Which place is cheaper, Ilha Grande or Rio de Janeiro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Rio de Janeiro or Ilha Grande?
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 Ilha Grande 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 Ilha Grande?
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.
Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande is a large, beautiful, island located off the southeast coast of Brazil. The island has few inhabitants, resulting in mostly unadulterated beaches and landscapes. There are over a dozen trails and beaches to explore, some of which have been called the best beaches in Brazil. Due to the limited number of inhabitants, ATMs are sparse on the island, so be sure to have cash with you before getting there.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Brazil, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Brazil, The Best 2-Week Tours in Brazil, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRio de Janeiro $99Ilha Grande $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Rio de Janeiro is $99, while the average daily cost in Ilha Grande is $64. 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 Ilha Grande in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRio de Janeiro $62Ilha Grande $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRio de Janeiro $124Ilha Grande $70
Compare Hotels in Rio de Janeiro and Ilha Grande
Looking for a hotel in Rio de Janeiro or Ilha Grande? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rio de Janeiro $7.47Ilha Grande $17
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$2.75
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- Visit to Madureira Park in Rio de Janeiro with Transfer: $66
- Transfers Rio x Buzios and the lake region.: $155
- Transfer to GIG or SDU International Airport in Rio de Janeiro: $26
- Transfer service from/to Rio de Janeiro-Embarkation for Ilha Grande: $80
- Transfer service from / to Rio - Barra da Tijuca Airports: $24
- Transfer service from / to Porto Maravilha - Zona Sul: $17
- Transfer service from / to International Airport (GIG) - Zona Sul: $20
- Transfer service from / to Buzios / Arraial do Cabo / Cabo Frio: $71
- Transfer in Rio: $35
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Rio de Janeiro City Center -Airport (SDU): $15
- Transfer from Rio de Janeiro Galeao International Airport: $30
- Transfer Rio x Búzios: $64
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande
Also for Ilha Grande, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $56
- From Angra dos Reis: Speedboat Transfer to Araçatiba: $25
- From Araçatiba: Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $25
- From Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $43
- From Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $25
- From Rio de Janeiro:Shared Roundtrip Transfer to Araçatiba: $97
- Private Transfer Angra dos Reis to Rio de Janeiro: $91
- Private Transfer from Angra dos Reis to Airport GIG in Rio : $174
- Private Transfer from GIG to anywhere in the City Angra dos Reis: $174
- Regular Transfer Angra dos Reis x Rio de Janeiro and Airports: $34
Is it cheaper to fly into Rio de Janeiro or Ilha Grande?
Prices for flights to both Ilha Grande 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 $19Ilha Grande $19
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$0.55
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Corn on the Cob$0.73
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Hamburger$0.92
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 & Live Music Experience: $50
- Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local: $61
- Barra da Tijuca Food Tour with Drinks: $66
- Rio's Walking Food Tour: $77
- THE BEST FOOD TOUR: $81
- Food Tour Experience in Rio de Janeiro - Private Tour: $86
- On the Beach Seafood BBQ Cooking Class: $105
- Rio Scenarium Entrance, Dinner, and Open Bar: $115
- Brazilian Cooking Class: $129
- Brazilian Cooking Class in Copacabana with Hotel Pickup: $140
- Rio: Ginga Tropical Folkloric Show & Optional Dinner: $142
- Samba Show Ginga Tropical with Optional Dinner : $143
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Rio de Janeiro $20Ilha Grande $6.20
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- A Day in Arraial do Cabo Guided Tour: $86
- Ilha Grande Tour Full day - Rio de Janeiro by Rio Eco Trip: $105
- One Day Guided Tour in Rio de Janeiro: $68
- #ClimbVidigal - Favela Day Tour with photos and videos: $420
- 1 hour Hang Gliding Paragliding Full Package experience in Rio : $161
- 14 - Guided Tour to Quadra Do Salgueiro with Samba Show: $75
- 15 - Guided Tour to Santa Marta Favela: $150
- 16 - Guided Tour to Favela da Rocinha: $75
- 20 - Guided Tour to AquaRio and Olympic Boulevard: $120
- 25 - Full Day Tour to Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande: $62
- 3 Hour Boat Tour in Rio de Janeiro: $62
- 3 Hour Rocinha Favela Walking Tour with a Local Guide : $37
Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande
For Ilha Grande, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $20
- Ilha Grande - From Abrãao: Lopes Mendes beach tour & trekking: $25
- Walking Abraão Historical Tour and Natural Pool: $33
- Half-Day Ilha Grande Schooner Tour: $40
- Tour Of The Motorboat The Paradisiac Islands Of Angra Dos Reis: $41
- Schooner Cruise with Caipirinha drinks by the Blue Lagoon: $50
- Angra dos Reis with Speedboat Tour and Paradise Islands: $58
- Rio de Janeiro: Ilha Grande with Boat Tour & Optional Lunch: $58
- Ilha Grande - Private Historical Walking Tour with Natural Pool.: $60
- Angra Dos Reis Daily Tour To Paradise. Boat Trip Lunch And Fruits Included: $65
- Full-Day Ilha Grande Northern Coast Speedboat Tour: $67
- From Rio: Full-Day Angra dos Reis Cruise & Island Tour: $70
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRio de Janeiro $11Ilha Grande $9.94
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:
- Pub Crawl Lapa: $23
- Rio: Pub Crawl in Lapa with Cachaça Tasting and Live Samba: $23
- Rio: Lapa Pub Crawl with Live Samba, Shots, & Drinking Game: $24
- Walking tour + Pub crawl + Samba in Lapa: $33
- Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $40
- Brazilian Wine Tasting Evening: $110
- Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $119
- Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $125
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rio de Janeiro and Ilha Grande, we can see that Rio de Janeiro is more expensive. And not only is Ilha Grande much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ilha Grande would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ilha Grande 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 Ilha Grande.
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 Ilha Grande Expensive?.
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.