Which place is cheaper, Florianopolis or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or Florianopolis?
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 Florianopolis 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 Florianopolis?
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.
Florianopolis
With a population of almost 500,000, Florianopolis is the capital city of the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. The city is split between mainland Brazil and Santa Catarina Island.
Florianopolis has grown in popularity with tourists recently because of its wonderful scenery, beautiful beaches, and fascinating culture. Many Brazilians have also moved here, leaving behind the big cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Florianopolis has a warm humid subtropical climate. There are summer, winter, spring and fall seasons. Frosts are rare but do occur occasionally. Highs during the warmest months are usually in the high 70s Fahrenheit. Rain is evenly distributed throughout the year and there is no distinct dry season.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best Luxury Tours to Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Brazil, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRecife $166Florianopolis $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in Florianopolis is $62. 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 Florianopolis in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $88Florianopolis $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $176Florianopolis $52
Compare Hotels in Recife and Florianopolis
Looking for a hotel in Recife or Florianopolis? 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 Florianopolis Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.47Florianopolis $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Recife
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Recife:
- Shared Transfer from Recife to Cabo de Santo Agostinho: $33
- Airport to Porto de Galinhas Transfer: $65
- Airport to Maragogi Hotels Private Transfer: $85
- Recife Boat Tour with Transfers: $72
- Private Transfer from Recife to Tamandare Beach: $114
- Private Transfer from Recife to Serrambi Beach: $101
- Private Transfer from Recife to Olinda: $46
- Private Transfer from Recife to Carneiros Beach: $114
- Private Transfer from Olinda to Recife (REC) Airport: $46
- Private Transfer from Igarassu to Recife (REC) Airport : $101
- Instituto Ricardo Brennand with transfers from Recife: $41
- Departure Transfer from Olinda to Recife Airport: $100
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Florianopolis
Also for Florianopolis, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Hercilio Luz Airport - North Island Transfer: $14
- Private Transfer Florianópolis Airport to City Center: $31
- Shared transfer from Florianópolis airport to Balneário Camboriú: $35
- Florianópolis Airport Transfer anywhere on the island by Floripa Nativa: $39
- One Way Transfer : Florianopolis Airport to or from Florianopolis: $64
- Transfer Florianópolis Airport / Costão do Santinho: $76
- Private Transfer from FLN Airport to the City Balneario Camboriú : $83
- Private Transfer Florianopolis Airport to Bal. Camboriu: $96
- Private Transfer from Florianópolis Airport to Bombinhas: $97
- Roundtrip transfer from Florianópolis Airport to Bombinhas: $168
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Florianopolis?
Prices for flights to both Florianopolis 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 $70Florianopolis $22
Typical Food Prices in Florianopolis
For Florianopolis, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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A Quick Snack$0.44
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11Florianopolis $26
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: $7.86
- Recife (Historic Centre) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.68
- City Tour Recife & Olinda: $27
Typical Entertainment Prices in Florianopolis
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Florianopolis's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Internet$0.59
Tours and Activities in Florianopolis
For Florianopolis, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Walking Tour Historic Center of Florianópolis: $12
- Historic Center Walking Tour in Florianopolis with Local Bar Hop: $14
- Bombinhas Beach and 4 Islands Tour: $22
- Shared Shuttle between Florianópolis Airport and Hotel with optional City Tour: $23
- Florianópolis Full Day City Tour: $25
- Rafting Adventure in Apuama - Rio Cubatão in Greater Florianópolis: $29
- Floripa City Tour by Bus - Whole Island - The Most Complete City Tour: $31
- Balneário Camboriú City Tour from Florianópolis: $35
- Tour Balneario Camboriu and Laranjeiras Beach TELEFERICO INCLUDED: $36
- Blumenau City Tour - departing from Florianópolis: $37
- Blumenau City Tour from Florianópolis: $38
- Lagoinha do Leste Hiking and Photography Adventure : $41
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -Florianopolis $8.68
Typical Alcohol Prices in Florianopolis
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Florianopolis from other travelers:
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Beer$0.59
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Florianopolis, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Florianopolis much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Florianopolis would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Florianopolis 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 Florianopolis.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is Florianopolis Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or Florianopolis?
Recife has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Florianopolis. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Florianopolis, 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 Florianopolis?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.
Should I visit Recife or Florianopolis in the Summer?
Both Florianopolis and Recife during the summer are popular places to visit.
Recife is around the same temperature as Florianopolis in the summer. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Florianopolis fluctuates around 25°C (76°F).
It's quite sunny in Recife. In the summer, Recife often gets more sunshine than Florianopolis. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Florianopolis receives 198 hours of full sun.
Florianopolis gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually gets less rain in January than Florianopolis. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Florianopolis receives 163 mm (6.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JanuaryRecife 26°C (79°F)Florianopolis 25°C (76°F)
Should I visit Recife or Florianopolis in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Florianopolis.
In the autumn, Recife is a little warmer than Florianopolis. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Recife in April average around 26°C (79°F), and Florianopolis averages at about 22°C (71°F).
Recife usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Florianopolis during autumn. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while Florianopolis receives 179 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Recife gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Recife usually receives more rain than Florianopolis. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Florianopolis receives 93 mm (3.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures AprilRecife 26°C (79°F)Florianopolis 22°C (71°F)
Should I visit Recife or Florianopolis in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Recife as well as Florianopolis.
In July, Recife is generally a little warmer than Florianopolis. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 24°C (76°F), and Florianopolis fluctuates around 17°C (62°F).
In the winter, Recife often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Florianopolis. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Florianopolis receives 170 hours of full sun.
Recife receives a lot of rain in the winter. Recife usually gets more rain in July than Florianopolis. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Florianopolis receives 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JulyRecife 24°C (76°F)Florianopolis 17°C (62°F)
Should I visit Recife or Florianopolis in the Spring?
Both Florianopolis and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
Recife is a little warmer than Florianopolis in the spring. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 25°C (77°F) in October, and Florianopolis fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually receives more sunshine than Florianopolis during spring. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Florianopolis receives 159 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Florianopolis. In October, Recife usually receives less rain than Florianopolis. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Florianopolis receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures OctoberRecife 25°C (77°F)Florianopolis 20°C (68°F)
Typical Weather for Florianopolis and Recife
| Recife | Florianopolis | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 25°C (76°F) | 163 mm (6.4 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 197 mm (7.8 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 257 mm (10.1 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 173 mm (6.8 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 338 mm (13.3 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 319 mm (12.5 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 97 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (77°F) | 378 mm (14.9 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (76°F) | 388 mm (15.3 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 95 mm (3.8 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (76°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 24°C (74°F) | 137 mm (5.4 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.