Which place is cheaper, Montego Bay or Split?
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 Split or Montego Bay?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Split and Montego Bay. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Split or Montego Bay?
Split
Spit is a historic city in Central Dalmatia with many opportunities to glimpse its fascinating past in its historic city center. Centuries ago the city grew up around a Diocletian palace that was used as refuge by the locals.
Today, as you wander around the historic center, you can see the remains of the Roman walls, temples, and squares. Despite it's appeal to tourists, Split is much more than just a tourist destination. It is larger than you might initially realize and it spreads well beyond the historic center. There is a population of about 300,000 in the larger area and it is an economic center for the region.
Split has a beautiful climate with mild winters, countless sunny days, and a generally pleasant temperature. As such, there are many opportunities to enjoy yourself outdoors, whether by participating in sports or walking around the city's quaint streets. Winters in Split are also quite mild, but there may be one snowy day, on average, every year. This rare snowfall can cause a significant disruption in the flow of traffic.
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 Walking Tours in Croatia, and The Best Luxury Tours to Croatia.
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Split Prices
Croatia PricesMontego Bay Prices
Jamaica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySplit €127Montego Bay €217
The average daily cost (per person) in Split is €127, while the average daily cost in Montego Bay is €217. 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 Split and Montego Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSplit €74Montego Bay €85
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSplit €148Montego Bay €170
Compare Hotels in Split and Montego Bay
Looking for a hotel in Split 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: Split Hotel Prices and Montego Bay Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Split €14Montego Bay €12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Split
Also for Split, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Split Airport = Split Transfer (both ways options): $37
- Private transfer from Split airport - Split, Kastela or Podstrana: $39
- Private Transfer from Split Airport (SPU) to Slatine (Island Ciovo): $39
- Ferry Transfers Between Split and Hvar: $40
- Airport Private Transfer to Split : $40
- Airport Private Transfer from Split: $40
- Luxury private transfer: Split airport to Split: $40
- Luxury private transfer: Split Town to Split airport: $40
- Split Cruise Port to Split Airport SPU-Departure Private Transfer: $42
- Split Airport (SPU) to Cruise Port of Split - Arrival Private Transfer: $42
- Private Transfer from Split Airport (SPU) to Cruise Port of Split: $42
- Private Transfer from Cruise Port of Split to Split hotels: $42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- VIP Luxury Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Montego Bay/ Falmouth: $70
- Transfer Service, Sangster MBJ Airport From/To Iberostar zone: $61
- Sangster Airport Montego Bay Transfer to Montego Bay or Falmouth: $16
- Sandals South Coast Airport Transfer: $80
- Royalton White Sands Private Airport Transfer: $40
- Royalton Blue Waters & Hideaway by Blue Waters Private Transfer: $35
- Roundtrip Montego Bay Airport Private Transfer to Hotel or Airbnb: $22
- Riu Resorts Airport Transfers Montego Bay MBJ (Private Roundtrip): $169
- Private airport transfer to negril resorts arrival/departure: $17
- Private Transfer/Tours to/from Montego Bay: $60
- Private Transfer to Dunns River Blue Hole Tubing from Montego Bay: $110
- Private Transfer to Dunn's River Falls and Blue Hole: $110
Is it cheaper to fly into Split or Montego Bay?
Prices for flights to both Montego Bay and Split 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 daySplit €41Montego Bay €119
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Split
For Split, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Small Group Food Tour with Private Option: $53
- Split Food Tour: Discover Split One Bite at a Time: $140
- Split Food Tour: Discover Split One Bite At A Time: $143
- A Vineyard Feast: A Group Dinner and Wine Tasting: $199
- Split Cooking Class: $210
- Split Cooking Class - Afternoon Edition Shared Activity: $210
- Vegan Cooking Class with Local Market Tour in Split: $210
- Cooking class on island Brac: $251
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
- Club2727 Nightlife Experience With Optional Dinner In Montego Bay: $10
- 3 to 5 Hour Private Herbal Tour Shopping and Dinner at Ricks Cafe: $120
- Bar Hopping and Local Food Tour in Jamaica : $130
- Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife Experience: $150
- Dinner Experience and Celebration on the Beach with Decorations : $158
- PRIVATE Food Tour of Local Jamaican Cuisine Montego Bay & Negril: $190
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Split €3.72Montego Bay €26
Tours and Activities in Split
For Split, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Split Quest Experience: Discover the City: $5.99
- Explore the Roman Splendor of Split on a Self Guided Walking Tour: $6.93
- Diocletian's Palace & Old Town Guided Walking Tour: $9.36
- Split Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $9.53
- Walking tour of Diocletian's Palace in Split: $9.54
- Quest Experience in Marjan Hill Witch Hunt: $12
- Split's Old Town and Marjan Hill: A Self Guided Audio Tour: $12
- Trogir Open Top Bus Trip + Free Split Walking Tour: $13
- Klis Fortress GOT and Olive Museum Entry Tickets: $14
- Museum of Illusions Entrance Ticket: $14
- Adriatic Blues and Roman Clues Split Audio Tour: $15
- Sightseeing Split's Roman Ruins: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
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€2.24
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Snorkeling Trip€16
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One Tank Dive€31
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1.5 Hr Horseback Ride€36
Tours and Activities in Montego Bay
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:
- Black River Day Adventure Tour: $92
- Dunn’s River Secret falls with Horse-back&Bamboo Raft Experience: $125
- Falmouth Mystic from Montego Bay Luminous Lagoon Night Tour: $90
- Luminous Lagoon Glow in the Dark Boat Tour from Montego Bay: $65
