Which place is cheaper, Antigua Guatemala or Rio de Janeiro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Rio de Janeiro or Antigua Guatemala?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Rio de Janeiro and Antigua Guatemala 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: Rio de Janeiro or Antigua Guatemala?
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.
Antigua Guatemala
Before a disastrous earthquake in 1773, Antigua was the colonial capital of Guatemala. For 200 years it had reigned as so and today shows remnants of its glorious past with Spanish colonial buildings and other architectural landmarks still standing. Due to this large amount of preserved architecture, Antigua was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is now the most touristed city of Guatemala.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Rio de Janeiro, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala.
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Rio de Janeiro Prices
Brazil PricesAntigua Guatemala Prices
Guatemala Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRio de Janeiro $115Antigua Guatemala $74
The average daily cost (per person) in Rio de Janeiro is $115, while the average daily cost in Antigua Guatemala is $74. 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 Rio de Janeiro and Antigua Guatemala in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRio de Janeiro $64Antigua Guatemala $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRio de Janeiro $128Antigua Guatemala $44
Compare Hotels in Rio de Janeiro and Antigua Guatemala
Looking for a hotel in Rio de Janeiro or Antigua Guatemala? 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: Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices and Antigua Guatemala Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rio de Janeiro $7.65Antigua Guatemala $12
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
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Taxi Ride$2.82
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- TRANSFER VAN Rio de Janeiro x Búzios/Arraial do Cabo/Cabo Frio: $282
- Private Transfer From Rio De Janeiro to Buzios: $249
- Private Bilingual Transfer Angra dos Reis, Búzios or Paraty: $242
- TRANSFER - CLUB MED Rio: $225
- Private transfer Rio de Janeiro x Nova Friburgo: $222
- Buzios Private Transfer to and from Rio de Janeiro: $200
- TRANSFER 4 Passengers: Búzios/Angra dos Reis/Arraial do Cabo/Cabo Frio.: $200
- Transfers Rio X Buzios : $184
- Private Rio de Janeiro Layover Transfer & Tour from Airport: $180
- Private Transfer from Rio de Janeiro cruise port to Rio de Janeiro city: $172
- Rio to Buzios Private Transfer - by Alan Denis: $170
- Private Transfer from Cabo Frio Port to Rio de Janeiro hotels: $166
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Antigua Guatemala
Also for Antigua Guatemala, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Ground Transfer From Antigua To Guatemala City Airport: $25
- Private Transfer From Antigua to Panajachel Atitlan: $66
- Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to La Aurora Airport: $25
- Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to Panajachel: $65
- Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to Puerto Quetzal Port: $185
- Private Transfer from Antigua to La Aurora Airport: $28
- Private Transfer from Antigua to the Airport: $90
- Shared Transfer From Antigua to Panajachel (Atitlan): $27
Is it cheaper to fly into Rio de Janeiro or Antigua Guatemala?
Prices for flights to both Antigua Guatemala and Rio de Janeiro 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 dayRio de Janeiro $34Antigua Guatemala $25
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:
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Popcorn$0.56
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Corn on the Cob$0.75
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Hamburger$0.94
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.
- Waterfront Dinner and Live Music in Rio de Janeiro: $46
- Hands-On Cooking Class in Rio: Iconic Street Foods & Caipirinhas: $75
- Authentic Brazilian BBQ & Wine: A Guided Dinner Experience in Rio: $79
- Roxy Show - Brazilian Rhythms with optional Barbecue Dinner: $85
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Family Cooking Class in Rio Make 9 Brazilian Dishes Together: $95
- LGBTQ+ Cooking Class in Rio: Cook, Toast & Celebrate Together: $95
- Brazilian BBQ Cooking & Drinks Class + Patio Party in Copacabana: $95
- Dinner and Show at the Official Roxy Dinner Show - Rio de Janeiro: $122
- Brazilian Dinner Show: Cultural Experience in Rio de Janeiro: $126
- Samba Show Admission & Transfer with Dinner Option: $130
- Flavors of Cooking Class and Caipirinhas: $130
Typical Food Prices in Antigua Guatemala
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Antigua Guatemala:
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Lunch$3.26
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Lunch$7.82
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antigua Guatemala
For Antigua Guatemala, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Taste of Guatemala,Walking Food Tour in Antigua Guatemala : $50
- Antigua Street Food Tour : $65
- Private Cooking Class of Typical Guatemalan Dishes: $70
- Local Street Food Tour of Antigua: $75
- Street Food Tour Around Antigua: $80
- Guatemalan Cooking Class & Market Tour: $85
- Private Pacaya Volcano Hike & Optional Pizza Experience: $85
- Guatemalan Cooking Class and Market Tour: $85
- Authentic Guatemalan Cooking Class in Antigua: $90
- Foodie & Street Food Tour in Antigua: $95
- Guatemalan Cooking Class and Market Tour: $98
- The Culinary Antigua Food Tour: $116
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Rio de Janeiro $21Antigua Guatemala $15
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Day Tour from Rio de Janeiro, Corcovado and Arraial do Cabo: $180
- A Day in Arraial do Cabo Guided Tour: $77
- Favelas do Vidigal or Rocinha's experience: $23
- Ilha Grande Tour Full day - Rio de Janeiro by Rio Eco Trip: $105
- One Day Guided Tour in Rio de Janeiro: $165
- Samba Backstage Tour: Go Behind-the-Scenes of Carnival: $159
- 1 Day Discovery Tour NO Rio DE Janeiro: $192
- 1 day tour Rio de Janeiro to Christ and Cable car and much more: $115
- 10 Hours Private City Tour in Rio de Janeiro - Chartered Tour: $300
- 2 Days Tour in City Tour Express and Arraial do Cabo: $168
- 2 Days in Rio: Cultural & Ecologic Tours: $290
- 3 Hour Rocinha Favela Walking Tour with a Local Guide : $42
Tours and Activities in Antigua Guatemala
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Antigua Guatemala.
- Antigua Walking Tour: $23
- Colonial Antigua Afternoon Walking Tour: $25
- Guided Walking Tour Legends of Antigua Guatemala: $25
- Antigua Walking Tour: $25
- Walking Tour of the Wonders of La Antigua Guatemala: $25
- Antigua Guatemala Walking Tour History Architecture & Facades: $29
- Coffee Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $30
- Coffee Tour Adventure Antigua Guatemala: $30
- Antigua Sightseeing: Private Walking Tour Culture and History: $30
- Antigua Guatemala Walking Group Tour: $30
- Walking Tour Antigua, an open Museum: $32
- Guided Walking Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRio de Janeiro $12Antigua Guatemala $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:
- Petropolis City Tour with Imperial Museum and Optional Lunch & Bohemia Brewery: $40
- Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $40
- Rio Pub Crawl: Taste Caipirinhas & Local Bar Snacks: $95
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
Sample the Local Flavors in Antigua Guatemala
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Antigua Guatemala:
- Antigua Bar Crawl: $26
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rio de Janeiro and Antigua Guatemala, we can see that Rio de Janeiro is more expensive. And not only is Antigua Guatemala much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Rio de Janeiro is in South America and Antigua Guatemala 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 Antigua Guatemala would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Antigua Guatemala 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 Rio de Janeiro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rio de Janeiro than you might in Antigua Guatemala.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive? and Is Antigua Guatemala Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rio de Janeiro or Antigua Guatemala?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 150 times larger than the population of Antigua Guatemala. When comparing the sizes of Rio de Janeiro and Antigua Guatemala, 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.
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.