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

Should you visit Recife or Veracruz?

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 Veracruz 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 Veracruz?

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.

Veracruz

Veracruz is the name of both a state and city in the country of Mexico. Locals often call the city "Puerto" (port) in order to differentiate the city from the state. The general area runs along the Gulf of Mexico and encompasses ruins, old colonial cities, lush green mountains, and delicious seafood.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.


Which place is cheaper, Veracruz 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 Veracruz is $122. 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 Veracruz in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Recife $88
    Veracruz $54
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Recife $176
    Veracruz $108
Compare Hotels in Recife and Veracruz

Looking for a hotel in Recife or Veracruz? 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 Veracruz


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 Veracruz Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Recife $8.47
    Veracruz $28

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 Veracruz

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

  • Colima Airport (CLQ) to Colima - Arrival Private Transfer: $14
  • Shared Arrival Transfer: General Heriberto Jara International Airport to Veracruz Hotels: $23
  • Airport Transfer: $25
  • Colima Airport (CLQ) to Colima - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $28
  • Transfer from Veracruz Airport to Hotel in Veracruz Port: $32

Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Veracruz?

Prices for flights to both Veracruz 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
    Veracruz $50

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Recife $11
    Veracruz $15

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 Veracruz

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

  • Hop-On Hop-Off Double-Decker Bus Tour: $7.87
  • Panoramic Sightseeing Tour of Veracruz: $8.00
  • San Juan de Ulua Fortress Skip-the-Line Ticket: $12
  • San Juan de Ulua Fortress of Veracruz Skip-the-Line Ticket: $12
  • Sightseeing City Tour and Aquarium: $22
  • From Nature & Seafood Boat Tour to Madinga: $23
  • 3-hour tour to the San Juan de Ulúa Fortress: $25
  • Sightseeing City Tour and Wax & Ripley´s Museums: $25
  • From San Juan de Ulua Prison Tour: $26
  • Mandinga And Boat Trip Tour: $26
  • Aquatico Inbursa Waterpark: Veracruz - Ticket: $27
  • San Juan De Ulua Tour: $29

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Recife -
    Veracruz $17


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

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


Which is Bigger, Recife or Veracruz?

Recife has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Veracruz. When comparing the sizes of Recife and Veracruz, 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 Veracruz?

Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Recife is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Veracruz has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].

Should I visit Recife or Veracruz in the Summer?

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

Recife is around the same temperature as Veracruz in the summer. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Veracruz fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in July.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Veracruz. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Recife this time of the year. In the summer, Recife often gets more sunshine than Veracruzin July. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Veracruz receives 208 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Veracruz. Recife receives a lot of rain in the summer. Recife usually gets less rain in January than Veracruzin July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Veracruz receives 410 mm (16.1 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures January and July
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    Veracruz 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Recife or Veracruz in the Autumn?

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

In the autumn, Recife is around the same temperature as Veracruz. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Recife in April average around 26°C (79°F), and Veracruz averages at about 26°C (79°F)in October.

Recife usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Veracruz during autumn. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while Veracruz receives 188 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Veracruz. It's quite rainy in Recife. In April, Recife usually receives more rain than Veracruzin October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Veracruz receives 131 mm (5.2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures April and October
    Recife 26°C (79°F) 
    Veracruz 26°C (79°F)

Should I visit Recife or Veracruz in the Winter?

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

In July, Recife is generally a little warmer than Veracruzin January. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 24°C (76°F), and Veracruz fluctuates around 21°C (71°F).

In the winter, Recife often gets more sunshine than Veracruzin January. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Veracruz receives 156 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually gets more rain in July than Veracruzin January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Veracruz receives 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures July and January
    Recife 24°C (76°F) 
    Veracruz 21°C (71°F)

Should I visit Recife or Veracruz in the Spring?

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

Recife is around the same temperature as Veracruz in the spring. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 25°C (77°F) in October, and Veracruz fluctuates around 26°C (78°F)in April.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Veracruz this time of the year. In Recife, it's very sunny this time of the year. Recife usually receives more sunshine than Veracruz during spring. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Veracruz receives 203 hours of full sun in the spring.

In October, Recife usually receives more rain than Veracruzin April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Veracruz receives 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures October and April
    Recife 25°C (77°F) 
    Veracruz 26°C (78°F)

Typical Weather for Veracruz and Recife

Recife Veracruz
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 26°C (79°F) 108 mm (4.3 in) 21°C (71°F) 19 mm (0.7 in)
Feb 26°C (80°F) 148 mm (5.8 in) 22°C (71°F) 16 mm (0.6 in)
Mar 26°C (80°F) 257 mm (10.1 in) 24°C (74°F) 27 mm (1.1 in)
Apr 26°C (79°F) 338 mm (13.3 in) 26°C (78°F) 19 mm (0.7 in)
May 25°C (78°F) 319 mm (12.5 in) 28°C (82°F) 45 mm (1.8 in)
Jun 25°C (77°F) 378 mm (14.9 in) 28°C (82°F) 290 mm (11.4 in)
Jul 24°C (76°F) 388 mm (15.3 in) 27°C (81°F) 410 mm (16.1 in)
Aug 24°C (75°F) 205 mm (8.1 in) 27°C (81°F) 351 mm (13.8 in)
Sep 24°C (76°F) 122 mm (4.8 in) 27°C (81°F) 346 mm (13.6 in)
Oct 25°C (77°F) 63 mm (2.5 in) 26°C (79°F) 131 mm (5.2 in)
Nov 26°C (79°F) 36 mm (1.4 in) 25°C (76°F) 60 mm (2.4 in)
Dec 26°C (79°F) 57 mm (2.2 in) 23°C (73°F) 27 mm (1.1 in)