A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ocho Rios vs. Arica for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Ocho Rios or Arica?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Ocho Rios or Arica, 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: Ocho Rios or Arica?

Ocho Rios

Ocho Rios, or "Ochi" is a town located on the northeastern shore of Jamaica and is a popular hub for cruise ships. It is a great destination for tourists as it has many resorts and beautiful beaches.

Arica

A mixture of coastline, desert and high Andean plateau, Arica is a seaside resort town, known for its surfing beaches located at the tip of Northern Chile. Arica boasts that it is "the land of the eternal spring," but its temperate climate and beaches are not the only reason to visit this small city. Arica's tourism is still principally geared toward domestic visitors and those from southern Peru and La Paz, who flock to its beaches mid-December through February. It is very easy to spend a few days in Arica in the sand, or seeing the sights in town, at a slow pace but the city also offers plenty of fun activities and exciting day trips.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Chile, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Arica or Ocho Rios?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Ocho Rios is $85, while the average daily cost in Arica is $100. 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 Ocho Rios and Arica in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ocho Rios $51
    Arica $35
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ocho Rios $102
    Arica $70
Compare Hotels in Ocho Rios and Arica

Looking for a hotel in Ocho Rios or Arica? 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 Ocho Rios


Hotels in Arica


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: Ocho Rios Hotel Prices and Arica Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ocho Rios $7.32
    Arica $18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ocho Rios

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

  • VIP***Private KINGSTON Airport Transfers to***OCHO RIOS**HOTELS**: $292
  • Sandals Ocho Rios Resort Airport Transfer: $67
  • Runaway Bay Hotels Transfers between Montego Bay Airport: $60
  • Runaway Bay Hotels Private Round Trip Transfers from MBJ: $160
  • Runaway Bay Airport Transfer: $48
  • Roundtrip Airport Transfer from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios and Runaway Bay Hotels: $240
  • Round-Trip or Direct Private Airport Transfers to Runaway Bay: $50
  • Private Transfers from Montego Bay Airport to Runaway Bay Hotels: $54
  • Private Transfers To/From Ocho Rios & OCJ Airport Across Jamaica: $143
  • Private Transfer to horseback,Bluehole,River rafting in OchoRios.: $70
  • Private Transfer to Mystic Mountain from Ocho Rios: $20
  • Private Transfer to Konoko Falls Botanical Gardens: $27

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arica

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arica are as follows:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $2.09

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arica

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

  • Arica Airport Private Transfer: $95
  • Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port: $83
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $83
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $75
  • Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port : $75
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Hotels: $69
  • Private Transfer from Arica Hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $69
  • Private Transfer from Arica City hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $63
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica city hotels: $63

Is it cheaper to fly into Ocho Rios or Arica?

Prices for flights to both Arica and Ocho Rios 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
    Ocho Rios $28
    Arica $49

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ocho Rios

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

  • Flavors of Jamaica Food Tour from Ocho Rios: $128
  • Taste of Jamaica Food Tour from Ocho Rios: $150

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ocho Rios $15
    Arica $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ocho Rios

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


  • Tour of Brimmer Hall Estate
    $11
  • Admission to Coyaba Gardens
    $5.27
  • Tour of Prospect Plantation
    $17

Tours and Activities in Ocho Rios

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

  • Black River Safari & YS Falls Tour from Runaway Bay: $285
  • Blue Hole Tour From Ocho Rios: $60
  • Blue Hole Waterfalls + Bamboo River Rafting Tour from Ocho Rios: $109
  • Dunn's River Falls Party Cruise, Blue Hole with Snorkeling, free beverages: $165
  • Dunn's River Falls and Ocho Rios Sightseeing with Shopping: $50
  • Dunn's River Falls and Tubing Combo Tour from Ocho Rios: $140
  • Private Dunn's River and Blue hole tour from Ocho Rios : $110
  • Private Sightseeing Tour from Ocho Rios : $60
  • Shopping Tour From Runaway Bay Hotels : $75
  • 1 Hour Private Rafting Experience in Jamaica: $65
  • ATV Adventure and Shopping from Falmouth (Minimum 4 persons): $165
  • ATV Guided Tour To Blue Hole & Spanish Bridge In Ocho Rios: $270

Tours and Activities in Arica

For Arica, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Archeological Sightseeing tour in Arica: $152
  • Arica Private Sightseeing Tour : $148
  • City Tour with Chinchorro Beach Visit: $82
  • Half day Panoramic City Tour: $49
  • Chungará Lake & Lauca Park Tour from Arica with Lunch: $197
  • Private Tour to Tacna from Arica: $285

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ocho Rios $7.43
    Arica $19

Sample the Local Flavors in Ocho Rios

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

  • Bar Hopping, Pub Crawl, Shopping and Sightseeing Tour Ocho Rios: $113


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ocho Rios and Arica, we can see that Arica is more expensive. And not only is Ocho Rios much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ocho Rios is in Caribbean Islands and Arica is in South 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 Ocho Rios would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ocho Rios 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 Arica would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Arica than you might in Ocho Rios.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ocho Rios Expensive? and Is Arica Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Ocho Rios or Arica?

Arica has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Ocho Rios. When comparing the sizes of Ocho Rios and Arica, 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.