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

Should you visit Recife or Ushuaia?

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 Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia?

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.

Ushuaia

Ushuaia is a city on the Tierra del Fuego island of Argentina on the Beagle Strait. The city is considered to be one of the southernmost cities in the world and is often used as a base for cruises to Antarctica. Ushuaia's close proximity to Antarctica and their amazing hiking trails have made it a popular tourist destination over the past few decades.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best Luxury Tours to Brazil, The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, and The Best Eco Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Ushuaia or Recife?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $166, while the average daily cost in Ushuaia is $11. 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 Ushuaia in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Recife $88
    Ushuaia $5.64
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Recife $176
    Ushuaia $11
Compare Hotels in Recife and Ushuaia

Looking for a hotel in Recife or Ushuaia? 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 Ushuaia


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 Ushuaia Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Recife $8.47
    Ushuaia -

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

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ushuaia

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Ushuaia are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.03

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ushuaia

Also for Ushuaia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Ushuaia Airport Shared Transfer: $7.25
  • Ushuaia Airport Shared Transfer: $7.48
  • Shared One-way Airport Transfer: $10
  • Ushuaia Airport Arrival Transfer: $10
  • Transfer from the airport to the hotel in shared service: $19
  • Ushuaia Airport(USH) to Ushuaia hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
  • Ushuaia city to Ushuaia Airport(USH) - Departure Private Transfer: $23
  • Private Transfer from Ushuaia Airport (USH) to Ushuaia Port : $25
  • Private Transfer from Ushuaia Port to Ushuaia Airport (USH): $25
  • Transfer Cerro Castor (Round Trip): $25
  • Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Ushuaia): $27
  • Private Transfer from Ushuaia Cruise Port to Ushuaia Airport(USH): $28

Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Ushuaia?

Prices for flights to both Ushuaia 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 $70
    Ushuaia $2.18

Typical Food Prices in Ushuaia

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ushuaia:


  • Lunch for Two
    $0.06

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ushuaia

For Ushuaia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Ushuaia at night: A Snow and Fire dinner, sledding and adventure: $280

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Recife $11
    Ushuaia $13

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: $7.86
  • Recife (Historic Centre) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.68
  • City Tour Recife & Olinda: $27

Tours and Activities in Ushuaia

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ushuaia.

  • Panoramic City Train Tour: $10
  • Guided Tour of the City of Ushuaia: $20
  • Exploring Double Decker Bus Tour: $22
  • Double-Decker Sightseeing Tour: $24
  • Ushuaia City Tour: $26
  • Ushuaia City Half-Day Tour: $31
  • An Hour Tour in the City of Ushuaia: $32
  • City Tour of Ushuaia: $42
  • Beagle Channel & Sea Wolves Island Catamaran Cruise: $45
  • End of the World Train Ticket: $45
  • Half-Day Tierra del Fuego National Park (NOT CRUISE): $59
  • Escondido & Fagnano Lake Tour: $60

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Recife -
    Ushuaia -

Typical Alcohol Prices in Ushuaia

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Ushuaia are as follows:


  • Wine
    $0.05
  • Beer
    $0.01


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

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


Which is Bigger, Recife or Ushuaia?

Recife has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Ushuaia. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Ushuaia, 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 Ushuaia?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.

Should I visit Recife or Ushuaia in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Recife as well as Ushuaia.

In January, Recife is generally much warmer than Ushuaia. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 26°C (79°F), and Ushuaia fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Recife this time of the year. In the summer, Recife often gets more sunshine than Ushuaia. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ushuaia receives 169 hours of full sun.

Recife receives a lot of rain in the summer. Recife usually gets more rain in January than Ushuaia. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures January
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    Ushuaia 10°C (50°F)

Should I visit Recife or Ushuaia in the Autumn?

Both Ushuaia and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.

Recife is much warmer than Ushuaia in the autumn. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 26°C (79°F) in April, and Ushuaia fluctuates around 6°C (43°F).

Recife usually receives more sunshine than Ushuaia during autumn. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while Ushuaia receives 74 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It's quite rainy in Recife. In April, Recife usually receives more rain than Ushuaia. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures April
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    Ushuaia 6°C (43°F)

Should I visit Recife or Ushuaia in the Winter?

Both Ushuaia and Recife during the winter are popular places to visit.

The weather in Ushuaia can be very cold. In the winter, Recife is much warmer than Ushuaia. Typically, the winter temperatures in Recife in July average around 24°C (76°F), and Ushuaia averages at about 2°C (36°F).

In the winter, Recife often gets more sunshine than Ushuaia. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ushuaia receives 61 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually gets more rain in July than Ushuaia. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures July
    Recife 24°C (76°F) 
    Ushuaia 2°C (36°F)

Should I visit Recife or Ushuaia in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Ushuaia.

In October, Recife is generally much warmer than Ushuaia. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 25°C (77°F), and Ushuaia fluctuates around 6°C (43°F).

In Recife, it's very sunny this time of the year. Recife usually receives more sunshine than Ushuaia during spring. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Ushuaia receives 156 hours of full sun in the spring.

In October, Recife usually receives more rain than Ushuaia. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures October
    Recife 25°C (77°F) 
    Ushuaia 6°C (43°F)

Typical Weather for Ushuaia and Recife

Recife Ushuaia
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 26°C (79°F) 108 mm (4.3 in) 10°C (50°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)
Feb 26°C (80°F) 148 mm (5.8 in) 10°C (50°F) 30 mm (1.2 in)
Mar 26°C (80°F) 257 mm (10.1 in) 8°C (46°F) 30 mm (1.2 in)
Apr 26°C (79°F) 338 mm (13.3 in) 6°C (43°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)
May 25°C (78°F) 319 mm (12.5 in) 3°C (37°F) 30 mm (1.2 in)
Jun 25°C (77°F) 378 mm (14.9 in) 1°C (34°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)
Jul 24°C (76°F) 388 mm (15.3 in) 2°C (36°F) 30 mm (1.2 in)
Aug 24°C (75°F) 205 mm (8.1 in) 2°C (36°F) 30 mm (1.2 in)
Sep 24°C (76°F) 122 mm (4.8 in) 4°C (39°F) 20 mm (0.8 in)
Oct 25°C (77°F) 63 mm (2.5 in) 6°C (43°F) 30 mm (1.2 in)
Nov 26°C (79°F) 36 mm (1.4 in) 8°C (46°F) 20 mm (0.8 in)
Dec 26°C (79°F) 57 mm (2.2 in) 9°C (48°F) 30 mm (1.2 in)