Which place is cheaper, Managua or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or Managua?
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 Managua 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 Managua?
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.
Managua
Managua is the capital, and largest city in Nicaragua. The economy is generally centered around the trade of coffee, cotton, and other types of agriculture. It also is a textile capital for the area. Managua is also a very reasonably priced destination in Central America. Restaurants and hotels are quite affordable and you'll find all kinds of international cuisine around the city. Transportation is also incredibly affordable and you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised at the cost of intercity bus rides.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRecife $166Managua $55
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in Managua is $55. 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 Managua in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $88Managua $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $176Managua $46
Compare Hotels in Recife and Managua
Looking for a hotel in Recife or Managua? 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 Managua Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.47Managua $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Recife
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Recife:
- Private Transfer from Recife to Carneiros Beach: $114
- Private Transfer from Recife to Tamandare Beach: $114
- Private Transfer from Igarassu to Recife (REC) Airport : $101
- Private Transfer from Recife to Serrambi Beach: $101
- Departure Transfer from Olinda to Recife Airport: $100
- Airport to Maragogi Hotels Private Transfer: $85
- Recife Boat Tour with Transfers: $72
- Airport to Porto de Galinhas Transfer: $65
- Private Transfer from Recife to Olinda: $46
- Private Transfer from Olinda to Recife (REC) Airport: $46
- Instituto Ricardo Brennand with transfers from Recife: $41
- Shared Transfer from Recife to Cabo de Santo Agostinho: $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Managua
Also for Managua, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport private transfer from Managua.: $25
- Managua to Managua Augusto Airport (MGA) - Departure Transfer: $33
- Managua Augusto Sandino Airport(MGA) to Managua- Arrival Transfer: $33
- San Jorge Rivas Transfer: $47
- PRIVATE San Juan Del Sur Transfer: $56
- Granada: Managua to Granada Airport private transfer: $64
- Managua Augusto Airport (MGA) to Managua-Round-Trip Transfer: $66
- Rivas: Managua to Rivas Airport private transfer: $75
- Managua-Leon: Airport private transfer from to Managua /Leon: $85
- Transfer From Managua International Airport: $90
- Popoyo Beach Transfer: $90
- Private Transfer in Nicaragua: $110
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Managua?
Prices for flights to both Managua 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 $70Managua $17
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11Managua $16
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 Managua
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Managua.
- Private lava tour-Masaya Volcano from Managua: $49
- Masaya Volcano Night Tour: $53
- Laguna de Apoyo Day pass plus Masaya Volcano Night Tour: $60
- Granada Isletas and City tour: $68
- PRIVATE Laguna de apoyo day pass + masaya volcano lava tour: $70
- PRIVATE Boat ride + Colonial city tour at Granada+Catarina lookout: $80
- PRIVATE Day trip Granada Isletas +Colonial City tour from Managua: $80
- Managua City Tour: $84
- PRIVATE Boat tour + Granada City +Masaya Volcano Night Tour : $85
- full tour Somoto Canyon Nicaragua: $86
- PRIVATE Boat tour+Granada City and Catarina lookout from Managua: $88
- Managua City Tour: $88
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -Managua $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Managua, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Managua much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Recife is in South America and Managua 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 Managua would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Managua 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 Managua.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is Managua Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or Managua?
Recife has a larger population, and is about 52% larger than the population of Managua. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Managua, 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 Managua?
Recife has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Managua experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Recife or Managua in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Recife as well as Managua. The warm climate attracts visitors to Managua throughout the year.
In January, Recife is generally around the same temperature as Managuain July. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 26°C (79°F), and Managua fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Recife this time of the year. In the summer, Recife often gets more sunshine than Managuain July. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Managua receives 175 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Managua. Recife receives a lot of rain in the summer. Recife usually gets less rain in January than Managuain July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Managua receives 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyRecife 26°C (79°F)Managua 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Recife or Managua in the Autumn?
Both Managua and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Managua because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Recife is around the same temperature as Managua in the autumn. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 26°C (79°F) in April, and Managua fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in October.
Recife usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Managua during autumn. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while Managua receives 195 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Managua. It's quite rainy in Recife. In April, Recife usually receives more rain than Managuain October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Managua receives 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberRecife 26°C (79°F)Managua 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Recife or Managua in the Winter?
Both Managua and Recife during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Managua year-round.
In the winter, Recife is around the same temperature as Managua. Typically, the winter temperatures in Recife in July average around 24°C (76°F), and Managua averages at about 26°C (79°F)in January.
In Managua, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Recife often gets less sunshine than Managuain January. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Managua receives 244 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually gets more rain in July than Managuain January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Managua receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryRecife 24°C (76°F)Managua 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Recife or Managua in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Managua. Managua attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In October, Recife is generally cooler than Managuain April. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 25°C (77°F), and Managua fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Managua this time of the year. In Recife, it's very sunny this time of the year. Recife usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Managua during spring. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Managua receives 242 hours of full sun in the spring.
In October, Recife usually receives more rain than Managuain April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Managua receives 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilRecife 25°C (77°F)Managua 29°C (84°F)
Typical Weather for Managua and Recife
| Recife | Managua | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.