Which place is cheaper, Montego Bay or Ilha Grande?
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 Ilha Grande or Montego Bay?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ilha Grande or Montego Bay? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Ilha Grande or Montego Bay?
Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande is a large, beautiful, island located off the southeast coast of Brazil. The island has few inhabitants, resulting in mostly unadulterated beaches and landscapes. There are over a dozen trails and beaches to explore, some of which have been called the best beaches in Brazil. Due to the limited number of inhabitants, ATMs are sparse on the island, so be sure to have cash with you before getting there.
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 Adventure Tours to Brazil, and The Best Eco Tours in Brazil.
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Ilha Grande Prices
Brazil PricesMontego Bay Prices
Jamaica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIlha Grande $80Montego Bay $255
The average daily cost (per person) in Ilha Grande is $80, while the average daily cost in Montego Bay is $255. 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 Ilha Grande and Montego Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIlha Grande $35Montego Bay $100
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIlha Grande $70Montego Bay $200
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and Montego Bay
Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande 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: Montego Bay Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ilha Grande $17Montego Bay $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande
Also for Ilha Grande, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Regular Transfer Angra dos Reis x Rio de Janeiro and Airports: $36
- From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $46
- Private Transfer Angra dos Reis to Rio de Janeiro: $91
- Private Transfer from GIG to anywhere in the City Angra dos Reis: $182
- Private Transfer from Angra dos Reis to Airport GIG in Rio : $182
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 Ilha Grande or Montego Bay?
Prices for flights to both Montego Bay and Ilha Grande 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 dayIlha Grande $35Montego Bay $139
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.Ilha Grande $6.36Montego Bay $31
Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande
For Ilha Grande, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Regular Schooner Ride - Ilha Grande Tour: $12
- Speedboat Tour Paradise Lagoons of Ilha Grande: $13
- Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $18
- Ilha Grande - From Abrãao: Lopes Mendes beach tour & trekking: $25
- Shared Speedboat Tour - Paradise Island Tour: $32
- Tour Of The Motorboat The Paradisiac Islands Of Angra Dos Reis: $42
- Half-Day Ilha Grande Schooner Tour: $42
- Six hour speedboat tour of Ilha Grande. Be amazed by the Blue and Green Lagoons: $55
- Schooner Cruise with Caipirinha drinks by the Blue Lagoon: $56
- Ilha Grande - Private Historical Walking Tour with Natural Pool.: $60
- Full-Day Ilha Grande Northern Coast Speedboat Tour: $63
- From Ilha Grande - Paradise Island 7 h - Speedboat tour: $65
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$2.63
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Snorkeling Trip$18
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One Tank Dive$37
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1.5 Hr Horseback Ride$42
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 dayIlha Grande $10Montego Bay $13
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 Ilha Grande and Montego Bay, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Ilha Grande much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ilha Grande 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 Ilha Grande would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ilha Grande 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 Ilha Grande.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ilha Grande Expensive? and Is Montego Bay Expensive?.
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.