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

Should you visit Ilha Grande or San Ignacio?

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

Should I visit Ilha Grande or San Ignacio? 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 Ignacio?

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 Ignacio

So you want a tropical getaway, but also don't want to lay around with nothing to do. You want an adventure! You want relaxation and exploration.

You want to visit the small town of San Ignacio, Belize.

This section of the Cayo region is really more of a jungle than a typical Belize beach getaway. Located close the ancient Mayan ruins on the western and inland side of Belize, this town is most popular for its many outdoor adventures including hiking, climbing, and caving!

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


Which place is cheaper, San Ignacio 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 San Ignacio is $72. 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 Ignacio in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ilha Grande $37
    San Ignacio $19
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ilha Grande $74
    San Ignacio $38
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and San Ignacio

Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande or San Ignacio? 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 San Ignacio


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: San Ignacio Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ilha Grande $18
    San Ignacio $3.11

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 Private Transfer: Angra dos Reis to GIG or SDU Airport by Sedan Car: $116
  • Departure Transfer: Angra dos Reis to GIG or SDU Airport by Van: $246
  • From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $56
  • From Angra dos Reis: Speedboat Transfer to Araçatiba: $27
  • From Araçatiba: Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $27
  • From Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $47
  • From Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $27
  • From Rio de Janeiro:Shared Roundtrip Transfer to Araçatiba: $106
  • Private Transfer Angra dos Reis to Rio de Janeiro: $91
  • 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

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Ignacio

Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Ignacio:

  • San Ignacio Hotel to Belize City Transfer: $20
  • From Van Transfer To Flores Peten in Guatemala: $20

Is it cheaper to fly into Ilha Grande or San Ignacio?

Prices for flights to both San Ignacio 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
    San Ignacio $21

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Ignacio

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

  • Xunantunich & Food Tour with local chocolate experience: $150

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ilha Grande $6.61
    San Ignacio $100

Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande

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

  • From Abraão, Lopes Mendes Beach Tour & Trekking: $21
  • Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $21
  • Ilha Grande - From Abrãao: Lopes Mendes beach tour & trekking: $25
  • Half-Day Ilha Grande Schooner Tour: $40
  • Half-Day Blue Lagoon Schooner Tour: $40
  • Six hour speedboat tour of Ilha Grande. Be amazed by the Blue and Green Lagoons: $40
  • Tour Of The Motorboat The Paradisiac Islands Of Angra Dos Reis: $43
  • Rio de Janeiro: Ilha Grande with Boat Tour & Optional Lunch: $48
  • Schooner Cruise with Caipirinha drinks by the Blue Lagoon: $50
  • From Ilha Grande - Paradise Island 7 h - Speedboat tour: $55
  • Angra dos Reis with Speedboat Tour and Paradise Islands: $58
  • Ilha Grande - Private Historical Walking Tour with Natural Pool.: $60

Tours and Activities in San Ignacio

Here are a few actual costs in San Ignacio for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • ATV Excursions in Cayo with Waterfalls Experience: $174
  • Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour and Picnic: $125
  • Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour from San Ignacio : $125
  • Actun Tunichil Muknal with Local Tour guide & Belizean Lunch: $120
  • Belize Cave Tubing Adventure from San Ignacio: $90
  • Caracol Maya Ruins Tour Including Rio On Pools, Rio Frio Cave and a Picnic Lunch: $125
  • Cave Canoeing with Local Tour Guide: $80
  • Cave Tubing Adventure at Nohoch Che'en and Jaguar Paw : $115
  • Cave Tubing and Zip line Adventure from San Ignacio: $144
  • Cave Tubing with local tour Guide and Belizean Lunch: $90
  • Deluxe Cave Tubing combo Adventure: $125
  • Farm Ride plus Xunantunich tour: $90

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ilha Grande $11
    San Ignacio $17


When comparing the travel costs between Ilha Grande and San Ignacio, we can see that San Ignacio is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Ilha Grande is in South America and San Ignacio is in Central America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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 Ignacio Expensive?.