Which place is cheaper, South Lake Tahoe 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.
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Should you visit Ocho Rios 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 Ocho Rios 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: Ocho Rios or South Lake Tahoe?
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.
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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Ocho Rios Prices
Jamaica PricesSouth Lake Tahoe Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOcho Rios $85South Lake Tahoe $146
The average daily cost (per person) in Ocho Rios is $85, 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 Ocho Rios and South Lake Tahoe in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOcho Rios $51South Lake Tahoe $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOcho Rios $102South Lake Tahoe $108
Compare Hotels in Ocho Rios and South Lake Tahoe
Looking for a hotel in Ocho Rios 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: Ocho Rios Hotel Prices and South Lake Tahoe Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ocho Rios $7.32South Lake Tahoe $24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ocho Rios
Also for Ocho Rios, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Ian Fleming Airport Transfer to Ocho Rios and Runaway Bay: $15
- Montego Bay Airport (MBJ) Transfer One-Way or Round-Trip to Hotel: $16
- Private Transfer to Mystic Mountain from Ocho Rios: $20
- Private Round Trip Transfer to YAAMAN Adventure Park Ocho Rios: $27
- Private Transfer to Konoko Falls Botanical Gardens: $27
- Private Round Trip Transfer to Dunns River Climb and Zipline over the Falls! : $34
- Private Round Trip Transfer for Jamaican Jerk at Scotchie's Ocho Rios: $36
- Private Transfer to Beach Horse Back Ride and Swim: $40
- Private Transfer to ATV dirt road Adventures.: $40
- Runaway Bay Airport Transfer: $48
- Round-Trip or Direct Private Airport Transfers to Runaway Bay: $50
- Private Nightclub Tour with Transfer from Ocho Rios, Runaway Bay: $52
Is it cheaper to fly into Ocho Rios or South Lake Tahoe?
Prices for flights to both South Lake Tahoe 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
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Food Meals for one dayOcho Rios $28South 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.Ocho Rios $15South Lake Tahoe $56
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ocho Rios
For Ocho Rios, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Tour of Brimmer Hall Estate$11
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Admission to Coyaba Gardens$5.27
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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.
- Ocho Rios Shopping Tour : $21
- Blue Hole Admission Fee Ticket: $25
- Original Blue Hole St. Ann Ocho Rios Jamaica Admission Fee Ticket: $25
- Ocho Rios City Bus Tour (Beach, Sightseeing & Shopping): $40
- Skip-The-Line: Dunn's River Falls Adventure Tour from Ocho Rios: $40
- Transportation to Horse Back Ride & Swim Adventure from Ocho Rios: $45
- Luminous lagoon Private & Group tour from Runaway Bay: $45
- Dunn's River Falls and Blue Hole Private Tour from Ocho Rios: $50
- Shopping and Sightseeing Tour in Ocho Rios: $50
- Jamaican Escapade Experience Dunn's River's Natural Majesty: $50
- Blue hole waterfalls tour from Ocho Rios : $51
- Private Ocho Rios highlights and beach day tour: $51
Tours and Activities in South Lake Tahoe
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for South Lake Tahoe are as follows:
- Clear Kayak Paddle Tour at Cave Rock: $110
- "Lake Tahoe 101" : See The Whole Lake! 6 HR Shared Tour by Van.: $199
- 2 Hour Sailing Cruise on Lake Tahoe: $140
- 2-Hour Lake Tahoe Adventures ATV Tours in the Desert: $220
- Clear Kayak Adventure Tour: $198
- Clear Kayak Paddle Tour: $150
- Clear Kayak Tour: $140
- Driving Lake Tahoe: A Self-Guided Tour From Incline Village to South Lake Tahoe: $12
- Eco Canoe Tour: $258
- Electric Dirtbike Adventure in Lake Tahoe: $200
- Emerald Bay Helicopter Tour of Lake Tahoe: $139
- Emerald Bay Private Boat Tours: $690
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOcho Rios $7.43South Lake Tahoe $34
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: $100
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 Ocho Rios and South Lake Tahoe, we can see that South Lake Tahoe 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 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 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 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 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 South Lake Tahoe Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ocho Rios or South Lake Tahoe?
South Lake Tahoe has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Ocho Rios. When comparing the sizes of Ocho Rios 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.