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

Should you visit Ilha Grande or Veracruz?

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

Should I visit Ilha Grande or Veracruz? 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 Veracruz?

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.

Veracruz

Veracruz is the name of both a state and city in the country of Mexico. Locals often call the city "Puerto" (port) in order to differentiate the city from the state. The general area runs along the Gulf of Mexico and encompasses ruins, old colonial cities, lush green mountains, and delicious seafood.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.


Which place is cheaper, Veracruz 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 Veracruz is $122. 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 Veracruz in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ilha Grande $37
    Veracruz $54
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ilha Grande $74
    Veracruz $108
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and Veracruz

Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande or Veracruz? 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 Veracruz


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: Veracruz Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ilha Grande $18
    Veracruz $28

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 Veracruz

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

  • Airport Transfer: $25
  • Transfer from Veracruz Airport to Hotel in Veracruz Port: $32
  • Shared Arrival Transfer: General Heriberto Jara International Airport to Veracruz Hotels: $23
  • Colima Airport (CLQ) to Colima - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $28
  • Colima Airport (CLQ) to Colima - Arrival Private Transfer: $14

Is it cheaper to fly into Ilha Grande or Veracruz?

Prices for flights to both Veracruz 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
    Veracruz $50

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ilha Grande $6.61
    Veracruz $15

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

Tours and Activities in Veracruz

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

  • 1 day tour of Tlacotalpan and Alvarado from Veracruz: $102
  • 3-hour tour to the San Juan de Ulúa Fortress: $25
  • Adventure through the Chachalacas Beach and Dunes from Veracruz: $123
  • Alvarado And Tlacotalpan Tour From Veracruz Or Boca Del Rio: $112
  • Antigua and Zempoala Tour from Veracruz: $86
  • Aquatico Inbursa Waterpark: Veracruz - Ticket: $27
  • Catemaco And Los Tuxtlas Tour From Veracruz Or Boca Del Rio: $112
  • City Tour en Veracruz y Acuario: $100
  • Coffee Route, an adventure of aroma and flavor to Veracruz: $150
  • From Veracruz or Boca del río: Coffee Tour in Coatepec: $96
  • From Alvarado, Tlacotalpan and Agustín Lara Tour: $100
  • From Catemaco, Nature, Waterfalls & Monkeys Tour: $100

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ilha Grande $11
    Veracruz $17


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