Jamaican Food Tour of Local Cuisine: $190
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Rio de Janeiro $22Montego Bay $32
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Santa Teresa: the staircase: $6.99
- Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Rio de Janeiro (Ipanema & Copacabana) Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Rio de Janeiro(Ipanema-Copacabana)Scavenger Hunt Self-Guided Tour: $7.83
- Salvador Sights Self Guided Tour (Pelourinho): $7.83
- Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.84
- Rio de Janeiro Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Hiking Experience to Pedra do Telégrafo: $9.97
- A Self-Guided Black History Audio Tour of Rio de Janeiro’s Little Africa: $9.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour-Story of Bossanova: Rhythm and soul of Rio: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Imperial Rio: $10
- Ticket to the match at maracanã of Flamengo: $10
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montego Bay
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:
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Admission to Doctor's Cave Beach$2.74
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Snorkeling Trip$19
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One Tank Dive$38
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1.5 Hr Horseback Ride$44
Tours and Activities in Montego Bay
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:
- Greenwood Great House Entry Ticket: $20
- Cinnamon Hill Great House Tour - Home of Johnny Cash: $23
- Skip the Line: Rose Hall Great House & Garden Tour Ticket: $30
- Montego Bay Sightseeing Tour and Souvenir Shopping: $35
- Private Shopping Tour in Montego Bay with Hotel Pickup: $35
- Skip the Line: Ahhh Ras Natango Gallery and Garden Admission Tickets: $35
- Rose Hall Great House Haunted Night Tour: $35
- Shopping and Sightseeing Tour of Montego Bay City: $39
- Shopping and Sightseeing Local Guided Tour In Montego Bay: $40
- Montego Bay Walking Tour: $40
- Bamboo Rafting, Hip-Strip & Margaritaville Tour from Montego Bay: $40
- Private Montego Bay Shopping Tour with Transportation: $45
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRio de Janeiro $12Montego Bay $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:
- Rio: Pub Crawl in Lapa with Cachaça Tasting and Live Samba: $28
- Pub Crawl in Lapa: $29
- Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $35
- Walking tour + Pub crawl + Samba in Lapa: $64
- Petropolis City Tour + Bohemia Brewery + Lunch: $77
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
- Brazilian Wine Tasting Evening: $110
- Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $131
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
- Montego Bay Jamaica Rum Distillery Tour Private Driver: $215
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rio de Janeiro and Montego Bay, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Rio de Janeiro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Rio de Janeiro is in South America 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 Rio de Janeiro would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive? and Is Montego Bay Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rio de Janeiro or Montego Bay?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro or Montego Bay?
Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro or Montego Bay in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Rio de Janeiro and Montego Bay. Montego Bay attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In January, Rio de Janeiro is generally around the same temperature as Montego Bayin July. Daily temperatures in Rio de Janeiro average around 26°C (79°F), and Montego Bay fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
Rio de Janeiro gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Rio de Janeiro usually receives more rain than Montego Bayin July. Rio de Janeiro gets 114 mm (4.5 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyRio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)Montego Bay 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Montego Bay in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Rio de Janeiro as well as Montego Bay. The warm climate attracts visitors to Montego Bay throughout the year.
Rio de Janeiro is around the same temperature as Montego Bay in the autumn. The daily temperature in Rio de Janeiro averages around 25°C (77°F) in April, and Montego Bay fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in October.
It's quite rainy in Montego Bay. Rio de Janeiro receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Rio de Janeiro usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Montego Bayin October. Rio de Janeiro gets 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberRio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)Montego Bay 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Montego Bay in the Winter?
Both Montego Bay and Rio de Janeiro are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Montego Bay because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the winter, Rio de Janeiro is cooler than Montego Bay. Typically, the winter temperatures in Rio de Janeiro in July average around 21°C (70°F), and Montego Bay averages at about 24°C (75°F)in January.
In July, Rio de Janeiro usually receives less rain than Montego Bayin January. Rio de Janeiro gets 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryRio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)Montego Bay 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Montego Bay in the Spring?
Both Montego Bay and Rio de Janeiro during the spring are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montego Bay year-round.
In October, Rio de Janeiro is generally around the same temperature as Montego Bayin April. Daily temperatures in Rio de Janeiro average around 23°C (73°F), and Montego Bay fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
Rio de Janeiro usually gets more rain in October than Montego Bayin April. Rio de Janeiro gets 88 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilRio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)Montego Bay 25°C (77°F)
Typical Weather for Montego Bay and Rio de Janeiro
| Rio de Janeiro | Montego Bay | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Apr | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| May | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jun | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Oct | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Nov | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (77°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 100 mm (3.9 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.