A Travel Price Comparison for Brazil Sao Paulo vs. Ilha Grande for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

South America / Comparisons /
Jump to  down-arrow

Should you visit Sao Paulo or Ilha Grande?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Sao Paulo or Ilha Grande, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Sao Paulo

With a population of around 11 million, and 20 million in the metropolitan area, Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil. It's also one of the wealthiest cities in the southern hemisphere, although you don't have to look far to see the income disparities and inequalities that exist. The city is diverse and culturally rich, with excellent food, music, and entertainment.

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.

Which city is cheaper, Ilha Grande or Sao Paulo?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Sao Paulo is $40, while the average daily cost in Ilha Grande is $52. 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Sao Paulo and Ilha Grande in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sao Paulo $23
    Ilha Grande $28
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sao Paulo $46
    Ilha Grande $56

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sao Paulo $4.53
    Ilha Grande $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sao Paulo

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

  • Transfer: Guarulhos International Airport to Sâo Paulo Hotels: $55
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Sao Paulo City to Airport: $25
  • São Paulo x Paraty x São Paulo - Package Transfer IN + OUT: $98
  • São Paulo Hotel Private Minibus Transfer to Guarulhos Airport: $87
  • Private transfer: Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) to Sao Paulo: $86
  • Private Transfer: São Paulo to Congonhas-São Paulo Airport (CGH): $65
  • Private Transfer: Congonhas-São Paulo Airport (CGH) to São Paulo: $65
  • Private Transfer from Vila Olímpia to Sao Paulo (GRU) Airport: $75
  • Private Transfer from Vila Mariana to Sao Paulo (GRU) Airport: $66
  • Private Transfer from Vila Leopoldina to Sao Paulo (GRU) Airport: $81
  • Private Transfer from Vila Andrade to Sao Paulo (GRU) Airport: $85
  • Private Transfer from São Paulo airport to Hotels + quick City tour: $76

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande

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

  • Rio Transfer to/from: Angra Dos Reis or Ilha Grande: $45

Is it cheaper to fly into Sao Paulo or Ilha Grande?

Prices for flights to both Ilha Grande and Sao Paulo 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
    Sao Paulo $11
    Ilha Grande $16

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sao Paulo

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

  • Sao Paulo - Pinheiros Gourmet Food Tour (4 hours tour + 3 dishes included): $45
  • Brazilian Cooking Class: $79
  • Cooking Class in São Paulo: $268
  • Private Food Tour in São Paulo: $278

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sao Paulo $3.11
    Ilha Grande $5.08

Tours and Activities in Sao Paulo

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

  • 2-Hour Boat and Stand Up Paddle Board Adventure in São Paulo, Brazil: $275
  • 3 Beaches Hiking Santo Amaro Island - Paradise Route Tour from São Paulo: $85
  • 4 Hour Customized "Private Tour" Drinking, Dining and Entertainment: $400
  • 4-Day Private Guided Tour From São Paulo To Rio de Janeiro – Coastal Trip: $990
  • 4-hour Private Tour - Hidden Gems and Top Sights of São Paulo: $105
  • 4-hour Sum-up Private Tour Of São Paulo Including Its Major Attractions: $87
  • 4WD One Day Tour visiting Water Fall and the Big Stone from Sao Paulo: $270
  • 5-hour Private Street Art Tour Of São Paulo – The Coolest Urban Art Scenes: $106
  • 5-hour Private Tour Of São Paulo With Its Main Sights – Optional Airport Pickup: $97
  • 5h City Tour (pick up & delivery within SaoPaulo city): $189
  • 7-hour Private Tour Overview Of São Paulo – Optional For GRU Airport Pickup: $134
  • 8-Day São Paulo Tour: From City to Beaches, Waterfalls & Caves: $2,490

Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande

For Ilha Grande, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Rio de Janeiro: Ilha Grande with Boat Tour and Lunch: $57

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sao Paulo $2.70
    Ilha Grande $8.14

Sample the Local Flavors in Sao Paulo

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sao Paulo:

  • 4 Hours Pub Crawl in Vila Madalena: $69

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sao Paulo and Ilha Grande, we can see that Ilha Grande is more expensive. And not only is Sao Paulo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sao Paulo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sao Paulo 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 Ilha Grande would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ilha Grande than you might in Sao Paulo.

Related Articles for Ilha Grande
Sao PauloBrasiliaCuritibaManausRecifeFlorianopolis

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
Sign Up

More City Comparisons
Share This Page
Pin This Page
Sao Paulo vs. Ilha Grande Travel Comparison

Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.