Which place is cheaper, San Ignacio or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or San Ignacio?
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 San Ignacio 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 San Ignacio?
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.
San Ignacio
So you want a tropical getaway, but also don't want to lay around with nothing to do. You want an adventure! You want relaxation and exploration.
You want to visit the small town of San Ignacio, Belize.
This section of the Cayo region is really more of a jungle than a typical Belize beach getaway. Located close the ancient Mayan ruins on the western and inland side of Belize, this town is most popular for its many outdoor adventures including hiking, climbing, and caving!
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Belize, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRecife $166San Ignacio $72
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in San Ignacio is $72. 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 San Ignacio in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $88San Ignacio $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $176San Ignacio $38
Compare Hotels in Recife and San Ignacio
Looking for a hotel in Recife or San Ignacio? 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 San Ignacio Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.47San Ignacio $3.11
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Ignacio
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Ignacio:
- From Van Transfer To Flores Peten in Guatemala: $20
- San Ignacio Hotel to Belize City Transfer: $20
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or San Ignacio?
Prices for flights to both San Ignacio 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 $70San Ignacio $21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Ignacio
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Ignacio.
- Xunantunich & Food Tour with local chocolate experience: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11San Ignacio $100
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 San Ignacio
Here are a few actual costs in San Ignacio for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Xunantunich Maya Site with Local Tour guide: $65
- Xunantunich & Adventure Horse Ride: $75
- Xunantunich Mayan Ruins Tour from San Ignacio: $75
- Half-Day Cave Canoeing Adventure: $75
- From Xunantunich Mayan Tour & Optional Combos: $75
- Cave Canoeing with Local Tour Guide: $80
- Cave Tubing with local tour Guide and Belizean Lunch: $90
- Farm Ride plus Xunantunich tour: $90
- Belize Cave Tubing Adventure from San Ignacio: $90
- Xunantunich horseback riding tour: $100
- Full-Day Mountain Pine Ridge Tour from San Ignacio with Lunch: $100
- Private Tour:Xunantunich Mayan Ruin from San Ignacio: $103
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -San Ignacio $17
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and San Ignacio, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is San Ignacio much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Recife is in South America and San Ignacio 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 San Ignacio would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Ignacio 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 San Ignacio.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is San Ignacio Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or San Ignacio?
Recife has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of San Ignacio. When comparing the sizes of Recife and San Ignacio, 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 San Ignacio?
Recife has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Ignacio experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Recife or San Ignacio in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and San Ignacio. San Ignacio attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Recife is around the same temperature as San Ignacio in the summer. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and San Ignacio fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in July.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Ignacio this time of the year. In Recife, it's very sunny this time of the year. Recife usually receives more sunshine than San Ignacio during summer. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies, while San Ignacio receives 226 hours of full sun in the summer.
San Ignacio 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 San Ignacioin July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while San Ignacio receives 243 mm (9.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyRecife 26°C (79°F)San Ignacio 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Recife or San Ignacio in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Recife as well as San Ignacio. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Ignacio throughout the year.
In the autumn, Recife is around the same temperature as San Ignacio. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Recife in April average around 26°C (79°F), and San Ignacio averages at about 26°C (80°F)in October.
In the autumn, Recife often gets around the same amount of sunshine as San Ignacioin October. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Ignacio receives 196 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in San Ignacio. Recife receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Recife usually gets more rain in April than San Ignacioin October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while San Ignacio receives 255 mm (10 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberRecife 26°C (79°F)San Ignacio 26°C (80°F)
Should I visit Recife or San Ignacio in the Winter?
Both San Ignacio and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to San Ignacio because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In July, Recife is generally around the same temperature as San Ignacioin January. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 24°C (76°F), and San Ignacio fluctuates around 24°C (74°F).
Recife usually receives less sunshine than San Ignacio during winter. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies, while San Ignacio receives 199 hours of full sun in the winter.
It rains a lot this time of the year in San Ignacio. It's quite rainy in Recife. In July, Recife usually receives more rain than San Ignacioin January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while San Ignacio receives 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryRecife 24°C (76°F)San Ignacio 24°C (74°F)
Should I visit Recife or San Ignacio in the Spring?
Both San Ignacio and Recife during the spring are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Ignacio year-round.
Recife is around the same temperature as San Ignacio in the spring. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 25°C (77°F) in October, and San Ignacio fluctuates around 27°C (80°F)in April.
In San Ignacio, 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 San Ignacioin April. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Ignacio receives 256 hours of full sun.
Recife usually gets more rain in October than San Ignacioin April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while San Ignacio receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilRecife 25°C (77°F)San Ignacio 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for San Ignacio and Recife
| Recife | San Ignacio | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 24°C (74°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 257 mm (10.1 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 25 mm (1 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 338 mm (13.3 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 319 mm (12.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (77°F) | 378 mm (14.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 258 mm (10.2 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (76°F) | 388 mm (15.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 243 mm (9.6 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 187 mm (7.4 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (76°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 287 mm (11.3 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 255 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 183 mm (7.2 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 25°C (76°F) | 138 mm (5.4 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.