A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Bridgetown vs. Rio de Janeiro for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Bridgetown or Rio de Janeiro?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Bridgetown and Rio de Janeiro. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Bridgetown or Rio de Janeiro?

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Rio de Janeiro.


Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro or Bridgetown?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Bridgetown Prices
    Barbados Prices
    Rio de Janeiro Prices
    Brazil Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Bridgetown $122
    Rio de Janeiro $115

The average daily cost (per person) in Bridgetown is $122, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is $115. 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 Bridgetown and Rio de Janeiro in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Bridgetown $73
    Rio de Janeiro $64
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Bridgetown $146
    Rio de Janeiro $128
Compare Hotels in Bridgetown and Rio de Janeiro

Looking for a hotel in Bridgetown or Rio de Janeiro? 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 Bridgetown


Hotels in Rio de Janeiro


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: Bridgetown Hotel Prices and Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Bridgetown $8.48
    Rio de Janeiro $7.65
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Bridgetown

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Bridgetown:


  • Minibus Ride
    $0.74

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
    $2.82

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:

  • Private transfer Economico GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 3 pax to Zona Sul: $21
  • One Way Shared Transfer from Airport to hotels in Rio de Janeiro: $25
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer Rio de Janeiro HTL-APT (SDU): $25
  • Private transfer Minivan GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 6 pax to Zona Sul: $27
  • Roundtrip Private Transfer Rio de Janeiro Airport (GIG) (SDU): $31
  • Transfer from Rio de Janeiro Galeao International Airport: $32
  • Private transfer from Galeão Airport to Hotel or Address in Copacabana: $35
  • Transfer in Rio: $35
  • Private One-way Airport Transfer From Galeao Airport To Rio: $37
  • Transfer of 4 Tickets in Rio de Janeiro: $37
  • Buzios Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $40
  • National Theater & National Library Guided Tour, Admission & Transfer: $46

Is it cheaper to fly into Bridgetown or Rio de Janeiro?

Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro and Bridgetown 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
    Bridgetown $38
    Rio de Janeiro $34

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
    $0.56
  • Corn on the Cob
    $0.75
  • 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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Bridgetown $25
    Rio de Janeiro $21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Bridgetown

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Bridgetown are as follows:


  • Turtle & Shipwreck Tour
    $39
  • 1/2 Hr Helicopter Tour
    $174

Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro

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

  • Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.51
  • Salvador Sights Self Guided Tour (Pelourinho): $4.51
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour - Santa Teresa: the staircase: $6.99
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour - Imperial Rio: $10
  • Rocinha Local Tour: $19
  • Rocinha favela walking tour with a local guide: $20
  • Favelas do Vidigal or Rocinha's experience: $23
  • Tour of the Heart of Historic Rio de Janeiro : $23
  • Rio de Janeiro Tour with App – No Guide, Start When You Want: $24
  • Carnival Backstage Tour - Visit a traditional Samba School : $25
  • Carnaval Experience: Backstage Tour at Samba City with Cocktail : $26
  • Favela Tour Rio de Janeiro - Vidigal Walking Tour by Russo Guide: $29

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Bridgetown $8.54
    Rio de Janeiro $12

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


When comparing the travel costs between Bridgetown and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that Bridgetown is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Bridgetown is in Caribbean Islands and Rio de Janeiro is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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


Which is Bigger, Bridgetown or Rio de Janeiro?

Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Bridgetown. When comparing the sizes of Bridgetown and Rio de Janeiro, 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.