Which place is cheaper, San Fernando or Ilha Grande?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ilha Grande or San Fernando?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ilha Grande or San Fernando? 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 San Fernando?
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.
San Fernando
As the industrial capital of Trinidad & Tobago, San Fernando is an oil city which attracts more business visitors than tourists. While it is primarily focused on industry, the city has a certain charm with its old buildings and sloping streets that frame pretty views of the sea. It is the big city of Trinidad's southern half with plenty to offer in nightlife, especially during Carnival.
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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIlha Grande $68San Fernando $153
The average daily cost (per person) in Ilha Grande is $68, while the average daily cost in San Fernando is $153. 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 San Fernando in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIlha Grande $37San Fernando $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIlha Grande $74San Fernando $148
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and San Fernando
Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande or San Fernando? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ilha Grande $18San Fernando $50
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Ilha Grande or San Fernando?
Prices for flights to both San Fernando 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
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Food Meals for one dayIlha Grande $21San Fernando $48
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ilha Grande $6.61San Fernando $28
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIlha Grande $11San Fernando $22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ilha Grande and San Fernando, we can see that San Fernando 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 San Fernando 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 San Fernando would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Fernando 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 San Fernando Expensive?.
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.