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

Should you visit Recife or La Paz?

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 La Paz 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 La Paz?

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.

La Paz

La Paz is the capital of Baja California Sur, Mexico. It has a population of about 215,000 people and is a significant commercial center for the region. The city has a good economy and a high standard of living when compared to much of Mexico. Much of the economy is focused on eco-tourism and there are many protected marine environments in the area.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Mexico, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Mexico.


Which place is cheaper, La Paz 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 La Paz is $118. 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 La Paz in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Recife $88
    La Paz $52
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Recife $176
    La Paz $104
Compare Hotels in Recife and La Paz

Looking for a hotel in Recife or La Paz? 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 La Paz


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 La Paz Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Recife $8.47
    La Paz $22

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 La Paz

Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Paz:

  • Roundtrip Transfer to La Paz International Airport: $73
  • La Paz Airport to Costa Baja Private Roundtrip Transfer: $89
  • La Paz Int. Airport (LAP): Private Transfer to La Paz hotels: $174
  • Private Transfer from La Paz to Cabo San Lucas: $240
  • La Paz Airport: Private Roundtrip Transfer to La Ventan: $259

Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or La Paz?

Prices for flights to both La Paz 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
    La Paz $38

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Paz

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Paz.

  • 4 Hours of Guided La Paz Street Food Tour: $81

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Recife $11
    La Paz $13

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 La Paz

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

  • Transparent Boat Tour with Mushroom Rock: $64
  • Pearls of Pearl Farm Experience: $64
  • Half Day Sandboarding and Paddleboarding Experience in La Paz: $81
  • Unique Mexican Spirits Tasting & Pairing Experience: $85
  • Sunset Sandboarding at La Paz Dunes Tour: $89
  • City Tour & Beaches from La Paz: $91
  • Supercombo 2-Day City Tour: $105
  • Half Day Private Tour of the Beaches of La Paz: $113
  • From Los Cabos: City Tour La Paz, Balandra and Todos Santos: $115
  • holy spirit island tour: $116
  • Los Cabos Tour from La Paz: $119
  • Snorkel Tour with Whale Shark in La Paz: $119

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Recife -
    La Paz $12


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

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


Which is Bigger, Recife or La Paz?

Recife has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of La Paz. When comparing the sizes of Recife and La Paz, 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 La Paz?

Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Recife is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but La Paz has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].

Should I visit Recife or La Paz in the Summer?

Both La Paz and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Also, the beaches, snorkeling, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to La Paz this time of year.

Recife is cooler than La Paz in the summer. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and La Paz fluctuates around 30°C (86°F)in July.

It's quite sunny in La Paz. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually receives less sunshine than La Paz during summer. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies, while La Paz receives 287 hours of full sun in the summer.

It's quite rainy in Recife. In January, Recife usually receives more rain than La Pazin July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while La Paz receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.


  • Summer Average Temperatures January and July
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    La Paz 30°C (86°F)

Should I visit Recife or La Paz in the Autumn?

Both La Paz and Recife during the autumn are popular places to visit. Furthermore, many travelers come to La Paz for the shopping scene.

In the autumn, Recife is around the same temperature as La Paz. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Recife in April average around 26°C (79°F), and La Paz averages at about 27°C (80°F)in October.

In La Paz, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, Recife often gets less sunshine than La Pazin October. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Paz receives 272 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually gets more rain in April than La Pazin October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while La Paz receives 13 mm (0.5 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures April and October
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    La Paz 27°C (80°F)

Should I visit Recife or La Paz in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and La Paz. Furthermore, many visitors come to La Paz in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

In July, Recife is generally a little warmer than La Pazin January. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 24°C (76°F), and La Paz fluctuates around 18°C (65°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in La Paz this time of the year. Recife usually receives less sunshine than La Paz during winter. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies, while La Paz receives 200 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 La Pazin January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while La Paz receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.


  • Winter Average Temperatures July and January
    Recife 24°C (76°F) 
    La Paz 18°C (65°F)

Should I visit Recife or La Paz in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Recife as well as La Paz. Additionally, most visitors come to La Paz for the beaches during these months.

Recife is a little warmer than La Paz in the spring. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 25°C (77°F) in October, and La Paz fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in April.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in La Paz. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Recife this time of the year. In the spring, Recife often gets less sunshine than La Pazin April. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Paz receives 292 hours of full sun.

Recife usually gets more rain in October than La Pazin April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while La Paz receives 1 mm (0 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Spring Average Temperatures October and April
    Recife 25°C (77°F) 
    La Paz 23°C (73°F)

Typical Weather for La Paz and Recife

Recife La Paz
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 26°C (79°F) 108 mm (4.3 in) 18°C (65°F) 11 mm (0.4 in)
Feb 26°C (80°F) 148 mm (5.8 in) 19°C (66°F) 5 mm (0.2 in)
Mar 26°C (80°F) 257 mm (10.1 in) 20°C (69°F) 2 mm (0.1 in)
Apr 26°C (79°F) 338 mm (13.3 in) 23°C (73°F) 1 mm (0 in)
May 25°C (78°F) 319 mm (12.5 in) 25°C (77°F) 1 mm (0 in)
Jun 25°C (77°F) 378 mm (14.9 in) 27°C (81°F) 1 mm (0 in)
Jul 24°C (76°F) 388 mm (15.3 in) 30°C (86°F) 14 mm (0.6 in)
Aug 24°C (75°F) 205 mm (8.1 in) 30°C (87°F) 43 mm (1.7 in)
Sep 24°C (76°F) 122 mm (4.8 in) 30°C (85°F) 58 mm (2.3 in)
Oct 25°C (77°F) 63 mm (2.5 in) 27°C (80°F) 13 mm (0.5 in)
Nov 26°C (79°F) 36 mm (1.4 in) 23°C (73°F) 5 mm (0.2 in)
Dec 26°C (79°F) 57 mm (2.2 in) 20°C (67°F) 21 mm (0.8 in)