A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Recife vs. Tena for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Recife or Tena?

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 Tena 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 Tena?

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.

Tena

Tena is the capital of the Napo Province, an attractive and quiet city in the Amazon rainforest, and is known as the "cinnamon capital" of Ecuador. Tena has a friendly population, lots of backpacker infrastructure, a gorgeous setting surrounded by jungle-covered hills and a high concentration of surrounding rivers where white-water lovers from around the world come to paddle and kayak. The town provides a gateway to exploration into Ecuador's most accessible part of the great Amazon rainforest, which does not leave visitors disappointed. Beyond being a base for discovering the jungle and its wildlife, Tena is also a hub for adventure sports which are abundant in the area. Tena is a charming place where many travelers find themselves hanging around quite happily before or after a trip into the rainforest.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Brazil, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best G Adventures Tours to Colombia, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bogota.


Which place is cheaper, Tena or Recife?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $170, while the average daily cost in Tena is $50. 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 Tena in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Recife $90
    Tena $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Recife $180
    Tena $46
Compare Hotels in Recife and Tena

Looking for a hotel in Recife or Tena? 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.

Hotels in Recife


Hotels in Tena


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Recife $8.66
    Tena $16

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Recife

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Recife:

  • Departure Transfer from Olinda to Recife Airport: $100
  • Private Transfer from Igarassu to Recife (REC) Airport : $102
  • Private Transfer from Olinda to Recife (REC) Airport: $46
  • Recife Boat Tour with Transfers: $72
  • Airport to Maragogi Hotels Private Transfer: $85
  • Airport to Porto de Galinhas Transfer: $65

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tena

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tena:

  • Transfer in Private Car from Bucaramanga Palonegro Airport (BGA) to Bucaramanga: $15
  • Round trip transfer in Private Car from-to Palonegro Airport(BGA) to Bucaramanga: $29
  • Transfer in Private Car from Medellin ariport (MDE)- Guatape: $34
  • San Andres hotels to San Andres Airport (ADZ) Departure Transfer: $36
  • Transfer in private minivan Medellin airport (MDE)- Guatape: $42
  • Roundtrip transfer Private Car Medellin airport (MDE)- Guatape: $68
  • Private Transfer from Villavieja to San Agustín: $150
  • Popayan to Cali Private Transfer: $272

Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Tena?

Prices for flights to both Tena 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Recife $72
    Tena $15

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Recife $12
    Tena $14

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: $7.80
  • Olinda Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.97
  • City Tour Recife & Olinda: $27
  • Colonial North Coast beaches - Full-Day Tour: $36
  • City Tour Recife with Catamaran included: $150

Tours and Activities in Tena

Here are a few actual costs in Tena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Full Day Adventure to the Páramo de Ocetá from Mongui: $20
  • Colonial Guaduas Tour: $43
  • Unique experience flying paragliding: $50
  • Gastronomic Private Walking Tour in Popayán: $50
  • Popayan Gastronomic Wonders and City Tour: $63
  • Private Guided Tour to Piedra Colgada and Indian Face and Lagoon: $75
  • Coffee Tour Daytrip at Finca La Manchuria - Exclusive Experience.: $80
  • Tour to Puracé National Natural Park: $93
  • ATV Tour Bogotá : $120
  • Full Day Tour to Rock Paintings in Cerro Azul Guaviare: $130
  • Scuba Diving Private Tour in San Andres: $132
  • Enjoy a Coffee Tour & Santa Fe de Antioquia Colonial Town!!: $135

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Recife -
    Tena $10


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Tena, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Tena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tena 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 Tena.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Recife Expensive? and Is Tena Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Recife or Tena?

Recife has a larger population, and is about 2120 times larger than the population of Tena. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Tena, 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.