DELHI
TripAdvisor on May 27 revealed the results of its latest TripIndex, a cost comparison in Rupees of spending a day in each of the twelve host cities for FIFA World Cup 2014: Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Cuiabá, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Sao Paulo. The research analyses the average prices for an individual based on the following items: one ticket for the qualifying round, accommodation, food, drinks and transportation.
Fans planning to attend first round matches in Cuiabá (MT) or Sao Paulo (SP) will find the best value. According to the research, a day in São Paulo will cost INR 27,094.25 (note: tickets for the opening game in Sao Paulo are not included in this survey to ensure an even comparison). In Cuiabá the cost would be even lower: 25,924.29 INR.
For Brazilian fans, Brasilia is the cheapest option
Of the two cities that will host Brazil’s second and third qualifying matches (Sao Paulo plays host to Brazil for the opening game, which is excluded from this survey), Brasilia is the cheapest at INR 30,636.19 . The federal capital is cheaper than Fortaleza, one of the more expensive cities where the costs reach INR 34,517.29.
Rio de Janeiro most expensive
Fans will need a larger budget to follow their teams, at least if they are planning to attend a game at the Maracanã stadium. Rio de Janeiro is the most expensive city among the 12 hosts, with costs up to INR 39,238.20. Fortaleza (INR 34,517.29) and Manaus (INR 31,674.35) complete the list of the three most expensive cities.
Among all the surveyed items, accommodation is the main element responsible for making Rio de Janeiro the most expensive place to visit during the competition. The average daily room rate for accommodation in Rio during phase one matches reaches INR 26,299.52
Hotel expenses represent the highest costs
Among all the items surveyed by TripAdvisor, spending on accommodation represents the largest share in total costs, reaching 66% of the total expense on average. Not taking hotel costs into account, Recife becomes the cheapest city to enjoy a day tripduring the tournament (INR 12,198.05), whilst Manaus comes in second place with a total cost of INR 12,617.82ahead of Porto Alegre (INR 12,651.76).
Recife features the lowest costs for transportation and food
When it comes to food and transportation, none of the 12 cities are more cost-effective than Recife, where a round-triptaxi ride of five miles each way1 is just INR 835.30. The most expensive cab is found in Cuiabá at INR 1,153.51 for the same journey. Also, a dinner in this city (including starter, main course and a glass of wine) costs on average INR 1,606.96per person, less than half than in Sao Paulo, where the budget rises up to INR 3,226.38 In cafeterias and bars near the stadium in São Paulo, a can of soda with French fries costs an average of INR 652.33, whereas Fortaleza has the cheapest snack at INR 372.04.
