A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ocho Rios vs. Joshua Tree National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Ocho Rios or Joshua Tree National Park?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Ocho Rios or Joshua Tree National Park, 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 Joshua Tree National Park?

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.

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.


Which place is cheaper, Joshua Tree National Park 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.

  • Ocho Rios Prices
    Jamaica Prices
    Joshua Tree National Park Prices
    USA Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Ocho Rios $85
    Joshua Tree National Park $177

The average daily cost (per person) in Ocho Rios is $85, 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 Ocho Rios and Joshua Tree National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ocho Rios $51
    Joshua Tree National Park $87
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ocho Rios $102
    Joshua Tree National Park $174
Compare Hotels in Ocho Rios and Joshua Tree National Park

Looking for a hotel in Ocho Rios 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.

Hotels in Ocho Rios


Hotels in Joshua Tree National Park


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ocho Rios $7.32
    Joshua Tree National Park $47

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Ocho Rios or Joshua Tree National Park?

Prices for flights to both Joshua Tree National Park 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
    Joshua Tree National Park $60

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
    Joshua Tree National Park $27
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 Joshua Tree National Park

For Joshua Tree National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • From San Diego: Joshua Tree National Park Private Tour: $949
  • Rappelling Experience: $255

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ocho Rios $7.43
    Joshua Tree National Park $4.93

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 Joshua Tree National Park, we can see that Joshua Tree National Park 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 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 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 Joshua Tree National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Joshua Tree National Park 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 Joshua Tree National Park Expensive?.