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

Should you visit Recife or Piriapolis?

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 Piriapolis 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 Piriapolis?

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.

Piriapolis

Piriapolis is a small beach town between Montevideo and Punta del Este in Uruguay. It is a more laid back version of Punta del Este with fewer fancy restaurants and clubs but it has perhaps more charm, with its grand old hotel and beachfront promenade backed by small mountains. The rather old-school coastal resort is vaguely reminiscent of a Mediterranean beach town.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best Luxury Tours to Brazil, The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, and The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay.


Which place is cheaper, Piriapolis 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 Piriapolis is $67. 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 Piriapolis in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Recife $88
    Piriapolis $27
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Recife $176
    Piriapolis $54
Compare Hotels in Recife and Piriapolis

Looking for a hotel in Recife or Piriapolis? 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 Piriapolis


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 Piriapolis Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Recife $8.47
    Piriapolis $31

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 Piriapolis?

Prices for flights to both Piriapolis 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
    Piriapolis $23

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Recife $11
    Piriapolis $5.89

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: $7.66
  • Olinda Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.83
  • 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

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Recife -
    Piriapolis $8.11


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

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


Which is Bigger, Recife or Piriapolis?

Recife has a larger population, and is about 190 times larger than the population of Piriapolis. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Piriapolis, 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 Piriapolis?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.

Should I visit Recife or Piriapolis in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Piriapolis.

In the summer, Recife is a little warmer than Piriapolis. Typically, the summer temperatures in Recife in January average around 26°C (79°F), and Piriapolis averages at about 23°C (73°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Piriapolis this time of the year. In Recife, it's very sunny this time of the year. Recife usually receives less sunshine than Piriapolis during summer. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies, while Piriapolis receives 296 hours of full sun in the summer.

Recife gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Recife usually receives more rain than Piriapolis. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Piriapolis receives 75 mm (3 in) of rain each month for the summer.


  • Summer Average Temperatures January
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    Piriapolis 23°C (73°F)

Should I visit Recife or Piriapolis in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Recife as well as Piriapolis.

In April, Recife is generally much warmer than Piriapolis. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 26°C (79°F), and Piriapolis fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).

In the autumn, Recife often gets more sunshine than Piriapolis. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Piriapolis receives 171 hours of full sun.

Recife receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Recife usually gets more rain in April than Piriapolis. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Piriapolis receives 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures April
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    Piriapolis 17°C (63°F)

Should I visit Recife or Piriapolis in the Winter?

Both Piriapolis and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.

Recife is much warmer than Piriapolis in the winter. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 24°C (76°F) in July, and Piriapolis fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).

Recife usually receives more sunshine than Piriapolis during winter. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies, while Piriapolis receives 135 hours of full sun in the winter.

It's quite rainy in Recife. In July, Recife usually receives more rain than Piriapolis. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Piriapolis receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain each month for the winter.


  • Winter Average Temperatures July
    Recife 24°C (76°F) 
    Piriapolis 10°C (50°F)

Should I visit Recife or Piriapolis in the Spring?

Both Piriapolis and Recife during the spring are popular places to visit.

In the spring, Recife is much warmer than Piriapolis. Typically, the spring temperatures in Recife in October average around 25°C (77°F), and Piriapolis averages at about 16°C (61°F).

In Piriapolis, 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 Piriapolis. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Piriapolis receives 248 hours of full sun.

Recife usually gets less rain in October than Piriapolis. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Piriapolis receives 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Spring Average Temperatures October
    Recife 25°C (77°F) 
    Piriapolis 16°C (61°F)

Typical Weather for Piriapolis and Recife

Recife Piriapolis
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 26°C (79°F) 108 mm (4.3 in) 23°C (73°F) 75 mm (3 in)
Feb 26°C (80°F) 148 mm (5.8 in) 22°C (72°F) 85 mm (3.3 in)
Mar 26°C (80°F) 257 mm (10.1 in) 20°C (68°F) 79 mm (3.1 in)
Apr 26°C (79°F) 338 mm (13.3 in) 17°C (63°F) 84 mm (3.3 in)
May 25°C (78°F) 319 mm (12.5 in) 14°C (57°F) 91 mm (3.6 in)
Jun 25°C (77°F) 378 mm (14.9 in) 11°C (52°F) 90 mm (3.5 in)
Jul 24°C (76°F) 388 mm (15.3 in) 10°C (50°F) 90 mm (3.5 in)
Aug 24°C (75°F) 205 mm (8.1 in) 11°C (52°F) 94 mm (3.7 in)
Sep 24°C (76°F) 122 mm (4.8 in) 13°C (55°F) 93 mm (3.7 in)
Oct 25°C (77°F) 63 mm (2.5 in) 16°C (61°F) 85 mm (3.3 in)
Nov 26°C (79°F) 36 mm (1.4 in) 19°C (66°F) 87 mm (3.4 in)
Dec 26°C (79°F) 57 mm (2.2 in) 21°C (70°F) 67 mm (2.6 in)