Which place is cheaper, Ponce or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or Ponce?
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 Ponce 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 Ponce?
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.
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRecife $166Ponce $205
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $205. 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 Ponce in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $88Ponce $151
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $176Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in Recife and Ponce
Looking for a hotel in Recife or Ponce? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.47Ponce $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Recife
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Recife:
- Shared Transfer from Recife to Cabo de Santo Agostinho: $33
- Instituto Ricardo Brennand with transfers from Recife: $41
- Private Transfer from Olinda to Recife (REC) Airport: $46
- Private Transfer from Recife to Olinda: $46
- Airport to Porto de Galinhas Transfer: $65
- Recife Boat Tour with Transfers: $72
- Airport to Maragogi Hotels Private Transfer: $85
- Departure Transfer from Olinda to Recife Airport: $100
- Private Transfer from Recife to Serrambi Beach: $101
- Private Transfer from Igarassu to Recife (REC) Airport : $101
- Private Transfer from Recife to Carneiros Beach: $114
- Private Transfer from Recife to Tamandare Beach: $114
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
- Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
- San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
- San Juan hotels to San Juan PR Cruise Port - Departure Transfer: $46
- San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
- San juan Puerto Rico PrivateTransfers Airport,Hotels,Cruise Ports: $60
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
- Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Ponce?
Prices for flights to both Ponce 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 $70Ponce $35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Food Tour : $130
- Private San Juan Cooking Class with a Local Expert: $146
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11Ponce $56
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: $7.65
- Olinda Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.82
- 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
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Talking Buildings of Old San Juan: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Footsteps in San Juan Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $17
- Private Sunset Walking Tour in San Juan: $25
- Old San Juan Tour (1 Hour) by DUHO: $25
- Salsa Tours PR Sunset Salsa Beach Class in San Juan, Puerto Rico : $29
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- Guided Walking Tour in Ponce: $30
- Guided City Walking Tour: $32
- La Perla Cultural Tour: $35
- Historic Old San Juan Sunset Walking Tour: $39
- Bio Bay Boat Tour with Swimming from La Parguera, Puerto Rico: $50
- Turtle spotting snorkeling adventure- no Jets : $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -Ponce $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Ponce
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Local Puerto Rican Rum Distillery Tour - Ron Pepon: $90
- Rum Distillery and Old San Juan Tour: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Ponce, we can see that Ponce is more expensive. And not only is Recife much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Recife is in South America and Ponce 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 Recife would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Recife 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 Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce than you might in Recife.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is Ponce Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or Ponce?
Recife has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Ponce. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Ponce, 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 Ponce?
Recife has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Ponce experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Recife or Ponce in the Summer?
Both Ponce and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Ponce because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Recife is around the same temperature as Ponce in the summer. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Ponce fluctuates around 28°C (83°F)in July.
It's quite sunny in Ponce. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually receives less sunshine than Ponce during summer. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies, while Ponce receives 287 hours of full sun in the summer.
It's quite rainy in Recife. In January, Recife usually receives more rain than Poncein July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyRecife 26°C (79°F)Ponce 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit Recife or Ponce in the Autumn?
Both Ponce and Recife during the autumn are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ponce year-round.
In the autumn, Recife is around the same temperature as Ponce. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Recife in April average around 26°C (79°F), and Ponce averages at about 28°C (82°F)in October.
In Ponce, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, Recife often gets less sunshine than Poncein October. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ponce receives 235 hours of full sun.
Ponce gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually gets more rain in April than Poncein October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberRecife 26°C (79°F)Ponce 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Recife or Ponce in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Ponce. Ponce attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In July, Recife is generally around the same temperature as Poncein January. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 24°C (76°F), and Ponce fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Ponce this time of the year. Recife usually receives less sunshine than Ponce during winter. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies, while Ponce receives 240 hours of full sun in the winter.
Recife gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Recife usually receives more rain than Poncein January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryRecife 24°C (76°F)Ponce 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Recife or Ponce in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Recife as well as Ponce. The warm climate attracts visitors to Ponce throughout the year.
Recife is around the same temperature as Ponce in the spring. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 25°C (77°F) in October, and Ponce fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in April.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Ponce. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Recife this time of the year. In the spring, Recife often gets less sunshine than Poncein April. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ponce receives 272 hours of full sun.
Recife usually gets less rain in October than Poncein April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilRecife 25°C (77°F)Ponce 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for Ponce and Recife
| Recife | Ponce | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 257 mm (10.1 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 338 mm (13.3 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 319 mm (12.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (77°F) | 378 mm (14.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (76°F) | 388 mm (15.3 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (76°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 92 mm (3.6 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.