Which place is cheaper, Roatan or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or Roatan?
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 Roatan 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 Roatan?
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.
Roatan
Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, and The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRecife $166Roatan $38
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in Roatan is $38. 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 Roatan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $88Roatan $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $176Roatan $22
Compare Hotels in Recife and Roatan
Looking for a hotel in Recife or Roatan? 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 Roatan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.47Roatan $19
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$4.26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- Transfers to West End by night from hotels in West Bay or Sandy Bay: $15
- Honduras Airport(RTB) to Honduras -Arrival Private Transfer: $38
- Roatan Island hotels to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Honduras to Honduras Airport (RTB)-Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Round trip transfers from airport or ferry to hotel: $40
- Chocolate Factory, Rum Factory, Markets, Island Tour, Private Transfer: $50
- AJ's Sloth & Monkeys Family Excursion, City Tour & Private Transfer: $57
- Roatan Private Sloths, Monkeys, Birds Encounters, City Tour and Transfer: $60
- Roatan Sun & Fun, Sloths & Monkeys, Beach & Private Transfer: $63
- Mayan Eden Eco Park, Chocolate Factory & Transfer: $65
- West Bay Beach, Chocolate, & Rum Factory & Transfer: $67
- Mayan Eden Eco Wildlife Park, City Tour & Private Transfer: $67
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Roatan?
Prices for flights to both Roatan 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 $70Roatan $9.43
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Tiki Boat Sunset Cruise in Roatan with Snorkeling and Dinner : $100
- Cooking classes from a Local!: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11Roatan $27
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 Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Shore Excursion: Roatan VIP Customizable Island Tour: $35
- Half Day Roatan Sightseeing and Jungle Island Tour: $41
- Eco-Walk Nature Tour: $41
- Private Tour in Roatan with Pick Up: $44
- Customizable Best Of Roatan Island Tour in Honduras: $45
- Shore Excursion: Private Half-Day Sightseen Tour and Beach: $45
- Monkeys and Sloth Hang Out with Island Tour in Roatan: $49
- Monkeys & sloth hangout,Chocolate Factory,Rum Factory, island tour/Beach : $49
- Roatan City Tour-Viewpoints, Landmarks, Chocolate and Rum Tasting: $50
- Guided Tour to Discover Roatán Starting from the Center: $50
- Goodman's Island Style Roatan Highlights Tour: $50
- Roatan Shore Excursion: Kayak Harbor Adventure and Reef Snorkel: $51
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -Roatan $7.07
Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:
- Half-Day Tour in Roatan With Brewery, Rum and Chocolate Factories visit: $46
- Bar Crawl Tour in West End Village by Pedibike- Let the Good Times Roll: $80
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Roatan, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Roatan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Recife is in South America and Roatan is in Central America, 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 Roatan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Roatan 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 Roatan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is Roatan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or Roatan?
Recife has a larger population, and is about 200 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Roatan, 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.
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.