- Luminous Lagoon Night Tour from Montego Bay: $118
- Private Dolphin Cove Adventure : $250
- 1 Hour Horse Back Riding & Dunn's River Falls Tour Combo: $240
- 3 Hours Private Highlights Tour & Shopping in Montego Bay Jamaica: $100
- 3 Hours Private Tour in Montego Bay From Falmouth: $75
- 7 Mile Beach & Ricks Cafe with free Shopping experience: $50
- ATV Adventure and Rick's Cafe Tour with Transportation: $238
- ATV Jungle Safari Tour from Montego Bay: $125
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySplit €7.97Montego Bay €11
Sample the Local Flavors in Split
Also in Split, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Diocletian's Palace Walking and Wine Tasting Tour: $18
- Tower Pub Crawl in Split: $32
- From Krka Waterfalls, Food & Wine Tasting Tour: $44
- From Krka Waterfalls, Food & Wine Tasting Tour: $45
- Split/Trogir: Krka National Park Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $49
- From Krka Waterfalls day tour & wine tasting: $49
- Krka National Park Tour with tour Guide & Wine tasting from Split & Trogir: $50
- Wine Tasting at Seafront Tasting Room in Kastela: $54
- Split&Sip: Educational wine tasting: $56
- Educational wine tasting in Split: $57
- Wine Tasting in the Diocletian's Palace: $59
- Wine Tasting in the Diocletian’s Palace: $60
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 Split and Montego Bay, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Split much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Split 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 Split would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Split 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 Split.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Split Expensive? and Is Montego Bay Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Split or Montego Bay?
Split has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Split 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 Split or Montego Bay?
Split 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 Split or Montego Bay in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Split as well as Montego Bay. Most visitors come to Split for the beaches, snorkeling, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences during these months. The warm climate attracts visitors to Montego Bay throughout the year.
Split is around the same temperature as Montego Bay in the summer. The daily temperature in Split averages around 26°C (80°F) in July, and Montego Bay fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montego Bay. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Split this time of the year. In the summer, Split often gets more sunshine than Montego Bay. Split gets 345 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montego Bay receives 257 hours of full sun.
Split usually gets less rain in July than Montego Bay. Split gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySplit 26°C (80°F)Montego Bay 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Split or Montego Bay in the Autumn?
Both Montego Bay and Split are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Split because of the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene. Plenty of visitors come to Montego Bay because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the autumn, Split is much colder than Montego Bay. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Split in October average around 18°C (64°F), and Montego Bay averages at about 27°C (81°F).
It's quite sunny in Montego Bay. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Split. Split usually receives less sunshine than Montego Bay during autumn. Split gets 200 hours of sunny skies, while Montego Bay receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Montego Bay. In October, Split usually receives less rain than Montego Bay. Split gets 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSplit 18°C (64°F)Montego Bay 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Split or Montego Bay in the Winter?
Both Montego Bay and Split during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Split this time of year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montego Bay year-round.
In January, Split is generally much colder than Montego Bay. Daily temperatures in Split average around 8°C (47°F), and Montego Bay fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).
In Montego Bay, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Split often gets less sunshine than Montego Bay. Split gets 128 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montego Bay receives 226 hours of full sun.
Split usually gets more rain in January than Montego Bay. Split gets 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySplit 8°C (47°F)Montego Bay 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit Split or Montego Bay in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Split and Montego Bay. Many travelers come to Split for the beaches and the activities around the city. Montego Bay attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Split is much colder than Montego Bay in the spring. The daily temperature in Split averages around 15°C (59°F) in April, and Montego Bay fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Montego Bay this time of the year. In Split, it's very sunny this time of the year. Split usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Montego Bay during spring. Split gets 212 hours of sunny skies, while Montego Bay receives 225 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Split usually receives more rain than Montego Bay. Split gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Montego Bay receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSplit 15°C (59°F)Montego Bay 25°C (77°F)
Typical Weather for Montego Bay and Split
| Split | Montego Bay | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 8°C (47°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Feb | 9°C (48°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Mar | 11°C (52°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| May | 20°C (67°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jun | 23°C (74°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 26°C (80°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Oct | 18°C (64°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Nov | 13°C (56°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Dec | 10°C (49°F) | 100 mm (3.9 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.