Which place is cheaper, South Lake Tahoe or Kingston?
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 Kingston or South Lake Tahoe?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Kingston or South Lake Tahoe, 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: Kingston or South Lake Tahoe?
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.
South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe is the largest town on the famous Lake Tahoe that straddles the California-Nevada border in the Sierra Mountain Range. Located just south of Reno, Nevada and about 2 hours east of Sacramento, the Lake Tahoe area is easily accessible to many visitors.
Lake Tahoe is known for skiing and other winter sports, as well as plenty of warm weather activities such as hiking, swimming, boating, mountain biking, and more.
South Lake Tahoe has plenty of accommodations, restaurants, bars, and shopping. This is a good town to base yourself if you're looking to explore the area, as it has a large number of amenities.
Located on the Nevada side of South Lake Tahoe is the town of Stateline. Here you can find some casinos, as gambling is legal in Nevada.
If you're looking to go skiing or snowboarding, the Heavenly Ski Resort can be found on the southern edge of the town of South Lake Tahoe. Naturally, more ski resorts are located around the lake as well.
As swimming is also popular, several beach areas are on the southern section of the lake including the Regan Memorial City Beach, Lakeside Beach, Pope Beach, Emerald Bay State Park, and the Edgewood Resort area (on the Nevada side).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America.
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Kingston Prices
Jamaica PricesSouth Lake Tahoe Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKingston $123South Lake Tahoe $146
The average daily cost (per person) in Kingston is $123, while the average daily cost in South Lake Tahoe is $146. 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 Kingston and South Lake Tahoe in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKingston $62South Lake Tahoe $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKingston $124South Lake Tahoe $108
Compare Hotels in Kingston and South Lake Tahoe
Looking for a hotel in Kingston or South Lake Tahoe? 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: Kingston Hotel Prices and South Lake Tahoe Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kingston $28South Lake Tahoe $24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:
- From Kingston Airport: One Way Shared Transfer to Kingston: $19
- From One Way Shared Transfer to Kingston Airport: $19
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport (KIN) Across Jamaica: $24
- Private Transfer from Kingston's Airport: $32
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Kingston International Airport (KIN): $34
- Kingston Airport Transfers Private Taxi Service***: $37
- Private Transfer To & From New Kingston to Norman Manley Airport: $40
- Kingston Norman Manley Airport (KIN) to Kingston - Arrival Private Transfer: $42
- From One Way Shared Transfer to Port Antonio: $47
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport Across Jamaica: $49
- Private Arrival Transfer: Kingston International Airport to Hotel: $53
- From One Way Shared Transfer to Montego Bay: $69
Is it cheaper to fly into Kingston or South Lake Tahoe?
Prices for flights to both South Lake Tahoe and Kingston 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 dayKingston $44South Lake Tahoe $66
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in South Lake Tahoe
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in South Lake Tahoe.
- Persian Cooking Class with Private Chef: $120
- Lake Tahoe Evening Dinner Cruise: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kingston $12South Lake Tahoe $56
Tours and Activities in Kingston
Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Art Walk Sunday Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $9.78
- Walking Tour with Mural Exploration: $26
- Bob Marley Museum Entry Ticket: $30
- Kingston Creative: Mural Art Walking Tour: $31
- Club Kingston VIP Departure Lounge Experience: $38
- Mural Tours in the Downtown Kingston Art District, Jamaica: $40
- Reggae Legend - Bob Marley Museum Tour Tickets: $41
- Bamboo Rafting Adventure in Ocho Rios : $62
- Devon House Heritage Tour with Ice Cream from Kingston: $63
- Devon House Tour with Ice Cream from Kingston: $64
- Private Bob Marley Tour Experience: $65
- Kingston City Guided Tour - Classic: $69
Tours and Activities in South Lake Tahoe
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for South Lake Tahoe are as follows:
- Ultimate Lake Tahoe Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $15
- Lake Tahoe: Full Day Self-Guided Bike Tour: $69
- Full-Day Lake Tahoe Circle Tour including Squaw Valley: $70
- Sunset Kayak Experience in South Lake Tahoe: $75
- Sunset Kayak Tour in Tahoe City: $75
- Virginia City Day Tour From Lake Tahoe with Train Ride: $80
- Lake Tahoe's West Shore Best Shore Kayak Tour: $80
- Scenic and Wild Nature tour in South Lake Tahoe: $85
- Lake Tahoe East Shore Trail 2-Hour Self-Guided E-Bike Tour: $90
- Scenic Sunset Snowshoe Tour: $99
- Lake Tahoe Emerald Bay Scenic Cruise: $99
- Lake Tahoe: Daytime Scenic Cruise: $99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKingston $11South Lake Tahoe $34
Sample the Local Flavors in South Lake Tahoe
Also in South Lake Tahoe, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Scavenger Adventure and Lake Tahoe Bar Crawl: $15
- Lake Tahoe: Emerald Bay Sunset Wine Tasting Yacht Cruise: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kingston and South Lake Tahoe, we can see that South Lake Tahoe is more expensive. And not only is Kingston much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kingston is in Caribbean Islands and South Lake Tahoe is in North America, 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 South Lake Tahoe would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in South Lake Tahoe 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 Kingston Expensive? and Is South Lake Tahoe Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kingston or South Lake Tahoe?
Kingston has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of South Lake Tahoe. When comparing the sizes of Kingston and South Lake Tahoe, 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.
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.