Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Recife or Santa Elena?
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 Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena?
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.
Santa Elena
Santa Elena is a cute town, and the closest to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It's one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, and is a great place to experience the cloud forest and see some of country's unique wildlife.
In the Monteverde Cloud Forest you have a good chance of seeing rare quetzals which are the national bird of Costa Rica. Other common animals include white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, orange-kneed tarantulas, any of 8-9 species of hummingbirds, and sloth.
Santa Elena is about 1,400 meters above sea level and has a humid and damp environment. The average yearly temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and the average rainfall is 3,000 millimetres. Humidity can be anywhere between 74% and 97%.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil, The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRecife $166Santa Elena $92
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is $92. 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 Santa Elena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $88Santa Elena $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $176Santa Elena $110
Compare Hotels in Recife and Santa Elena
Looking for a hotel in Recife or Santa Elena? 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 $8.47Santa Elena $11
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 Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Peñas Blancas to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $180
- Private Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde to Samara : $269
- Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $270
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Santa Elena?
Prices for flights to both Santa Elena 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 $70Santa Elena $24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Elena
For Santa Elena, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Night Walk in Monteverde with Dinner Included: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $11Santa Elena $30
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
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $25
- Monteverde Butterfly Gardens Tour: $26
- Adventure Day - Outdoor activities for Family and Friends Special Package.: $29
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $30
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour: $30
- Kinkajou Night Walk Tour: $30
- CuriCancha Reserve Admission Ticket: $33
- Curicancha Birdwatching Tour: $34
- Night Adventures in Monteverde: $35
- Natural History Tour - Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve: $35
- Authentic experience of Coffee, Cane and Caco inside the forest: $37
- Regular Guided tour Monteverde Reserve: $38
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -Santa Elena $6.22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Santa Elena, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Santa Elena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Recife is in South America and Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is Santa Elena Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Recife or Santa Elena?
Recife has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Santa Elena experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Recife or Santa Elena in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Recife as well as Santa Elena. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year.
In the summer, Recife is around the same temperature as Santa Elena. Typically, the summer temperatures in Recife in January average around 26°C (79°F), and Santa Elena averages at about 28°C (82°F)in July.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Recife this time of the year. In the summer, Recife often gets more sunshine than Santa Elenain July. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 164 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Santa Elena. Recife receives a lot of rain in the summer. Recife usually gets less rain in January than Santa Elenain July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyRecife 26°C (79°F)Santa Elena 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Recife or Santa Elena in the Autumn?
Both Santa Elena and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Santa Elena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In April, Recife is generally around the same temperature as Santa Elenain October. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 26°C (79°F), and Santa Elena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
Recife usually receives more sunshine than Santa Elena during autumn. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. It's quite rainy in Recife. In April, Recife usually receives more rain than Santa Elenain October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberRecife 26°C (79°F)Santa Elena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Recife or Santa Elena in the Winter?
Both Santa Elena and Recife during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round.
Recife is cooler than Santa Elena in the winter. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 24°C (76°F) in July, and Santa Elena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in January.
In Santa Elena, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Recife often gets less sunshine than Santa Elenain January. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 264 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually gets more rain in July than Santa Elenain January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryRecife 24°C (76°F)Santa Elena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Recife or Santa Elena in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Santa Elena. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the spring, Recife is cooler than Santa Elena. Typically, the spring temperatures in Recife in October average around 25°C (77°F), and Santa Elena averages at about 29°C (85°F)in April.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena during spring. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.
In October, Recife usually receives more rain than Santa Elenain April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilRecife 25°C (77°F)Santa Elena 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for Santa Elena and Recife
| Recife | Santa Elena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 257 mm (10.1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 338 mm (13.3 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 319 mm (12.5 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (77°F) | 378 mm (14.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (76°F) | 388 mm (15.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (76°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 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.