Which place is cheaper, Grand Cayman or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or Grand Cayman?
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 Grand Cayman 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 Grand Cayman?
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.
Grand Cayman
When people think of the Cayman Islands, they typically think of offshore bank accounts and sunny, cruise ship ports. Grand Cayman has more to offer travelers than a playground for the wealthy or a short stopover for cruise passengers. This tropical island is the largest of the three Cayman Islands, it is a shopper's heaven, a center for global finance and an ideal vacation spot.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRecife $166Grand Cayman $214
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in Grand Cayman is $214. 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 Grand Cayman in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $88Grand Cayman $150
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $176Grand Cayman $300
Compare Hotels in Recife and Grand Cayman
Looking for a hotel in Recife or Grand Cayman? 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 Grand Cayman Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.47Grand Cayman $31
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 Grand Cayman
Also for Grand Cayman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Privat Transfer from Owen Roberts Airport GCM to George Town Port: $53
- George Town Port to Owen Roberts Airport (GCM) - Departure Private Transfer: $53
- Private Transfer from George Town Port to George Town or 7-Mile: $53
- George Town Cruise Port to George Town or 7-Mile Beach -Arrival Private Transfer: $53
- George Town / 7- Mile Beach area to George Town Port -Departure Private Transfer: $53
- Private Transfer from George Town or 7 Mile to George Town Port: $53
- Private Transfer from George Town Port to Owen Roberts AirportGCM: $53
- Airport Transfer - Owen Roberts Intl Airport to GeorgeTown or Seven Mile Beach: $88
- George Town Port to George Town / 7-Mile Beach area -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $106
- Airport Transfers to North Side Accommodation (GCM Grand Cayman): $265
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Grand Cayman?
Prices for flights to both Grand Cayman 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 $70Grand Cayman $39
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11Grand Cayman $41
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: $7.82
- Recife (Historic Centre) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- City Tour Recife & Olinda: $27
Tours and Activities in Grand Cayman
For Grand Cayman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- West Bay Sightseeing Tour Plus Seven Mile Beach Visit: $45
- Stingraycity Adventure: $69
- Starfish and Stingray City Fun Tour with Reef Snorkeling- 3 stops: $69
- Stingray City Experience Plus One Snorkeling Stop: $69
- Stingray City Sandbar, Coral Gardens and 7-Mile Beach Tour: $70
- Stingray City Experience Plus Two Snorkeling Stops on Grand Cayman: $75
- Stingrays, Starfish and Snorkeling Tour: $75
- Grand Cayman Cruise: Starfish Point, Stingray City, Coral Garden: $80
- Acquarius Stingray City and Snorkel Tours: $80
- Grand Cayman - Bioluminescent Bay Tour: $95
- Cayman Adventure: Starfish Point, Stingray City and Coral Gardens: $99
- West Island Guided Tour with Entry Tickets: $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -Grand Cayman $13
Typical Alcohol Prices in Grand Cayman
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Grand Cayman:
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Beer$4.97
Sample the Local Flavors in Grand Cayman
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Grand Cayman:
- Cayman Spirits Co. Distillery Tour Pass Ticket Only: $24
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Grand Cayman, we can see that Grand Cayman 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 Grand Cayman 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 Grand Cayman would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Grand Cayman 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 Grand Cayman Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or Grand Cayman?
Recife has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Grand Cayman. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Grand Cayman, 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 Grand Cayman?
Recife has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Grand Cayman experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Recife or Grand Cayman in the Summer?
Both Grand Cayman and Recife during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Grand Cayman year-round.
In the summer, Recife is around the same temperature as Grand Cayman. Typically, the summer temperatures in Recife in January average around 26°C (79°F), and Grand Cayman averages at about 28°C (83°F)in July.
Grand Cayman 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 Grand Caymanin July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Grand Cayman receives 179 mm (7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyRecife 26°C (79°F)Grand Cayman 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit Recife or Grand Cayman in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Grand Cayman. Grand Cayman attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In April, Recife is generally around the same temperature as Grand Caymanin October. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 26°C (79°F), and Grand Cayman fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
Grand Cayman receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Recife gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Recife usually receives more rain than Grand Caymanin October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Grand Cayman receives 238 mm (9.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberRecife 26°C (79°F)Grand Cayman 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Recife or Grand Cayman in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Recife as well as Grand Cayman. The warm climate attracts visitors to Grand Cayman throughout the year.
Recife is around the same temperature as Grand Cayman in the winter. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 24°C (76°F) in July, and Grand Cayman fluctuates around 24°C (76°F)in January.
Recife receives a lot of rain in the winter. Recife usually gets more rain in July than Grand Caymanin January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Grand Cayman receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryRecife 24°C (76°F)Grand Cayman 24°C (76°F)
Should I visit Recife or Grand Cayman in the Spring?
Both Grand Cayman and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Grand Cayman because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the spring, Recife is around the same temperature as Grand Cayman. Typically, the spring temperatures in Recife in October average around 25°C (77°F), and Grand Cayman averages at about 26°C (79°F)in April.
In October, Recife usually receives more rain than Grand Caymanin April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Grand Cayman receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilRecife 25°C (77°F)Grand Cayman 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for Grand Cayman and Recife
| Recife | Grand Cayman | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 257 mm (10.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 338 mm (13.3 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 319 mm (12.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 131 mm (5.1 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (77°F) | 378 mm (14.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 183 mm (7.2 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (76°F) | 388 mm (15.3 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 179 mm (7 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 172 mm (6.8 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (76°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 212 mm (8.3 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 238 mm (9.4 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 141 mm (5.6 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 57 mm (2.3 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.