Which is Better Montego Bay or Kingston?

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Which Is Better Montego Bay or Kingston? | (Photo: Jamaica Observer)

by Sheree-Anita Shearer | Associate Writer

As the two key cities in Jamaica, Montego Bay and Kingston are compared quite often, so this comes as no surprise. But, is one city better than the other? Let’s find out.

Which Is Better To Live?

For living, it is a pretty even split for both cities. Where you decide to live is dependent on the type of lifestyle you would love to have.

Although Montego Bay and Kingston are both designated cities and they are in their own right, Kingston is a lot more associated with “city life” than Montego Bay. In fact, much to the disgruntlement of Montegonians, St. James and by extension, Montego Bay is included in the parts of the island, classified as “country” by many persons who live in Kingston and St. Andrew.

Anyway, if you would love a more laid-back city life, then Montego Bay is much more relaxed than Kingston. In Montego Bay, while it is possible to do business, it being the centre of tourism makes for a different kind of city than Kingston. It has a more “resort town” feel than anything with beaches and hotels woven into the city.

Kingston is a very fast-paced city and as the largest English-speaking Caribbean country you can imagine that it is considerably huge as well. This makes for tons of space for businesses, entertainment spots, restaurants and nightlife.

As the cultural and business epicentre of Jamaica, you will be better off here if you need to have direct access to certain businesses both public and private.

Which City Is Safer?

Montego Bay is considered a little safer than Kingston mainly because of tourism. But, both cities have communities which are avoided by locals and should be by visitors or newcomers as well. But can we agree, unfortunate as it is, that this is an issue that most cities of the world face?

Which Is A Better Vacation Spot?

Montego Bay is the better of the two for vacations, hands down. Montego Bay has more variety in the experiences you can have, the accommodations to choose from and so much more.

Known as the island's tourism capital, it should come as no surprise that there are more attractions and activities in Montego Bay than in Kingston. Golfing, water sports, arcades, casinos, and beaches, it is all here in Montego Bay.

This does not mean Kingston is not at all equipped to provide a great vacation. If you would love to learn more about the history and culture of Reggae or Dancehall music this is where you will have to be.

There are also other cultural tours throughout the town detailing life in Kingston in the past compared to what it is now.

Accommodations

Hotels and all other kinds of accommodation in Kingston mainly cater to persons on business trips on the island. Hotels are built to specifically cater to these needs and therefore it is unlikely that there will be an all-inclusive in that city anytime soon.

Montego Bay, on the other hand, has all-inclusive resorts for couples, friends and family at a budget to luxurious prices. There are also Airbnbs, villas, and so much more.

Excursions

Montego Bay wins at excursions again as there is a considerable number of attractions in and around Montego Bay that Kingston cannot facilitate. For most excursions when you live in Kingston, you will have to drive some distance, usually to Hellshire, Portland or Ocho Rios for some respite from the city.

Which Has Better Restaurants?

Kingston has by far a wider variety of restaurants than Montego Bay which says a lot because Montego Bay has its fair share of restaurants and eateries. Kingston has vegan options, cafes, bars, international cuisine, our local fare and everything in between at every price point.

There seems always to be a new, more aesthetically pleasing restaurant popping up around the city. Kingston also is more likely to have international chain restaurants than any other city or town in Jamaica.

Franchises like Krispy Kreme and TGI Fridays have a single location in Jamaica and that is in Kingston. This added to the many local restaurants, bakeries and roadside shacks, Kingston has far more variety when it comes to what to eat and where.

School

This is a tricky one. Schools in both areas are among the top schools across the island. But Kingston being the bigger city has more schools in its vicinity. Also, when it comes time for tertiary education, most people will head to Kingston instead of Montego Bay. The universities in Kingston offer the whole “university experience”, that is, moving out on your own, living in dorms or renting and entering young adulthood.

The schools in Kingston also offer more variety as the Montego Bay locations often offer a peered-down list of programmes offered at these campuses.

For pursuits of certain programs especially the arts, you will need to attend school in Kingston.

And while many (like myself), opt for university in Montego Bay instead of Kingston, and it is the same school in most cases, Montego Bay campuses are usually “open campuses” where persons come in for classes in the day or evening and head back home. There is no college experience.

Going to school in Montego Bay is very convenient if you must work and attend school at once as you have a higher probability of being able to juggle both in a smaller city.

Business

Kingston is the business heart of Jamaica. Almost every business is headquartered there. The harbour is a driving force behind this as it is simpler for the stock from abroad to arrive in Kingston than anywhere else on the island. Also, our national bank and government agencies are in Kingston as well.

It is not uncommon for persons from all over the island, including at times, Montego Bay to be told to head to Kingston for expedited services for certain things. In most cases, if you are headed to Kingston, it is for meetings, seminars or other business-related endeavors.

This is where many jobs outside of hospitality, finance and customer service can be found as the city and the businesses it houses, requires factory workers, machinery handlers and many other jobs not readily available in Montego Bay.

To Shop

For tourists shopping Montego Bay will be better, there are the craft markets, duty-free shops, the Hip Strip and many other places to buy all your favourite souvenirs and trinkets to take back home.

For Jamaicans, who would like to purchase items that are otherwise unavailable on the island, if it isn’t In Montego Bay is it most likely in Kingston. People living in Kingston shop differently than almost every other part of the island, so the need is there for some products and stores before it arises for Montego Bay.

In some cases, there will be multiple locations of an international store in Kingston before it expands to Montego Bay and other parts of Jamaica.

All in all, both cities are better in some regard, it all depends on what you are searching for.

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References & Sources For Which is better Montego Bay or Kingston?

1. Kingston vs Montego Bay: Which city is best for a Jamaican vacation? (no date) My-Island-Jamaica. Available at: https://www.my-island-jamaica.com/kingston_vs_montego_bay.html (Accessed: January 22, 2023).

Which is Better Montego Bay or Kingston? | Written: January 22, 2023

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