Which place is cheaper, Salvador or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or Salvador?
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 Salvador 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 Salvador?
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.
Salvador
Salvador de Bahia was the first capital of Brazil, founded by the Portuguese in 1549. Also known as "Brazil's capital of happiness," Salvador is famous for its plentiful and spirited street festivals. The third most populous city in Brazil, Salvador is also well-known for its Afro-Brazilian culture and Portuguese colonial architecture.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil, The Best Luxury Tours to Brazil, and The Best Budget Tours to Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRecife $167Salvador $44
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $167, while the average daily cost in Salvador is $44. 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 Salvador in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $89Salvador $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $178Salvador $48
Compare Hotels in Recife and Salvador
Looking for a hotel in Recife or Salvador? 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 Salvador Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.54Salvador $6.07
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: $45
- Private Transfer from Igarassu to Recife (REC) Airport : $102
- 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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Salvador
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Salvador:
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Bus from Airport$1.18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salvador
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Salvador:
- Shared Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $16
- Arrival or Departure Shared Transfer from Airport to hotels in Salvador: $16
- Transfers: Airport, Hotels, Maritime Terminals, Bus Station.: $23
- Tourism and Transfer Salvador and Morro de São Paulo: $24
- Transfer Salvador Airport / Hotel in Salvador: $24
- Transfer Hotel Litoral Norte / Salvador Airport: $24
- Transfer Salvador Airport / Hotel Litoral Norte: $24
- Transfer Hotel in Salvador / Salvador Airport: $24
- Praia do Forte Shared Transfer From Salvador : $28
- Salvador to Salvador de Bahia Airport: Departure Private Transfer: $29
- Salvador Airport (SSA) to Salvador - Arrival Private Transfer: $29
- Private Transfer from Salvador to Salvador de Bahia Cruise Port: $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Salvador?
Prices for flights to both Salvador 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 $71Salvador $13
Typical Food Prices in Salvador
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Salvador:
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Dinner for 2$1.38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Salvador
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Salvador.
- 9-Recipe Boozy Cooking Class in Salvador: $85
- 9-Recipe Boozy Cooking Class in Salvador: $85
- Private Bahian Cooking Class - An Amazing Experience!: $113
- Private Cooking Experience with local in Salvador: $130
- Salvador by Night: Cultural Dinner and Show: $133
- Cultural Folkloric Show and Dinner in Salvador: $140
- Baiana Cooking Class with Market Visit & Lunch: $154
- Bahia By Night: Dinner and Folkloric show: $195
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11Salvador $5.72
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: $7.73
- Olinda Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.91
- City Tour Recife & Olinda: $27
- Colonial North Coast beaches - Full-Day Tour: $36
- Olinda City Tour and Instituto Ricardo Brennand: $94
- City Tour Recife with Catamaran included: $150
Tours and Activities in Salvador
Here are a few actual costs in Salvador for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Salvador, Vitória & Barra: Scavenger Hunt Self-Guided Tour: $7.73
- Salvador, Pelourinho: Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.73
- Salvador Sights Self Guided Tour (Vitória and Barra): $7.78
- Walking tour historic Pelourinho: $13
- Historic City Tour - Half Day in Salvador: $19
- Panoramic City Tour - Half Day in Salvador: $19
- Full Day Tour to Frades Islands + Itaparica: $22
- Regular Tour to Forte Beach - Leaving Salvador by Bahia Top Turismo: $24
- Salvador Historical City Center Tour: $25
- Bahia 500 Years Historic Tour, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil: $25
- Historic City Tour in Salvador: $25
- Salvador Panoramic City Tour: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -Salvador $5.43
Typical Alcohol Prices in Salvador
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Salvador:
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Beers for 2$1.38
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Drinks$2.76
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Salvador, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Salvador much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Salvador would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salvador 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 Salvador.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is Salvador Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or Salvador?
Salvador has a larger population, and is about 83% larger than the population of Recife. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Salvador, 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 Salvador?
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 Salvador in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Salvador.
In the summer, Recife is around the same temperature as Salvador. Typically, the summer temperatures in Recife in January average around 26°C (79°F), and Salvador averages at about 27°C (81°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Salvador this time of the year. In Recife, it's very sunny this time of the year. Recife usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Salvador during summer. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies, while Salvador receives 246 hours of full sun in the summer.
Salvador receives a lot of rain in the summer. Recife gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Recife usually receives less rain than Salvador. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Salvador receives 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JanuaryRecife 26°C (79°F)Salvador 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Recife or Salvador in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Recife as well as Salvador.
In April, Recife is generally around the same temperature as Salvador. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 26°C (79°F), and Salvador fluctuates around 26°C (80°F).
In the autumn, Recife often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Salvador. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Salvador receives 190 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Salvador. Recife receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Recife usually gets more rain in April than Salvador. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Salvador receives 310 mm (12.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures AprilRecife 26°C (79°F)Salvador 26°C (80°F)
Should I visit Recife or Salvador in the Winter?
Both Salvador and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.
Recife is around the same temperature as Salvador in the winter. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 24°C (76°F) in July, and Salvador fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).
Recife usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Salvador during winter. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies, while Salvador receives 181 hours of full sun in the winter.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Salvador. It's quite rainy in Recife. In July, Recife usually receives more rain than Salvador. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Salvador receives 175 mm (6.9 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JulyRecife 24°C (76°F)Salvador 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit Recife or Salvador in the Spring?
Both Salvador and Recife during the spring are popular places to visit.
In the spring, Recife is around the same temperature as Salvador. Typically, the spring temperatures in Recife in October average around 25°C (77°F), and Salvador averages at about 26°C (78°F).
In Salvador, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Recife. In the spring, Recife often gets more sunshine than Salvador. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Salvador receives 228 hours of full sun.
Salvador gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Recife usually gets less rain in October than Salvador. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Salvador receives 115 mm (4.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures OctoberRecife 25°C (77°F)Salvador 26°C (78°F)
Typical Weather for Salvador and Recife
| Recife | Salvador | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 257 mm (10.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 152 mm (6 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 338 mm (13.3 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 310 mm (12.2 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 319 mm (12.5 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 360 mm (14.2 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (77°F) | 378 mm (14.9 in) | 25°C (76°F) | 244 mm (9.6 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (76°F) | 388 mm (15.3 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 175 mm (6.9 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 127 mm (5 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (76°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 102 mm (4 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 115 mm (4.5 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 143 mm (5.6 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.