Which place is cheaper, Bocas del Toro or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or Bocas del Toro?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Recife and Bocas del Toro can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Recife or Bocas del Toro?
Recife
One of the largest cities on Brazil's northeast coast, Recife is also the capital of the state of Pernambuco. The city gets its name from the Portuguese word for "reef," as it was built around a landscape of natural reef beaches. Many people visit to enjoy these beaches, experience the culture, and explore the history of this important Brazilian city.
Bocas del Toro
The capital of the Bocas del Toro province, this city of the same name sits in the Caribbean West region of Panama. Bocas del Toro, or Bocas Town, is in the district of Bocas del Toro, which also includes the towns of Bastimentos, Cauchero, Punta Laurel, and Tierra Oscura. The district has a population of about 17,000 and covers a total area of 433.2 square kilometers, and the town has a population of about 13,000. The area is a tourist destination for its beautiful beaches, excellent snorkeling and diving, and interesting culture.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil, The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, and The Best Adventure Tours to Panama.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRecife $166Bocas del Toro $77
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in Bocas del Toro is $77. 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 Recife and Bocas del Toro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $88Bocas del Toro $33
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $176Bocas del Toro $66
Compare Hotels in Recife and Bocas del Toro
Looking for a hotel in Recife or Bocas del Toro? 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Recife Hotel Prices and Bocas del Toro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.47Bocas del Toro $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Recife
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Recife:
- Private Transfer from Recife to Carneiros Beach: $114
- Private Transfer from Recife to Tamandare Beach: $114
- Private Transfer from Igarassu to Recife (REC) Airport : $101
- Private Transfer from Recife to Serrambi Beach: $101
- Departure Transfer from Olinda to Recife Airport: $100
- Airport to Maragogi Hotels Private Transfer: $85
- Recife Boat Tour with Transfers: $72
- Airport to Porto de Galinhas Transfer: $65
- Private Transfer from Recife to Olinda: $46
- Private Transfer from Olinda to Recife (REC) Airport: $46
- Instituto Ricardo Brennand with transfers from Recife: $41
- Shared Transfer from Recife to Cabo de Santo Agostinho: $33
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Bocas del Toro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Bocas del Toro:
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Water Taxi$3.01
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bocas del Toro
Also for Bocas del Toro, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Colón Port to Panama Tocumen Airport PTY: $42
- Transfer from Bocas del Toro to Puerto Viejo: $54
- Transfer Colon Cruise Terminal - Tocumen Airport or Panama City: $55
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Bocas del Toro?
Prices for flights to both Bocas del Toro and Recife 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 dayRecife $70Bocas del Toro $27
Typical Food Prices in Bocas del Toro
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Bocas del Toro:
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Lunch$15
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Breakfast$14
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11Bocas del Toro $22
Tours and Activities in Recife
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Recife are as follows:
- City Tour Recife with Catamaran included: $150
- Colonial North Coast beaches - Full-Day Tour: $35
- Olinda City Tour and Instituto Ricardo Brennand: $94
- Olinda Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.82
- Recife (Historic Centre) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- City Tour Recife & Olinda: $27
Typical Entertainment Prices in Bocas del Toro
For Bocas del Toro, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Island Boat Tour$25
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Starfish Island Boat Trip$20
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Yoga Class$5.01
Tours and Activities in Bocas del Toro
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Bocas del Toro.
- Stand Up Paddle Board Experience in Bahia Honda Bocas del Toro: $60
- Speed Boat tour to Mangrove Point -Starfish Beach -Bocas del Drago and Birds Island: $65
- Dolphin Bay and Coral Cay with Drinks Private Tour in Zapatilla: $66
- Full-Day Speedboat Tour, Wildlife, and Snorkeling in Bocas del Toro in Panama: $68
- Full Day Private Shore Tour in Panama from Colón Cruise Port: $231
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -Bocas del Toro $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Bocas del Toro, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Bocas del Toro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Recife is in South America and Bocas del Toro is in Central 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 Bocas del Toro would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bocas del Toro 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 Recife would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Recife than you might in Bocas del Toro.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is Bocas del Toro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or Bocas del Toro?
Recife has a larger population, and is about 150 times larger than the population of Bocas del Toro. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Bocas del Toro, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Recife or Bocas del Toro?
Recife has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Bocas del Toro experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Recife or Bocas del Toro in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Recife as well as Bocas del Toro. The warm climate attracts visitors to Bocas del Toro throughout the year.
Recife is around the same temperature as Bocas del Toro in the summer. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Bocas del Toro fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in July.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Recife this time of the year. In the summer, Recife often gets more sunshine than Bocas del Toroin July. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bocas del Toro receives 124 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Bocas del Toro. Recife receives a lot of rain in the summer. Recife usually gets less rain in January than Bocas del Toroin July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Bocas del Toro receives 408 mm (16.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyRecife 26°C (79°F)Bocas del Toro 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Recife or Bocas del Toro in the Autumn?
Both Bocas del Toro and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Bocas del Toro because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the autumn, Recife is around the same temperature as Bocas del Toro. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Recife in April average around 26°C (79°F), and Bocas del Toro averages at about 26°C (79°F)in October.
Recife usually receives more sunshine than Bocas del Toro during autumn. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while Bocas del Toro receives 159 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Bocas del Toro. It's quite rainy in Recife. In April, Recife usually receives more rain than Bocas del Toroin October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Bocas del Toro receives 198 mm (7.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberRecife 26°C (79°F)Bocas del Toro 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Recife or Bocas del Toro in the Winter?
Both Bocas del Toro and Recife during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Bocas del Toro year-round.
In July, Recife is generally around the same temperature as Bocas del Toroin January. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 24°C (76°F), and Bocas del Toro fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
In the winter, Recife often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Bocas del Toroin January. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bocas del Toro receives 159 hours of full sun.
Bocas del Toro gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually gets more rain in July than Bocas del Toroin January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Bocas del Toro receives 319 mm (12.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryRecife 24°C (76°F)Bocas del Toro 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Recife or Bocas del Toro in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Bocas del Toro. Bocas del Toro attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Recife is around the same temperature as Bocas del Toro in the spring. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 25°C (77°F) in October, and Bocas del Toro fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in April.
In Recife, it's very sunny this time of the year. Recife usually receives more sunshine than Bocas del Toro during spring. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Bocas del Toro receives 172 hours of full sun in the spring.
Bocas del Toro receives a lot of rain in the spring. In October, Recife usually receives less rain than Bocas del Toroin April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Bocas del Toro receives 287 mm (11.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilRecife 25°C (77°F)Bocas del Toro 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for Bocas del Toro and Recife
| Recife | Bocas del Toro | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 319 mm (12.6 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 201 mm (7.9 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 257 mm (10.1 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 193 mm (7.6 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 338 mm (13.3 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 287 mm (11.3 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 319 mm (12.5 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 281 mm (11.1 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (77°F) | 378 mm (14.9 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 276 mm (10.9 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (76°F) | 388 mm (15.3 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 408 mm (16.1 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 255 mm (10 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (76°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 163 mm (6.4 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 198 mm (7.8 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 367 mm (14.4 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 402 mm (15.8 in) |
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.