A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Recife vs. Bonaire for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Recife or Bonaire?

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 Bonaire 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 Bonaire?

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.

Bonaire

An island municipality of the Netherlands, Bonaire resides in the Caribbean, east of Central America and north of Venezuela. It is a part of the ABC Islands together with Aruba and CuraƧao, and is best known as a tropical vacation destination with many great dive spots, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Brazil, and The Best Budget Tours to Brazil.


Which place is cheaper, Bonaire or Recife?

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 Recife is $209, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $299. 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 Bonaire in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Recife $84
    Bonaire $155
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Recife $168
    Bonaire $310
Compare Hotels in Recife and Bonaire

Looking for a hotel in Recife or Bonaire? 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 Recife


Hotels in Bonaire


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 Bonaire Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Recife $8.13
    Bonaire $65

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Recife

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Recife:

  • Private Transfer from Olinda to Recife (REC) Airport: $50
  • Departure Transfer from Olinda to Recife Airport: $100
  • Private Transfer from Igarassu to Recife (REC) Airport : $111

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:

  • Private Transfers between Bonaire airport and any local address : $40
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Port to Bonaire Airport (BON): $59
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Cruise Port to Kralendijk city : $59
  • Airport Transfer Return Included: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Bonaire?

Prices for flights to both Bonaire 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Recife $117
    Bonaire $101

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bonaire

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

  • Dinner at Sea: $95
  • Discover the Flavors of Bonaire with the Bonaire Snack Food Tour: $130

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Recife $11
    Bonaire $40

Tours and Activities in Recife

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

  • Olinda Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.48

Tours and Activities in Bonaire

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

  • Semi Submarine Boat Experience to Klein Bonaire: $33
  • Walking Tours & Private Tours on Bonaire: $36
  • 4 Hours Open Air Party Bus Tour with Beach Stop in Caribbean: $39
  • Half-Day Bonaire Island Tour with Hotel Pickup and Drop-off: $46
  • Bonaire Essentials Island Tour: $49
  • Walking Tour with Lunch & Ice Cream: $55
  • Yacht tour with local guide & snorkeling activities: $57
  • Clearbottom Mangrove Kayak & Snorkel tour: $59
  • Highlights of Bonaire & Cultural Experience: $59
  • Tour in North and South Bonaire Guided : $63
  • Explore North & South Tour: $65
  • Small-Group Guided North & South Tour of Bonaire with Pick Up: $65

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Recife -
    Bonaire $33


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Bonaire, we can see that Bonaire is more expensive. And not only is Recife much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Recife is in South America and Bonaire 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 Recife would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Recife 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 Bonaire would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bonaire than you might in Recife.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is Bonaire Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Recife or Bonaire?

Recife has a larger population, and is about 110 times larger than the population of Bonaire. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Bonaire, 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.

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