A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ilha Grande vs. Freeport for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Ilha Grande or Freeport?

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

Should I visit Ilha Grande or Freeport? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Ilha Grande or Freeport?

Ilha Grande

Ilha Grande is a large, beautiful, island located off the southeast coast of Brazil. The island has few inhabitants, resulting in mostly unadulterated beaches and landscapes. There are over a dozen trails and beaches to explore, some of which have been called the best beaches in Brazil. Due to the limited number of inhabitants, ATMs are sparse on the island, so be sure to have cash with you before getting there.

Freeport

When you picture the Bahamas you likely picture the beaches, resorts and playgrounds of Nassau. Just to the northwest of this tourist paradise is a tropical city founded on industry. Freeport began as mostly swampland and is now the second most populous city in the Bahamas.

This city is less of a tourist attraction - a place where you'll find the true Bahaman culture mixed in with some relaxing spots to help you unwind and get into your island vacation.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Rio de Janeiro.


Which place is cheaper, Freeport or Ilha Grande?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Ilha Grande is $68, while the average daily cost in Freeport is $244. 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 Ilha Grande and Freeport in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ilha Grande $37
    Freeport $141
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ilha Grande $74
    Freeport $282
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and Freeport

Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande or Freeport? 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 Ilha Grande


Hotels in Freeport


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: Freeport Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ilha Grande $18
    Freeport $59

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande

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

  • All Private Transfer from Ilha Grande to Rio de Janeiro: $275
  • Departure Transfer: Angra dos Reis to GIG or SDU Airport by Van: $246
  • Private Transfer from Angra dos Reis to Airport GIG in Rio : $190
  • Private Transfer from GIG to anywhere in the City Angra dos Reis: $187
  • Departure Private Transfer: Angra dos Reis to GIG or SDU Airport by Sedan Car: $116
  • From Rio de Janeiro:Shared Roundtrip Transfer to Araçatiba: $106
  • Private Transfer Angra dos Reis to Rio de Janeiro: $91
  • From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $56
  • From Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $47
  • Regular Transfer Angra dos Reis x Rio de Janeiro and Airports: $37
  • From Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $27
  • From Angra dos Reis: Speedboat Transfer to Araçatiba: $27

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Freeport

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

  • Shared Round Trip Limousine Transfer to the Port Lucaya Market: $150
  • Roundtrip Airport Transfers Grand Lucayan Resort Freeport: $30
  • Round-trip Airport Transfers to Castaway Resorts, Freeport: $30
  • Round-Trip Airport Transfer Viva Club Fortuna Freeport: $30
  • Round-Trip Airport Transfer Between Freeport Airport and Pelican Bay Resort : $30
  • Private Transfer from Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Freeport Port: $29
  • Private Transfer from Freeport Port to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO): $29
  • Private Transfer from FPO to Old Bahama Bay resort : $233
  • Private Transfer from FPO to Freeport hotels or resorts: $167
  • Private Round Trip Transfer from Freeport Airport to Hotel: $133
  • Old Bahama Bay to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) - Private Transfer: $194
  • Grand Bahama Airport: One-Way Transfer to Freeport Hotels: $139

Is it cheaper to fly into Ilha Grande or Freeport?

Prices for flights to both Freeport and Ilha Grande 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
    Ilha Grande $21
    Freeport $64

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Freeport

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

  • Around Town/Bahamian Cooking Experience: $175

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ilha Grande $6.61
    Freeport $40

Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande

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

  • 360 Tour of Ilha Grande - Speed Boat Tour: $74
  • Angra Dos Reis Daily Tour To Paradise. Boat Trip Lunch And Fruits Included: $69
  • Angra dos Reis Island Hopping Speedboat Tour from Ilha Grande: $79
  • Angra dos Reis with Speedboat Tour and Paradise Islands: $58
  • Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $21
  • From Abraão, Lopes Mendes Beach Tour & Trekking: $21
  • From Ilha Grande - Paradise Island 7 h - Speedboat tour: $55
  • From Rio: Full-Day Angra dos Reis Cruise & Island Tour: $77
  • Full-Day Ilha Grande Northern Coast Speedboat Tour: $67
  • Half-Day Blue Lagoon Schooner Tour: $40
  • Half-Day Ilha Grande Schooner Tour: $40
  • Ilha Grande - From Abrãao: Lopes Mendes beach tour & trekking: $25

Typical Entertainment Prices in Freeport

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


  • 10 Dive Package
    $300
  • 4 Hr. Kayak Tour
    $70
  • 1/2 Day Snorkel Trip
    $75

Tours and Activities in Freeport

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

  • 4 Hour Private Sandy Cay Experience with Snorkeling - Adults Only: $275
  • Bahamas Sea Scooter Snorkeling Adventure: $120
  • Clear Kayak Tour: $120
  • CocoNutz Cruisers Electric Bicycle Tour: $123
  • East End Private Day Trip Experience Tour : $200
  • Freeport Shore Excursion: Garden of the Groves and City Tour: $82
  • Mamma Gal East End Native Experience : $85
  • Mamma Gal Native Experience : $70
  • Rumbo Tour : $90
  • Snorkel/Swim with the Turtles Experience: $250
  • Tour of Coral Vita and breach brak at Banana bay beach club: $51

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ilha Grande $11
    Freeport $30

Sample the Local Flavors in Freeport

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

  • Brewery & Taste with Beach & Shop at Largest Market on Freeport 4-hrs : $75


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

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


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