Which place is cheaper, Manaus or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or Manaus?
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 Manaus 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 Manaus?
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.
Manaus
Manaus is a Brazilian city, capital of the state of Amazonas, and is located on the Rio Negro a few miles before it meets the Rio Solimões to form the Amazon River. The city is a major departure point for those visiting the Amazon Rainforest, though there are a few sights worth seeing within the city itself as well.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best Luxury Tours to Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Brazil, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRecife $166Manaus $59
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in Manaus 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 Manaus in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $88Manaus $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $176Manaus $84
Compare Hotels in Recife and Manaus
Looking for a hotel in Recife or Manaus? 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 Manaus Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.47Manaus $7.94
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 Manaus
Also for Manaus, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private 24-hour transfer from the Hotel to the Airport in Manaus: $16
- Private Transfer 24h Airport to Hotel in Manaus: $16
- 24-hour hotel transfer - airport in Manaus: $17
- Private Transfers Services Airport -Hotel 24h: $19
- Serviço de transfer privativo do Porto -> aeroporto de Mana: $20
- Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) to Manaus - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
- Manaus to Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) - Departure Private Transfer: $23
- Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) to Manaus - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Manaus Airport (MAO) to Manaus hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $24
- Manaus hotels to Manaus Airport(MAO) - Departure Private Transfer: $24
- Manaus private Airport transfer: $30
- Private Transfer - Airport - Hotel / Hotel - Airport: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Manaus?
Prices for flights to both Manaus 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 $70Manaus $12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manaus
For Manaus, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Folklore Amazonian Dinner Show: $42
- Food Tour: $50
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11Manaus -
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: $7.83
- Recife (Historic Centre) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.66
- City Tour Recife & Olinda: $27
Tours and Activities in Manaus
For Manaus, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Walking Tours in Manaus: $15
- Like a Local Customized Guided Welcome Tour: $30
- Manaus City Tour e Musa: $50
- MUSA and INPA Museums with Observation Tower Tour: $50
- City Tour in Manaus at Teatro Amazonas and Praça da Matriz: $50
- Half-Day City Tour: $54
- Full-Day Tour on the Amazon River: $55
- Amazon Negro River Half-Day Expedition Tour: $55
- Manaus Sightseeing Tour: $64
- Solimoes River Piranha Fishing and Alligator Watching Tour: $66
- Tour to Presidente Figueiredo Waterfalls: $68
- Amazon Waterfalls Tour: $70
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -Manaus $2.84
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Manaus, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Manaus much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Manaus would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Manaus 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 Manaus.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is Manaus Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or Manaus?
Manaus has a larger population, and is about 8% larger than the population of Recife. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Manaus, 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 Manaus?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.
Should I visit Recife or Manaus in the Summer?
Both Manaus and Recife during the summer are popular places to visit.
Recife is around the same temperature as Manaus in the summer. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Manaus fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
It's quite sunny in Recife. In the summer, Recife often gets more sunshine than Manaus. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Manaus receives 114 hours of full sun.
Manaus 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 Manaus. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Manaus receives 264 mm (10.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JanuaryRecife 26°C (79°F)Manaus 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Recife or Manaus in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Manaus.
In the autumn, Recife is around the same temperature as Manaus. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Recife in April average around 26°C (79°F), and Manaus averages at about 28°C (82°F).
Recife usually receives more sunshine than Manaus during autumn. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while Manaus receives 112 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Manaus 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 Manaus. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Manaus receives 311 mm (12.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures AprilRecife 26°C (79°F)Manaus 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Recife or Manaus in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Recife as well as Manaus.
In July, Recife is generally cooler than Manaus. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 24°C (76°F), and Manaus fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Manaus. In the winter, Recife often gets less sunshine than Manaus. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Manaus receives 214 hours of full sun.
Recife receives a lot of rain in the winter. Recife usually gets more rain in July than Manaus. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Manaus receives 85 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JulyRecife 24°C (76°F)Manaus 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Recife or Manaus in the Spring?
Both Manaus and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
Recife is cooler than Manaus in the spring. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 25°C (77°F) in October, and Manaus fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually receives more sunshine than Manaus during spring. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Manaus receives 171 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Manaus. In October, Recife usually receives less rain than Manaus. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Manaus receives 113 mm (4.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures OctoberRecife 25°C (77°F)Manaus 29°C (84°F)
Typical Weather for Manaus and Recife
| Recife | Manaus | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 264 mm (10.4 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 290 mm (11.4 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 257 mm (10.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 335 mm (13.2 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 338 mm (13.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 311 mm (12.3 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 319 mm (12.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 279 mm (11 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (77°F) | 378 mm (14.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 115 mm (4.5 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (76°F) | 388 mm (15.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 85 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (76°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 113 mm (4.4 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 174 mm (6.8 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 220 mm (8.6 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.