Which place is cheaper, Fortaleza or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or Fortaleza?
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 Fortaleza 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 Fortaleza?
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.
Fortaleza
A major city on Brazil's northeastern coast and the capital city of Ceara state, Fortaleza is best characterized by its city landscape lined with beaches and palm trees. It also features some great seafood as well as long-standing folk traditions in culture and dance.
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 $166Fortaleza $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in Fortaleza is $69. 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 Fortaleza in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $88Fortaleza $30
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $176Fortaleza $60
Compare Hotels in Recife and Fortaleza
Looking for a hotel in Recife or Fortaleza? 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 Fortaleza Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.47Fortaleza $21
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fortaleza
Also for Fortaleza, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer leaving from the Fortaleza waterfront to Beach Park: $8.83
- Shared Airport Transfer to Fortaleza Hotels: $9.42
- Transfer to Beach Park: $11
- Beach Park Round-Trip Transfer: $13
- Fortaleza to Fortaleza Airport (FOR) - Departure Private Transfer: $16
- Fortaleza to Pinto Martins Airport (FOR) - Departure Transfer: $16
- Fortaleza Airport (FOR) to Fortaleza - Arrival Private Transfer: $16
- Beach Park Transfer from Fortaleza: $16
- Private Transfer from Fortaleza (FOR) Airport to Fortaleza City: $25
- Private transfer: Fortaleza International Airport (FOR) to Fortaleza: $26
- Private transfer: Fortaleza to Fortaleza International Airport (FOR): $26
- Transfer from Fortaleza to Jericoacoara: $28
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Fortaleza?
Prices for flights to both Fortaleza 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 $70Fortaleza $24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Fortaleza
For Fortaleza, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Thematic Show with Rotation of Pizzas in Aquiraz: $27
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11Fortaleza $15
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
Tours and Activities in Fortaleza
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Fortaleza.
- Full Day Tour to Cumbuco From Fortaleza: $11
- Cumbuco Beach Tour: $11
- 3 Beaches in 1 Day Tour Leaving Fortaleza: $13
- Lagoinha Beach Tour: $14
- Águas Belas Tour: $15
- Cumbuco Beach with City Tour from Fortaleza: $16
- Lagoinha Beach Tour: $17
- Tour 3 beaches in 1 day: $17
- One Day Bus Tour of Fortaleza and Cumbuco Beach: $18
- Canoe Quebrada Full Day Tour - Departure from Fortaleza by Vitorino Turismo: $19
- Canoa Quebrada Beach Tour with Nettour: $20
- Tour 3 Beaches in 1 day (Morro Branco, Praia das Fontes and Canoa Quebrada): $21
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -Fortaleza $9.97
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Fortaleza, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Fortaleza much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Fortaleza would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Fortaleza 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 Fortaleza.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is Fortaleza Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or Fortaleza?
Fortaleza has a larger population, and is about 62% larger than the population of Recife. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Fortaleza, 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 Fortaleza?
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 Fortaleza in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Recife as well as Fortaleza.
Recife is around the same temperature as Fortaleza in the summer. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Fortaleza fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Fortaleza. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Recife this time of the year. In the summer, Recife often gets more sunshine than Fortaleza. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Fortaleza receives 221 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Fortaleza. Recife receives a lot of rain in the summer. Recife usually gets less rain in January than Fortaleza. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Fortaleza receives 119 mm (4.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JanuaryRecife 26°C (79°F)Fortaleza 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Recife or Fortaleza in the Autumn?
Both Fortaleza and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.
In the autumn, Recife is around the same temperature as Fortaleza. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Recife in April average around 26°C (79°F), and Fortaleza averages at about 27°C (80°F).
Recife usually receives more sunshine than Fortaleza during autumn. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while Fortaleza receives 159 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Fortaleza. It's quite rainy in Recife. In April, Recife usually receives around the same amount of rain as Fortaleza. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Fortaleza receives 356 mm (14 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures AprilRecife 26°C (79°F)Fortaleza 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Recife or Fortaleza in the Winter?
Both Fortaleza and Recife during the winter are popular places to visit.
In July, Recife is generally around the same temperature as Fortaleza. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 24°C (76°F), and Fortaleza fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
In Fortaleza, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Recife often gets less sunshine than Fortaleza. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Fortaleza receives 256 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually gets more rain in July than Fortaleza. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Fortaleza receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JulyRecife 24°C (76°F)Fortaleza 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Recife or Fortaleza in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Fortaleza.
Recife is around the same temperature as Fortaleza in the spring. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 25°C (77°F) in October, and Fortaleza fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Fortaleza this time of the year. In Recife, it's very sunny this time of the year. Recife usually receives less sunshine than Fortaleza during spring. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Fortaleza receives 287 hours of full sun in the spring.
In October, Recife usually receives more rain than Fortaleza. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Fortaleza receives 13 mm (0.5 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures OctoberRecife 25°C (77°F)Fortaleza 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Fortaleza and Recife
| Recife | Fortaleza | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 119 mm (4.7 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 257 mm (10.1 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 323 mm (12.7 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 338 mm (13.3 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 356 mm (14 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 319 mm (12.5 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 256 mm (10.1 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (77°F) | 378 mm (14.9 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (76°F) | 388 mm (15.3 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 22 mm (0.9 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (76°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 13 mm (0.5 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 44 mm (1.7 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.