Which place is cheaper, Guatemala City or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or Guatemala City?
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 Guatemala City 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 Guatemala City?
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.
Guatemala City
Referred to by the locals as "Guate," Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala, as well as its capital. While the atmosphere of the place is big, dirty, and dangerous with city fumes and skyscrapers, it is the hub of the country. It is the place where travelers first step foot into Guatemala and, though it is a place of modern chaos, it does have some of the best galleries and museums as well as a selection of bars, cafes, and restaurants.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRecife $166Guatemala City $44
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in Guatemala City is $44. 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 Guatemala City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $88Guatemala City $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $176Guatemala City $48
Compare Hotels in Recife and Guatemala City
Looking for a hotel in Recife or Guatemala City? 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 Guatemala City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.47Guatemala City $6.17
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 Guatemala City
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Antigua: $16
- PRIVATE Group Transfer From Guatemala City to La Antigua: $20
- Private Ground Transfer Airport - Antigua Guatemala: $23
- Private Transfer From Airport to Hotel in Guatemala City: $30
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Hotels: $43
- Private Airport Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $45
- Guatemala Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $56
- Guatemala City Airport (GUA) to Quetzaltenango-Arrival Transfer: $65
- Private Transfer from La Aurora Airport to Puerto Quetzal Port: $73
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Antigua: $74
- One way private transfer to Antigua: $74
- Transfer from Guatemala City hotel to INTL Airport La Aurora: $75
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Guatemala City?
Prices for flights to both Guatemala City 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 $70Guatemala City $15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guatemala City
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guatemala City.
- Cooking class/Pepian Workshop: $35
- Taste Antigua Guatemala Walking Food Tour : $75
- Small-Group Cooking Class in Antigua from Guatemala City: $120
- Antigua Market, Cooking Class and Choco Museum from Guatemala City: $178
- Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza Cooked Under Volcanic Heat: $180
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11Guatemala City $1.21
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 Guatemala City
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Guatemala City are as follows:
- Culinary Experience in Guatemala City: $15
- Half Day Antigua Guatemala Tour: $17
- Guided Walking Tour in Guatemala City: $25
- Half Day Guatemala City Tour: $27
- Guatemala city Walking Tour and public bus: $30
- Half-Day Guatemala City Explorer Tour: $34
- Graffiti Walking Tour in 4 Grados Norte Guatemala City : $35
- UNESCO JEWELS: Antigua Half Day Tour from Guatemala City: $38
- City walking tour Guatemala City and Relieff Map: $47
- Tour around antigua's villages: $50
- Half-Day Guatemala City Tour : $55
- 3-hour Bike Tour Guatemala City South: $55
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -Guatemala City $6.84
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Guatemala City, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Guatemala City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Recife is in South America and Guatemala City 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 Guatemala City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guatemala City 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 Guatemala City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is Guatemala City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or Guatemala City?
Recife has a larger population, and is about 49% larger than the population of Guatemala City. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Guatemala City, 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.
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.