A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Montego Bay vs. Montreal for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Montego Bay or Montreal?

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 Montreal 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 Montreal?

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.

Montreal

While Quebec City is the political capital of Quebec Province, Montreal is the economic and cultural capital. It's also the second largest city in Canada, with a population of about 1.9 million and 4 million in the metropolitan area. It's the second largest French speaking city in the world behind Paris.

Montreal is a very trendy and vibrant city with an active nightlife and countless activities to enjoy. It's located on an island in the St. Lawrence River and has a humid continental climate. There are four distinct seasons. Summers are warm or hot and humid. Spring and fall are mild and winters are cold and snowy. You can expect about 2 meters of snow every year, but there are also more than 2,000 hours of sunshine annually.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Train & Rail Tours in Canada, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Montreal 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.

  • Montego Bay Prices
    Jamaica Prices
    Montreal Prices
    Canada Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Montego Bay $255
    Montreal $235

The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $255, while the average daily cost in Montreal is $235. 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 Montreal in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Montego Bay $100
    Montreal $131
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Montego Bay $200
    Montreal $262
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and Montreal

Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay or Montreal? 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.

Hotels in Montego Bay


Hotels in Montreal


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 and Montreal Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Montego Bay $14
    Montreal $20

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:

  • Kingston: One Way Private Transfer to Montego Bay Airport: $319
  • Private Airport Transfers To and From Kingston (KIN) Airport: $200
  • Horseback Ride/Swim and Blue Hole Falls Daytrip with Transfers: $190
  • Green Grato Caves and Dunns River Falls with Private Transfer : $180
  • Riu Resorts Airport Transfers Montego Bay MBJ (Private Roundtrip): $169
  • Private Martha Brae Bamboo Rafting Tour with Private Transfer: $135
  • Club Mobay VIP Lounge Access and Round-Trip Airport Transfer: $113
  • Private Transfer to Dunns River Blue Hole Tubing from Montego Bay: $110
  • Private Transfer to Dunn's River Falls and Blue Hole: $110
  • Experience Jamaica Private Tour with Airport Transfer: $100
  • Airport Transfer Service In Montego bay: $95
  • Sandals South Coast Airport Transfer: $80

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montreal

Also for Montreal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • YUL Airport Private Transfer to Downtown|Hotels: $29
  • Departure transfer Montreal to Montreal Airport YUL by Car or SUV: $60
  • Private One Way Transfer from Montreal to Montreal Airport: $64
  • Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL: $71
  • Montreal Best Private Transfer services : $73
  • Arrival Transfer from International Airport: $78
  • Private Transfer from Montreal Cruise Port to Montreal City: $99
  • Private Transfer from Montreal City to Montreal (YUL) Airport: $111
  • Montréal Airport (YUL) to Montreal hotel or port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $139
  • Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Luxury Van: $186
  • Transfer Montreal International Airport to Downtown Montreal: $187
  • Private Transfer from Montreal Airport to Ottawa: $212

Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Montreal?

Prices for flights to both Montreal 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Montego Bay $139
    Montreal $62

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

Typical Food Prices in Montreal

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Montreal:


  • Tim Hortons breakfast and coffee
    $8.96

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montreal

For Montreal, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Bateau-Mouche Cruise with A La Carte Dinner Option: $61
  • Jean-Talon & Little Italy Food Tour with 8 Tasting: $77
  • Jean-Talon Market Hidden Gems Guided Food Tour: $78
  • Beyond the Market Non-Touristy Food Tour by Spade & Palacio: $81
  • Mile End District Food Tour with 8+ Tastings: $81
  • Montreal Cooking Class - Learn to make Dim Sums: $84
  • Jean-Talon Market & Little Italy Food Tour with 8 Tastings: $89
  • Montreal Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $89
  • Old Montreal Food & Drink Tour by Local Montreal Food Tours: $115
  • Cooking Class & Lunch with Michelin-Trained Chef: $128
  • Jewish Neighborhood Food Tour: $129
  • Montreal Gourmet Dinner Cruise with DJ & Dancing: $129

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Montego Bay $31
    Montreal $21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montego Bay

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:


  • Admission to Doctor's Cave Beach
    $2.63
  • Snorkeling Trip
    $18
  • One Tank Dive
    $37
  • 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

Typical Entertainment Prices in Montreal

For Montreal, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Botanical Gardens (family of 4)
    $53

Tours and Activities in Montreal

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Montreal.

