Which place is cheaper, Leon or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or Leon?
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 Leon 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 Leon?
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.
Leon
Leon is one of the oldest city's in Nicaragua and you can see hints of its colonial past in the architecture around town. Tourism is not a major part of the economy in Leon, but the city is gaining popularity with budget travelers and backpackers and more recently tour groups are including Leon in their itinerary.
With a population of just over 200,000, Leon is the second largest city in Nicaragua, after Managua. During the university season the population grows dramatically as there is a heavy presence of students in Leon. It is a popular university town, and this young population gives the city plenty of energy and entertainment.
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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRecife $166Leon $59
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in Leon is $59. 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 Leon in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $88Leon $16
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $176Leon $32
Compare Hotels in Recife and Leon
Looking for a hotel in Recife or Leon? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.47Leon $1.51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Recife
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Recife:
- Departure Transfer from Olinda to Recife Airport: $100
- Instituto Ricardo Brennand with transfers from Recife: $41
- Private Transfer from Igarassu to Recife (REC) Airport : $101
- Private Transfer from Olinda to Recife (REC) Airport: $46
- Private Transfer from Recife to Carneiros Beach: $114
- Private Transfer from Recife to Olinda: $46
- Private Transfer from Recife to Serrambi Beach: $101
- Private Transfer from Recife to Tamandare Beach: $114
- Recife Boat Tour with Transfers: $72
- Airport to Maragogi Hotels Private Transfer: $85
- Airport to Porto de Galinhas Transfer: $65
- Shared Transfer from Recife to Cabo de Santo Agostinho: $33
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Leon?
Prices for flights to both Leon 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 $70Leon $12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Leon
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Leon.
- Tlakualli Food Tour: $19
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11Leon $5.81
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 Leon
Here are a few actual costs in Leon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Half Day Private Tour of Cerro Negro's Volcano Boarding: $35
- Leon City Walking Private Tour : $48
- Rum Tour & Chorotega Museum Experience: $62
- Hike El Hoyo Volcano "Private Tour" : $67
- Old Leon and Asososca Lagoon Private Tour: $82
- Volcano Boarding Private Tour : $84
- Kayak Private tour at Juan Venado Island: $92
- Telica Sunset Tour : $93
- Horseback Riding Private Tour : $103
- Half-Day Leon City Tour: $135
- Somoto Canyon "Private Tour from Leon" : $154
- 6 Hours Sunset Private Guided Tour of Telica Volcano in León: $163
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -Leon $3.53
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Leon, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Leon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Recife is in South America and Leon 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 Leon would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Leon 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 Leon.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is Leon Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or Leon?
Recife has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Leon. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Leon, 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 Leon?
Recife has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Leon experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Recife or Leon in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Leon. Leon attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In January, Recife is generally around the same temperature as Leonin July. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 26°C (79°F), and Leon fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
In Recife, it's very sunny this time of the year. Recife usually receives more sunshine than Leon during summer. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies, while Leon receives 175 hours of full sun in the summer.
Leon receives a lot of rain in the summer. Recife gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Recife usually receives less rain than Leonin July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Leon receives 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyRecife 26°C (79°F)Leon 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Recife or Leon in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Recife as well as Leon. The warm climate attracts visitors to Leon throughout the year.
Recife is around the same temperature as Leon in the autumn. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 26°C (79°F) in April, and Leon fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in October.
In the autumn, Recife often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Leonin October. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Leon receives 195 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Leon. Recife receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Recife usually gets more rain in April than Leonin October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Leon receives 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberRecife 26°C (79°F)Leon 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Recife or Leon in the Winter?
Both Leon and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Leon because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the winter, Recife is around the same temperature as Leon. Typically, the winter temperatures in Recife in July average around 24°C (76°F), and Leon averages at about 26°C (79°F)in January.
It's quite sunny in Leon. Recife usually receives less sunshine than Leon during winter. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies, while Leon receives 244 hours of full sun in the winter.
It's quite rainy in Recife. In July, Recife usually receives more rain than Leonin January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Leon receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryRecife 24°C (76°F)Leon 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Recife or Leon in the Spring?
Both Leon and Recife during the spring are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Leon year-round.
In October, Recife is generally cooler than Leonin April. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 25°C (77°F), and Leon fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
In Leon, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Recife. In the spring, Recife often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Leonin April. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Leon receives 242 hours of full sun.
Recife usually gets more rain in October than Leonin April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Leon receives 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilRecife 25°C (77°F)Leon 29°C (84°F)
Typical Weather for Leon and Recife
| Recife | Leon | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
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.