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

Should you visit Recife or Boquete?

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 Boquete 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 Boquete?

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.

Boquete

Boquete is a village located in the pacific west of Panama. This town very recently became an attractive destination for tourists and expatriates. Before the early 2000's, it was a quiet town hidden away in the mountains with very little tourism. After the development of Valle Escondido, which is a largely residential area, many North Americans flocked to this town and an expat community developed. Boquete is known for it's near perfect year round temperature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit, beautiful untouched nature, and world renowned coffee.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil, The Best Adventure Tours to Panama, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Panama.


Which place is cheaper, Boquete or Recife?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in Boquete is $54. 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 Boquete in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Recife $88
    Boquete $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Recife $176
    Boquete $46
Compare Hotels in Recife and Boquete

Looking for a hotel in Recife or Boquete? 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 Boquete


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 Boquete Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Recife $8.47
    Boquete $5.23

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Recife

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Recife:

  • Shared Transfer from Recife to Cabo de Santo Agostinho: $33
  • Instituto Ricardo Brennand with transfers from Recife: $41
  • Private Transfer from Olinda to Recife (REC) Airport: $46
  • Private Transfer from Recife to Olinda: $46
  • Airport to Porto de Galinhas Transfer: $65
  • Recife Boat Tour with Transfers: $72
  • Airport to Maragogi Hotels Private Transfer: $85
  • Departure Transfer from Olinda to Recife Airport: $100
  • Private Transfer from Recife to Serrambi Beach: $101
  • Private Transfer from Igarassu to Recife (REC) Airport : $101
  • Private Transfer from Recife to Carneiros Beach: $114
  • Private Transfer from Recife to Tamandare Beach: $114

Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Boquete?

Prices for flights to both Boquete 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 $70
    Boquete $18

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Recife $11
    Boquete $17

Tours and Activities in Recife

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

  • Recife (Historic Centre) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
  • Olinda Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.82
  • City Tour Recife & Olinda: $27
  • Colonial North Coast beaches - Full-Day Tour: $35
  • Olinda City Tour and Instituto Ricardo Brennand: $94
  • City Tour Recife with Catamaran included: $150

Tours and Activities in Boquete

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

  • Schumann's BOTANICAL PARK TOUR: $30
  • Small Group Coffee Tour (Minimum 2 people): $40
  • Boquete Private 360° View Tour: $40
  • Self-Guided Half-Day Boquete Tour E-Bicycle: $46
  • Guided Market Tour with Sensory Coffee Tasting Boquete: $48
  • Boquete Adventure - E-Bike Tour (2 hrs.) (2 Person Min.): $55
  • 2-Hour Private Mezcal and Geisha Liqueur Tasting Experience: $65
  • The Local Flavors of Boquete E-Bike Tour (4 hrs.) (2 Person Min.): $80
  • 3-Hour Private Tour to La Estrella Lake from Boquete on E Bike: $84
  • Hiking Experience in Caldera Transportation Included: $90
  • 3-hour Private Tour to the Peque Doraz Butterfly Garden by Ebike: $90
  • Private honey tasting bike tour and butterfly garden walk: $130

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Recife -
    Boquete $4.46


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Boquete, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Boquete much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Recife is in South America and Boquete 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 Boquete would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boquete 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 Boquete.

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


Which is Bigger, Recife or Boquete?

Recife has a larger population, and is about 240 times larger than the population of Boquete. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Boquete, 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.