Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or San Juan?
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 Juan 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 Juan?
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 Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
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 $166San Juan $192
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $192. 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 Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $88San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $176San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Recife and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Recife or San Juan? 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 Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.47San Juan $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Recife
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Recife:
- Private Transfer from Recife to Carneiros Beach: $114
- Private Transfer from Recife to Tamandare Beach: $114
- Private Transfer from Igarassu to Recife (REC) Airport : $101
- Private Transfer from Recife to Serrambi Beach: $101
- Departure Transfer from Olinda to Recife Airport: $100
- Airport to Maragogi Hotels Private Transfer: $85
- Recife Boat Tour with Transfers: $72
- Airport to Porto de Galinhas Transfer: $65
- Private Transfer from Recife to Olinda: $46
- Private Transfer from Olinda to Recife (REC) Airport: $46
- Instituto Ricardo Brennand with transfers from Recife: $41
- Shared Transfer from Recife to Cabo de Santo Agostinho: $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to San Juan Airport: $22
- Mendoza: One-Way Private Transfer from Airport: $25
- Private Transportation in Puerto Rico From or To San Juan Airport(SJU) Transfers: $33
- San Juan hotels to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Oneway Transfer- San Juan(SJU, hotel, airbnb, port) to Río Grande: $68
- Old Walking Tour with Shopping and Hotel Transfer: $70
- Roundtrip-Transfer from: SJU Airport,Cruises and Hotels in Puerto Rico LuxurySUV: $70
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Tesla Y Luxury SUV, Select Zone: $77
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Tesla S Lux Sedan, Select Zone: $79
- Oneway Transfer San Juan to Ceiba: Ferry, Vieques/Culebra Airport: $80
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Lexus Luxury Sedan, Select Zone: $81
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Ford Premium SUV, Select Zone: $87
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 Juan $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Old San Juan Sunset Food Tour with Drinks: $156
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walk and Food Tour: $159
- City Lights Sky High Dinner Experience: $165
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
- Private Local Food Tour in San Juan: $275
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11San Juan $49
Tours and Activities in Recife
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Recife are as follows:
- City Tour Recife with Catamaran included: $150
- Colonial North Coast beaches - Full-Day Tour: $35
- Olinda City Tour and Instituto Ricardo Brennand: $94
- Olinda Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.82
- Recife (Historic Centre) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- City Tour Recife & Olinda: $27
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Historic Buildings: $5.99
- Discover Old In-App Audio Tour of History: $11
- Self-Guided Tour with Audio Guide: $14
- Group Transportation in airport, cruise ships, hotels, bnb's in San Juan, PR: $20
- Old Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $25
- History, Legends, & Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $30
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- Old San Juan Walking Tour with a Certified Guide: $30
- Old San Juan City Walking Tour: $39
- Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
- Legacy Tour at Casa BarcadÍ in Puerto Rico: $45
- Walking tour of Oaxaca City: $48
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -San Juan $12
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50
When comparing the travel costs between Recife and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Recife is in South America and San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
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 Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or San Juan?
Recife has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Recife and San Juan, 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 Juan?
Recife has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Juan experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Recife or San Juan in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Recife as well as San Juan. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Juan throughout the year.
In January, Recife is generally around the same temperature as San Juanin July. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 26°C (79°F), and San Juan fluctuates around 28°C (83°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Juan. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Recife this time of the year. In the summer, Recife often gets less sunshine than San Juanin July. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 287 hours of full sun.
Recife receives a lot of rain in the summer. Recife usually gets more rain in January than San Juanin July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyRecife 26°C (79°F)San Juan 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit Recife or San Juan in the Autumn?
Both San Juan and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to San Juan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Recife is around the same temperature as San Juan in the autumn. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 26°C (79°F) in April, and San Juan fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in October.
It's quite sunny in San Juan. Recife usually receives less sunshine than San Juan during autumn. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 235 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in San Juan. It's quite rainy in Recife. In April, Recife usually receives more rain than San Juanin October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberRecife 26°C (79°F)San Juan 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Recife or San Juan in the Winter?
Both San Juan and Recife during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Juan year-round.
In the winter, Recife is around the same temperature as San Juan. Typically, the winter temperatures in Recife in July average around 24°C (76°F), and San Juan averages at about 25°C (77°F)in January.
In San Juan, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Recife often gets less sunshine than San Juanin January. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 240 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually gets more rain in July than San Juanin January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryRecife 24°C (76°F)San Juan 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Recife or San Juan in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and San Juan. San Juan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In October, Recife is generally around the same temperature as San Juanin April. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 25°C (77°F), and San Juan fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Juan this time of the year. In Recife, it's very sunny this time of the year. Recife usually receives less sunshine than San Juan during spring. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 272 hours of full sun in the spring.
In October, Recife usually receives less rain than San Juanin April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilRecife 25°C (77°F)San Juan 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for San Juan and Recife
| Recife | San Juan | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.