  • Montreal City Highlights 3 Hour Walking Tour | Gratuity-Based : $5.00
  • Montreal Prohibition Mystery: Self-Guided Walking Adventure: $7.20
  • Montréal Scavenger Hunt and City Highlights Walking Tour: $7.74
  • Old Montreal Historical Downtown Self Guided Walking Tour: $9.75
  • Montreal's Golden Square Mile: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
  • Old Self-Guided Tour from Place D‘Armes to Old Port: $12
  • Art Center and Museum Audio Guided Tour: $12
  • Irish Famine in Montreal Walking Tour: $20
  • Montreal Old Port: Urban Zipline Ticket: $21
  • Musée des Hospitalières Entry & Digital City Tour: $21
  • Old Montreal in 90 Minutes Walking Tour: $22
  • 1hr Sunset Boat tour on the St Lawrence River Old Port Montreal: $23

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Montego Bay $13
    Montreal $16

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

Typical Alcohol Prices in Montreal

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Montreal:


  • Vodka
    $18

Sample the Local Flavors in Montreal

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Montreal:

  • Haunted Pub Crawl: $24
  • Haunted Montreal Pub Crawl: $24
  • Guided Bar Crawl with Free Shots and Club Entry: $41
  • Guided Pub Crawl of the City's Skyline Bars: $85


When comparing the travel costs between Montego Bay and Montreal, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands and Montreal is in North America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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 Montreal Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or Montreal?

Montreal has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay and Montreal, 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 Montego Bay or Montreal?

Montreal 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 Montego Bay or Montreal in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Montego Bay as well as Montreal. Montego Bay attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, most visitors come to Montreal for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.

In the summer, Montego Bay is a little warmer than Montreal. Typically, the summer temperatures in Montego Bay in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Montreal averages at about 21°C (69°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montreal. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Montego Bay this time of the year. In the summer, Montego Bay often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Montreal. Montego Bay gets 257 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 276 hours of full sun.

Montego Bay usually gets less rain in July than Montreal. Montego Bay gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 91 mm (3.6 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Montego Bay 28°C (82°F) 
    Montreal 21°C (69°F)

Should I visit Montego Bay or Montreal in the Autumn?

Both Montreal and Montego Bay are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Montego Bay throughout the year. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Montreal because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene.

In October, Montego Bay is generally much warmer than Montreal. Daily temperatures in Montego Bay average around 27°C (81°F), and Montreal fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montego Bay. Montego Bay usually receives more sunshine than Montreal during autumn. Montego Bay gets 233 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 141 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It's quite rainy in Montego Bay. In October, Montego Bay usually receives more rain than Montreal. Montego Bay gets 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Montego Bay 27°C (81°F) 
    Montreal 8°C (47°F)

Should I visit Montego Bay or Montreal in the Winter?

Both Montreal and Montego Bay during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Montego Bay because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Montreal this time of year.

It's quite cold in Montreal in the winter. Montego Bay is much warmer than Montreal in the winter. The daily temperature in Montego Bay averages around 24°C (75°F) in January, and Montreal fluctuates around -10°C (14°F).

It's quite sunny in Montego Bay. In the winter, Montego Bay often gets more sunshine than Montreal. Montego Bay gets 226 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 103 hours of full sun.

Montego Bay usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Montreal. Montego Bay gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Montego Bay 24°C (75°F) 
    Montreal -10°C (14°F)

Should I visit Montego Bay or Montreal in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Montego Bay and Montreal. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montego Bay year-round. Also, many travelers come to Montreal for the activities around the city.

In the spring, Montego Bay is much warmer than Montreal. Typically, the spring temperatures in Montego Bay in April average around 25°C (77°F), and Montreal averages at about 6°C (43°F).

In Montego Bay, it's very sunny this time of the year. Montego Bay usually receives more sunshine than Montreal during spring. Montego Bay gets 225 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 183 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Montego Bay usually receives less rain than Montreal. Montego Bay gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Montego Bay 25°C (77°F) 
    Montreal 6°C (43°F)

Typical Weather for Montreal and Montego Bay

Montego Bay Montreal
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 24°C (75°F) 70 mm (2.8 in) -10°C (14°F) 74 mm (2.9 in)
Feb 24°C (75°F) 30 mm (1.2 in) -9°C (16°F) 65 mm (2.6 in)
Mar 25°C (77°F) 30 mm (1.2 in) -2°C (28°F) 74 mm (2.9 in)
Apr 25°C (77°F) 60 mm (2.4 in) 6°C (43°F) 78 mm (3.1 in)
May 26°C (79°F) 80 mm (3.1 in) 13°C (55°F) 75 mm (3 in)
Jun 27°C (81°F) 80 mm (3.1 in) 18°C (64°F) 87 mm (3.4 in)
Jul 28°C (82°F) 60 mm (2.4 in) 21°C (69°F) 91 mm (3.6 in)
Aug 28°C (82°F) 80 mm (3.1 in) 19°C (67°F) 104 mm (4.1 in)
Sep 27°C (81°F) 110 mm (4.3 in) 14°C (58°F) 90 mm (3.5 in)
Oct 27°C (81°F) 130 mm (5.1 in) 8°C (47°F) 79 mm (3.1 in)
Nov 26°C (79°F) 120 mm (4.7 in) 2°C (35°F) 101 mm (4 in)
Dec 25°C (77°F) 100 mm (3.9 in) -7°C (20°F) 99 mm (3.9 in)