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

Should you visit Recife or Montanita?

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 Montanita 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 Montanita?

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.

Montanita

Montanita is a small village located on Manglaralto parish along the southern coast of Ecuador. The Pacific Coast of Ecuador is lined with beach towns, either small villages with local fisherman or larger towns more set up for foreign travellers like Montanita. With one of the best beaches in Ecuador, one of the best surf breaks in the region, and a great laid-back atmosphere Montanita is a great little getaway, especially for the hippies of the world. It has also become a popular weekend destination for English teachers and Spanish students coming from Guayaquil and Quito. The beachfront village of Montanita has a laid-back atmosphere and steady stream of cosmopolitan backpackers, with as many South Americans as gringos.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best Luxury Tours to Brazil, The Best G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador.


Which place is cheaper, Montanita 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 Montanita is $96. 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 Montanita in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Recife $88
    Montanita $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Recife $176
    Montanita $82
Compare Hotels in Recife and Montanita

Looking for a hotel in Recife or Montanita? 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 Montanita


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Recife $8.47
    Montanita $39

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 Recife to Serrambi Beach: $101
  • Private Transfer from Igarassu to Recife (REC) Airport : $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

Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Montanita?

Prices for flights to both Montanita 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
    Montanita $28

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Recife $11
    Montanita $31

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

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Recife -
    Montanita -


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

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



When is the best time to visit Recife or Montanita?

Recife has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Montanita experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Recife or Montanita in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Recife as well as Montanita. The warm climate attracts visitors to Montanita throughout the year.

In the summer, Recife is around the same temperature as Montanita. Typically, the summer temperatures in Recife in January average around 26°C (79°F), and Montanita averages at about 25°C (78°F)in July.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Recife this time of the year. In the summer, Recife often gets more sunshine than Montanitain July. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montanita receives 107 hours of full sun.

Recife receives a lot of rain in the summer. Recife usually gets more rain in January than Montanitain July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures January and July
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    Montanita 25°C (78°F)

Should I visit Recife or Montanita in the Autumn?

Both Montanita and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Montanita because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In April, Recife is generally around the same temperature as Montanitain October. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 26°C (79°F), and Montanita fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).

Recife usually receives more sunshine than Montanita during autumn. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while Montanita receives 117 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It's quite rainy in Recife. In April, Recife usually receives more rain than Montanitain October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures April and October
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    Montanita 26°C (78°F)

Should I visit Recife or Montanita in the Winter?

Both Montanita and Recife during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montanita year-round.

Recife is cooler than Montanita in the winter. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 24°C (76°F) in July, and Montanita fluctuates around 27°C (80°F)in January.

In the winter, Recife often gets more sunshine than Montanitain January. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montanita receives 88 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually gets more rain in July than Montanitain January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures July and January
    Recife 24°C (76°F) 
    Montanita 27°C (80°F)

Should I visit Recife or Montanita in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Montanita. Montanita attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In the spring, Recife is around the same temperature as Montanita. Typically, the spring temperatures in Recife in October average around 25°C (77°F), and Montanita averages at about 27°C (81°F)in April.

In Recife, it's very sunny this time of the year. Recife usually receives more sunshine than Montanita during spring. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Montanita receives 133 hours of full sun in the spring.

In October, Recife usually receives more rain than Montanitain April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures October and April
    Recife 25°C (77°F) 
    Montanita 27°C (81°F)

Typical Weather for Montanita and Recife

Recife Montanita
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 26°C (79°F) 108 mm (4.3 in) 27°C (80°F) 78 mm (3.1 in)
Feb 26°C (80°F) 148 mm (5.8 in) 27°C (81°F) 112 mm (4.4 in)
Mar 26°C (80°F) 257 mm (10.1 in) 27°C (81°F) 107 mm (4.2 in)
Apr 26°C (79°F) 338 mm (13.3 in) 27°C (81°F) 57 mm (2.2 in)
May 25°C (78°F) 319 mm (12.5 in) 27°C (80°F) 26 mm (1 in)
Jun 25°C (77°F) 378 mm (14.9 in) 26°C (79°F) 20 mm (0.8 in)
Jul 24°C (76°F) 388 mm (15.3 in) 25°C (78°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Aug 24°C (75°F) 205 mm (8.1 in) 25°C (78°F) 2 mm (0.1 in)
Sep 24°C (76°F) 122 mm (4.8 in) 26°C (78°F) 4 mm (0.2 in)
Oct 25°C (77°F) 63 mm (2.5 in) 26°C (78°F) 3 mm (0.1 in)
Nov 26°C (79°F) 36 mm (1.4 in) 26°C (79°F) 4 mm (0.2 in)
Dec 26°C (79°F) 57 mm (2.2 in) 27°C (80°F) 15 mm (0.6 in)