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

Should you visit Ilha Grande or Nassau?

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

Should I visit Ilha Grande or Nassau? 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 Nassau?

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.

Nassau

There are few vacation destinations more famous than the Bahamian city of Nassau. This capital city is full of laid back locals, relaxed tourists and the iconic pastel pink government houses.

As the largest city in the Bahamas, Nassau can hold plenty of people. Not only are there hundreds of tourists on any given day, the city is also home to 260,000 people – that is 80 percent of the Bahamas' total population.

Founded around 1650, Nassau's location made it a great spot on the trade route. So great, in fact, that it also became a popular destination for pirates – including the infamous Blackbeard.

Pack light because it's going to be pretty steamy in Nassau. The climate is essentially identical to southern Florida. It is warm and humid all year with the occasional cold snap in the winter.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Day Tours from Manaus, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Bahamas, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Bahamas.


Which place is cheaper, Nassau or Ilha Grande?

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 Ilha Grande is $85, while the average daily cost in Nassau is $227. 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 Nassau in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ilha Grande $37
    Nassau $108
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ilha Grande $74
    Nassau $216
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and Nassau

Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande or Nassau? 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 Nassau


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: Nassau Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ilha Grande $18
    Nassau $32

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande

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

  • From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $46
  • Regular Transfer Angra dos Reis x Rio de Janeiro and Airports: $51
  • Rio to Araçatiba Round-Trip Transfer with Flexboat: $131
  • Departure private transfer from Costa do Sol to Rio GIG Airport: $160

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nassau

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


  • Water Taxi
    $8.00
  • Taxi to Cable Beach
    $25
  • Taxi from Airport
    $30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nassau

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nassau:

  • Transfer Service in Nassau Bahamas: $68
  • S U V Private Transfer, Hyatt, SLS, Rosewood ,Sandals , ATLANTIS: $170
  • Round-Trip Private Transfer: $300
  • Round Trip Private Airport To Hotel Transfer in Nassau: $68
  • Private Transfer in Nassau (BahaMar & Atlantis)Surrounding Hotels: $67
  • Private SUV One way Airport Transfer/Grocery & Liquor stop included: $200
  • Private Roundtrip Sedan Airport Transfer to Eastern District: $185
  • Private Roundtrip Sedan Airport Transfer: $159
  • Private Roundtrip Minivan Airport Transfer to Paradise Island: $199
  • Private Roundtrip Minivan Airport Transfer: $179
  • Private One-way Transfer Lynden Pindling Airport To Nassau: $79
  • Private One-Way Transfer from Lynden Airport to Bahamas: $45

Is it cheaper to fly into Ilha Grande or Nassau?

Prices for flights to both Nassau 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 $37
    Nassau $91

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nassau

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nassau.

  • Conch Salad Cooking Lesson and Tasting in Nassau: $80
  • Nassau Sunset Dinner Cruise: $129
  • Sunset Dinner Cruise: $129
  • Dinner and Dancing: $130
  • Flavors of Nassau Food Tour: $135
  • All Inclusive Sunset Dinner Cruise in Nassau Bahamas: $138
  • Experience Breakfast,Lunch or Dinner in the sky of Nassau Bahamas: $141
  • Saturday Bahamian Cooking Class in Downtown Nassau: $149
  • NEW! Authentic Bahamian Cooking and Cocktails with Transfers: $179

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ilha Grande $6.72
    Nassau $37

Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande

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

  • Regular Schooner Ride - Ilha Grande Tour: $13
  • Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $20
  • Shared Speedboat Tour - Paradise Island Tour: $27
  • Ilha Grande - From Abrãao: Lopes Mendes beach tour & trekking: $35
  • Half-Day Ilha Grande Schooner Tour: $47
  • Tour Of The Motorboat The Paradisiac Islands Of Angra Dos Reis: $52
  • 6-Hour Speedboat Tour to Blue and Green Lagoons: $55
  • Ilha Grande - Private Historical Walking Tour with Natural Pool.: $60
  • Schooner Cruise with Caipirinha drinks by the Blue Lagoon: $61
  • 7h Speedboat Tour of Paradise Islands: $61
  • Angra Islands Speedboat Tour from Paraty: $65
  • Rio de Janeiro: Ilha Grande with Boat Tour & Optional Lunch: $68

Typical Entertainment Prices in Nassau

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Nassau are as follows:


  • Jet Ski
    $50
  • 4 Hr Kayak Tour
    $70
  • 1/2 Day Snorkel Trip
    $75

Tours and Activities in Nassau

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nassau are as follows:

  • 2 Hours Sip and Snorkeling Experience in Bahamas: $150
  • 3 Islands Tour Swim with Pigs Turtles Snorkeling and Lunch: $175
  • 3 Islands Tour, Swim with Pigs, Turtles, Snorkelling & lunch: $175
  • 3 V's Guided Scooter or ATV Tour in Nassau: $250
  • 4-Island Tour Swimming Pigs, turtles, snorkeling , rose island,: $175
  • A Thrilling ATV Adventure Exploring Nassau Bahamas: $270
  • ATV Guided Historical Site Tours Nassau: $158
  • ATV Half Day City Tour in Guided Tour With Free Samples: $200
  • Atlantis Speed Boat Tours: $68
  • Atv Guided Tours Nassau Bahamas: $250
  • Atv Island Tour + Beach Break (Drive your own ATV): $89
  • Audio Driving Tour Around St. Simons Island: $9.99

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ilha Grande $11
    Nassau $19

Typical Alcohol Prices in Nassau

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Nassau are as follows:


  • Cocktail
    $6.50


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ilha Grande and Nassau, we can see that Nassau 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 Nassau 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 Nassau would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nassau 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 Nassau Expensive?.