A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Rio de Janeiro vs. Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Rio de Janeiro or Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)?

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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) 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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)?

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.

Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)

An island of the Caribbean Netherlands, St. Eustatius, sometimes called Statia, is a small, relatively unknown destination to the greater tourist areas of the Caribbean. As a result, however, it is its own treasure consisting of a dormant volcano known as the Quill and featuring a lush rainforest, narrow volcanic beaches, many dive sites, and a quaint harbor town.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Brazil, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Brazil.


Which place is cheaper, Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or Rio de Janeiro?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Rio de Janeiro is $105, while the average daily cost in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) is $188. 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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Rio de Janeiro $66
    Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $92
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Rio de Janeiro $132
    Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $184
Compare Hotels in Rio de Janeiro and Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)

Looking for a hotel in Rio de Janeiro or Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)? 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 Rio de Janeiro


Hotels in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Rio de Janeiro $7.97
    Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $70
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:


  • Taxi Ride
    $2.93

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:

  • 2025 Sambadrome Carnival Parade: Transfer Included Sector 5: $468
  • 2025: Rio Carnival Parade at Sapucaí with Transfer Sector 7: $468
  • A transfer with safety and comfort in Rio: $45
  • Airport Private Transfer - Premium Service: $65
  • All Private Transfer from Rio de Janeiro to Ilha Grande: $275
  • All-You-Can-Eat Brazilian Churrascaria in Rio de Janeiro with Transfer: $80
  • Angra dos Reis Private Transfer from Rio de Janeiro : $107
  • Angra dos Reis Shared Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $53
  • Arraial do Cabo Private Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $123
  • Arraial do Cabo Shared Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $54
  • Arrival Private Transfer GIG or SDU Airport to Rio City by Minivan: $91
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Rio Airports to Angra dos Reis by Sedan Car: $116

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius):

  • International Airport/Private Jet Terminal Transfers: $67
  • St. Kitts Hotel Transfers: $80
  • Beach Transfer Frigate Bay Beach: $26
  • Catamaran Party Cruise to Nevis from St Kitts with Transfer from Frigate Bay: $150
  • Private Airport Transfer to Belmont Estate Farm, Kititian Hill: $70
  • Private Transfer from St. Kitts Airport to Park Hyatt: $55
  • ST Kitts private Luxury Air Port Transfer: $300
  • Shared or Private St Kitts Airport Roundtrip Transfer : $32
  • St. Christophe Harbour Transfers: $67
  • St. Kitts & Nevis Airport Hotel & Boat Shared/Private Transfers: $45

Is it cheaper to fly into Rio de Janeiro or Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)?

Prices for flights to both Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Rio de Janeiro $20
    Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $51
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:


  • Popcorn
    $0.59
  • Corn on the Cob
    $0.78
  • Hamburger
    $0.98

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: $46
  • Barra da Tijuca Food Tour with Drinks: $72
  • THE BEST FOOD TOUR: $79
  • Feijoada Food Tour in Rio de Janeiro with Hotel pick-up and drop-off: $80
  • Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local: $82
  • Dinner & Rio Scenarium Nightclub Admission with Transfer: $85
  • 9-Recipe Boozy Brazilian Cooking Class: $85
  • Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
  • Rio Scenarium Entrance, Dinner, and Open Bar: $105
  • Rio Scenarium: Fast Track Entrance, Dinner & Open Bar: $115
  • Brazilian Cooking Class: $129
  • Rio: Ginga Tropical Folkloric Show & Optional Dinner: $142

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Rio de Janeiro $22
    Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $37

Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro

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

  • Self-Guided Audio Tour - Santa Teresa: the staircase: $6.99
  • Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
  • Rio de Janeiro (Ipanema & Copacabana) Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
  • Rio de Janeiro(Ipanema-Copacabana)Scavenger Hunt Self-Guided Tour: $7.83
  • Salvador Sights Self Guided Tour (Pelourinho): $7.83
  • Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.84
  • Rio de Janeiro Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
  • Hiking Experience to Pedra do Telégrafo: $9.97
  • A Self-Guided Black History Audio Tour of Rio de Janeiro’s Little Africa: $9.99
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour-Story of Bossanova: Rhythm and soul of Rio: $10
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour - Imperial Rio: $10
  • Ticket to the match at maracanã of Flamengo: $10

Tours and Activities in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)

Here are a few actual costs in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Panoramic Shore Tour And Beach: $27
  • St. Kitts Beach Adventure: $30
  • Historical Basseterre and Beach Experience : $40
  • Panoramic Sightseeing Tour of St Kitts: $40
  • Half-Island Tour of St Kitts: $46
  • Capital City Tour and Beach Splash: $49
  • Life In Paradise {Full Panoramic Tour}: $60
  • Full Island Private Tour: $60
  • Basseterre Plantation Private Half Day Tour: $60
  • Rainforest Tours in St. Kitts: $62
  • The Downtown Basseterre Local Cultural Food & Walking Tour: $65
  • The Grand Tour of St. Kitts: $65

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Rio de Janeiro $12
    Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $26

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:

  • Rio: Pub Crawl in Lapa with Cachaça Tasting and Live Samba: $28
  • Pub Crawl in Lapa: $29
  • Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $35
  • Walking tour + Pub crawl + Samba in Lapa: $64
  • Petropolis City Tour + Bohemia Brewery + Lunch: $77
  • Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
  • Brazilian Wine Tasting Evening: $110
  • Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $131


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rio de Janeiro and Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius), we can see that Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) is more expensive. And not only is Rio de Janeiro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Rio de Janeiro is in South America and Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Rio de Janeiro would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rio de Janeiro 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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) than you might in Rio de Janeiro.

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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Rio de Janeiro or Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)?

Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 5490 times larger than the population of Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius). When comparing the sizes of Rio de Janeiro and Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius), 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.