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

Should you visit Recife or Granada?

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 Granada 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 Granada?

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.

Granada

Granada is Nicaragua's oldest colonial city, and arguably, the most beautiful city in the country. It sits on the northern edge of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca) and has many beautifully colored buildings and nice churches. The city's beauty and colonial architecture, along with its relative safety and accessibility, make it one of Nicaragua's top tourist destinations. The city has long been a center for commerce, but today its economy depends heavily on tourism. The city is the sixth largest in Nicaragua and a real estate boom in the early 2000's brought a large number of expats to the town.

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 in Nicaragua, and The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua.


Which place is cheaper, Granada 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 Granada is $40. 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 Granada in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Recife $88
    Granada $17
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Recife $176
    Granada $34
Compare Hotels in Recife and Granada

Looking for a hotel in Recife or Granada? 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 Granada


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 Granada Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Recife $8.47
    Granada $8.57

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

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:

  • One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Granada?

Prices for flights to both Granada 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
    Granada $14

Typical Food Prices in Granada

Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:


  • Pizza
    $2.29

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Recife $11
    Granada $10

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

Typical Entertainment Prices in Granada

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:


  • Lago de Nicaragua Boat Tour
    $8.17

Tours and Activities in Granada

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

  • Granada Kayak Tour: $30
  • Colonial Granada Horse Carriage & Walking Tour: $35
  • Paddle Boarding and Meditation Wellness Experience in Las Isletas: $39
  • Las Isletas: Kayak Tour: $39
  • Granada City Tour: $40
  • Granada's City Tour: $40
  • Las Isletas: Boat Tour: $45
  • Masaya Night Tour Minimum 2 People from Granada: $45
  • Las Isletas 2-Hour Kayak Adventure in Granada with Pickup: $48
  • City Walking Tour and Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride: $50
  • Full-Day Tour: Masaya Volcano, Art Market and White Villages: $60
  • Experience Granadas Best Sights Carriage ride + Local Guide: $65

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Recife -
    Granada $7.50

Typical Alcohol Prices in Granada

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:


  • Tequila
    $1.36


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

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


Which is Bigger, Recife or Granada?

Recife has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Granada. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Granada, 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 Granada?

Recife has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Granada experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Recife or Granada in the Summer?

Both Granada and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Granada because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the summer, Recife is around the same temperature as Granada. Typically, the summer temperatures in Recife in January average around 26°C (79°F), and Granada averages at about 27°C (81°F)in July.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually receives more sunshine than Granada during summer. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies, while Granada receives 175 hours of full sun in the summer.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Granada. It's quite rainy in Recife. In January, Recife usually receives less rain than Granadain July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Granada receives 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.


  • Summer Average Temperatures January and July
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    Granada 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Recife or Granada in the Autumn?

Both Granada and Recife during the autumn are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Granada year-round.

In April, Recife is generally around the same temperature as Granadain October. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 26°C (79°F), and Granada fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

In the autumn, Recife often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Granadain October. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Granada receives 195 hours of full sun.

Granada 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 April than Granadain October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Granada receives 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures April and October
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    Granada 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Recife or Granada in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Granada. Granada attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Recife is around the same temperature as Granada in the winter. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 24°C (76°F) in July, and Granada fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in January.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Granada this time of the year. Recife usually receives less sunshine than Granada during winter. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies, while Granada receives 244 hours of full sun in the winter.

Recife gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Recife usually receives more rain than Granadain January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Granada receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.


  • Winter Average Temperatures July and January
    Recife 24°C (76°F) 
    Granada 26°C (79°F)

Should I visit Recife or Granada in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Recife as well as Granada. The warm climate attracts visitors to Granada throughout the year.

In the spring, Recife is cooler than Granada. Typically, the spring temperatures in Recife in October average around 25°C (77°F), and Granada averages at about 29°C (84°F)in April.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Granada. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Recife this time of the year. In the spring, Recife often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Granadain April. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Granada receives 242 hours of full sun.

Recife usually gets more rain in October than Granadain April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Granada receives 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Spring Average Temperatures October and April
    Recife 25°C (77°F) 
    Granada 29°C (84°F)

Typical Weather for Granada and Recife

Recife Granada
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 26°C (79°F) 108 mm (4.3 in) 26°C (79°F) 4 mm (0.2 in)
Feb 26°C (80°F) 148 mm (5.8 in) 27°C (80°F) 2 mm (0.1 in)
Mar 26°C (80°F) 257 mm (10.1 in) 28°C (82°F) 3 mm (0.1 in)
Apr 26°C (79°F) 338 mm (13.3 in) 29°C (84°F) 6 mm (0.2 in)
May 25°C (78°F) 319 mm (12.5 in) 29°C (84°F) 131 mm (5.2 in)
Jun 25°C (77°F) 378 mm (14.9 in) 28°C (82°F) 196 mm (7.7 in)
Jul 24°C (76°F) 388 mm (15.3 in) 27°C (81°F) 144 mm (5.7 in)
Aug 24°C (75°F) 205 mm (8.1 in) 27°C (81°F) 151 mm (5.9 in)
Sep 24°C (76°F) 122 mm (4.8 in) 27°C (81°F) 210 mm (8.3 in)
Oct 25°C (77°F) 63 mm (2.5 in) 27°C (81°F) 197 mm (7.8 in)
Nov 26°C (79°F) 36 mm (1.4 in) 31°C (88°F) 54 mm (2.1 in)
Dec 26°C (79°F) 57 mm (2.2 in) 26°C (79°F) 11 mm (0.4 in)