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

Should you visit Recife or Negril?

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 Negril 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 Negril?

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.

Negril

Negril is a town in western Jamaica known for its miles of white sand beaches and cliffs. It is certainly one of the more laid back towns on the island yet still attracts a lot of tourists. The hotels are as close to the water as you can get, and the sand gets whiter and whiter the further away from populated areas you get. The water is unbelievably clear and warm in Negril!

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


Which place is cheaper, Negril 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 Negril is $139. 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 Negril in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Recife $88
    Negril $106
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Recife $176
    Negril $212
Compare Hotels in Recife and Negril

Looking for a hotel in Recife or Negril? 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 Negril


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 Negril Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Recife $8.47
    Negril $8.71

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

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Negril

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Negril:


  • Taxi From Airport
    $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Negril

Also for Negril, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Comfortable Montego Bay Airport to Grand Palladium Transfer: $23
  • Comfortable Montego Bay Airport to Negril Resorts Transfer: $33
  • Private Transfer from MBJ Airport to Grand Palladium Hotel: $36
  • Grand Palladium Airport Transfer: $37
  • Round-Trip or Direct Private Airport Transfer to Lucea Resorts: $37
  • Private Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Grand Palladium: $40
  • Grand Palladium Private Transfers from MBJ Airport: $40
  • Montego Bay Airport Transfer To Negril Hotels Private: $47
  • Private Airport Transfer Grand Palladium/ Lady Hamilton Jamaica: $47
  • Grand Palladium Private Airport Transfer: $48
  • Private Airport Transfers to Negril Hotels: $48
  • Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Negril Hotel: $50

Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Negril?

Prices for flights to both Negril 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
    Negril $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Negril

For Negril, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Club2727 Nightlife Experience with Optional Dinner in Montego Bay: $60
  • The Jungle Nightclub Experience with Optional Dinner in Negril: $85
  • Zimbali Mountain Cooking Studio: $105
  • Local food tour and local fields : $164

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Recife $11
    Negril $27

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

Typical Entertainment Prices in Negril

For Negril, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • 2 Hr Horseback Ride
    $44

Tours and Activities in Negril

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Negril.

  • Cruise Ship Excursion in Montego Bay : $41
  • From Negril/Palladium: Negril Beach and Ricks Cafe Tour: $49
  • Private Glass Bottom Boat Sight Seeing Tour Jamaica: $58
  • Buddle's Taxi and Tours : $60
  • Blue Hole Mineral Springs, Rick's Café, and Shopping Combo Tour: $75
  • Negril Beach and Catamaran Cruise: $79
  • Negril guided day tour:7 mile beach and sunset at Ricks Cafe: $80
  • Ricks Cafe Sunset Catamaran Cruise Negril Palladium Montego Bay: $85
  • Jamwest JamCulture Tour from Negril: $89
  • Bob Marley Birth Place Nine Mile Day Tour: $94
  • Negril Catamaran Adults Only Cruise, Snorkeling and Rick's Cafe from Negril: $110
  • Must Do-Accompong Town Maroon Village Tour & Celebration from Negril: $112

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Recife -
    Negril $10


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

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


Which is Bigger, Recife or Negril?

Recife has a larger population, and is about 490 times larger than the population of Negril. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Negril, 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 Negril?

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

Should I visit Recife or Negril in the Summer?

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

Recife is around the same temperature as Negril in the summer. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Negril fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in July.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Negril. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Recife this time of the year. In the summer, Recife often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Negrilin July. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Negril receives 257 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Negril. Recife receives a lot of rain in the summer. Recife usually gets less rain in January than Negrilin July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Negril receives 176 mm (6.9 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures January and July
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    Negril 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Recife or Negril in the Autumn?

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

In the autumn, Recife is around the same temperature as Negril. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Recife in April average around 26°C (79°F), and Negril averages at about 27°C (81°F)in October.

It's quite sunny in Negril. Recife usually receives less sunshine than Negril during autumn. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while Negril receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Negril. It's quite rainy in Recife. In April, Recife usually receives more rain than Negrilin October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Negril receives 222 mm (8.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures April and October
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    Negril 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Recife or Negril in the Winter?

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

In July, Recife is generally around the same temperature as Negrilin January. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 24°C (76°F), and Negril fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).

In Negril, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Recife often gets less sunshine than Negrilin January. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Negril receives 226 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually gets more rain in July than Negrilin January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Negril receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures July and January
    Recife 24°C (76°F) 
    Negril 25°C (77°F)

Should I visit Recife or Negril in the Spring?

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

Recife is around the same temperature as Negril in the spring. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 25°C (77°F) in October, and Negril fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in April.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Negril this time of the year. In Recife, it's very sunny this time of the year. Recife usually receives more sunshine than Negril during spring. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Negril receives 225 hours of full sun in the spring.

Negril receives a lot of rain in the spring. In October, Recife usually receives less rain than Negrilin April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Negril receives 107 mm (4.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures October and April
    Recife 25°C (77°F) 
    Negril 26°C (79°F)

Typical Weather for Negril and Recife

Recife Negril
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 26°C (79°F) 108 mm (4.3 in) 25°C (77°F) 49 mm (1.9 in)
Feb 26°C (80°F) 148 mm (5.8 in) 25°C (77°F) 49 mm (1.9 in)
Mar 26°C (80°F) 257 mm (10.1 in) 25°C (77°F) 71 mm (2.8 in)
Apr 26°C (79°F) 338 mm (13.3 in) 26°C (79°F) 107 mm (4.2 in)
May 25°C (78°F) 319 mm (12.5 in) 27°C (81°F) 205 mm (8.1 in)
Jun 25°C (77°F) 378 mm (14.9 in) 27°C (81°F) 183 mm (7.2 in)
Jul 24°C (76°F) 388 mm (15.3 in) 27°C (81°F) 176 mm (6.9 in)
Aug 24°C (75°F) 205 mm (8.1 in) 27°C (81°F) 188 mm (7.4 in)
Sep 24°C (76°F) 122 mm (4.8 in) 27°C (81°F) 181 mm (7.1 in)
Oct 25°C (77°F) 63 mm (2.5 in) 27°C (81°F) 222 mm (8.7 in)
Nov 26°C (79°F) 36 mm (1.4 in) 26°C (79°F) 91 mm (3.6 in)
Dec 26°C (79°F) 57 mm (2.2 in) 26°C (79°F) 61 mm (2.4 in)