Which place is cheaper, Joshua Tree National Park or Montego Bay?
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 Montego Bay or Joshua Tree National Park?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Montego Bay and Joshua Tree National Park 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: Montego Bay or Joshua Tree National Park?
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.
Joshua Tree National Park
California's high desert has a unique landscape and has become synonymous with Joshua Tree, located in southeastern California. Joshua Tree National Park gained its namesake from its spiky, evergreen, and unusually shaped trees native to the Mojave Desert area, which only grow in arid soils on plains, slopes and mesas. Legend has it that Mormons in the 19th century came across the trees and thought they resembled Joshua from the Bible, with outstretched arms, beckoning them to the promised land. Well, they do kind of look like people.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United States of America, and The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America.
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Montego Bay Prices
Jamaica PricesJoshua Tree National Park Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontego Bay $255Joshua Tree National Park $177
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $255, while the average daily cost in Joshua Tree National Park is $177. 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 Montego Bay and Joshua Tree National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontego Bay $100Joshua Tree National Park $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontego Bay $200Joshua Tree National Park $174
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and Joshua Tree National Park
Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or Joshua Tree National Park? 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.Montego Bay $14Joshua Tree National Park $47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- Zoetry Montego Bay Airport Transfers MBJ (Private Roundtrip Exclusive): $180
- VIP Airport Transfer to Hotel in Montego Bay: $30
- Tropical Court Hotel Private Airport Transfer : $13
- Transfer Service, Sangster MBJ Airport From/To Runaway Bay: $163
- Transfer Service, Sangster MBJ Airport From/To Iberostar zone: $61
- Tobys Resort Private Airport Transfer: $20
- The Spa Retreat Boutique Hotel Private Airport Transfer: $50
- Sunset at the Palms Negril Airport Transfers: $78
- Sunset at the Palm Private Negril Airport Transfer : $52
- Shared Transfer: From/to Montego Bay International Airport: $9.26
- Shared Round-Trip Transfer: Montego Bay International Airport: $19
- Shared Arrival Transfer from Sangster's International to Negril: $100
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Joshua Tree National Park?
Prices for flights to both Joshua Tree National Park and Montego Bay 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 dayMontego Bay $139Joshua Tree National Park $60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
- Montego Bay Jerk Tour and Rum Punch Mixology/Food Tour : $40
- Lunch or Dinner Dining Experience in Montego Bay : $40
- Street Food Tour in Montego Bay: $59
- 3 to 5 Hour Private Herbal Tour Shopping and Dinner at Ricks Cafe: $120
- Bar Hopping and Local Food Tour in Jamaica : $130
- Dinner or lunch at pier one Montego bay Food Tour: $144
- Cooking Class in Montego Bay with Home Chef: $150
- Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife Experience: $150
- Sunset Boat Cruise and Luminous Lagoon with Dinner and Transfer : $150
- Private Beach Day and Street Food Tour from Montego Bay: $170
- Dinner Experience and Celebration on the Beach with Decorations : $175
- PRIVATE Food Tour of Local Jamaican Cuisine Montego Bay & Negril: $190
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montego Bay $31Joshua Tree National Park $27
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:
- 2 Days Of Blue Hole, Dunns River Falls & Hidden Beauty Adventure: $180
- ATV Adventure to Seven Mile Beach and Ricks Cafe: $220
- Bioluminescence Lagoon Tour from Montego Bay with Pick Up: $105
- Black River Day Adventure Tour: $92
- Bob Marley Nine Mile and Dunn's River Falls Tour From Montego Bay : $300
- Dirt Adventure ATV from Montego Bay: $160
- Dunn’s River Secret falls with Horse-back&Bamboo Raft Experience: $125
- Falmouth Mystic from Montego Bay Luminous Lagoon Night Tour: $90
- Falmouth to Bob Marley Nine Miles and Dunns River Falls Tour : $250
- Floyds Pelican Bar Private Tour : $155
- Green Grotto Cave Private Tour: $115
- Horseback Riding and Tour from Montego Bay : $230
Tours and Activities in Joshua Tree National Park
For Joshua Tree National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Rappelling Experience: $255
- From San Diego: Joshua Tree National Park Private Tour: $949
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontego Bay $13Joshua Tree National Park $4.93
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:
- Montego Bay Jamaica Rum Distillery Tour Private Driver: $231
- Montego Bay Pub Crawl To Negril and Rick's Cafe: $255
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Joshua Tree National Park, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Joshua Tree National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and Joshua Tree National Park 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 Joshua Tree National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Joshua Tree National Park 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 Joshua Tree National Park.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Montego Bay Expensive? and Is Joshua Tree National Park 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.