A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Addis Ababa vs. Quito for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Addis Ababa or Quito?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Quito, 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.

Where Should I go: Addis Ababa or Quito?

Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia and also the nation's largest when ranked by its population of over three million. There are also more than 120 international missions and embassies in Addis Ababa, making the city a hub for international diplomacy concerning Africa. Other draws include its thriving marketplaces, spicy food, and rich coffee.

Quito

Nestled between two mountain ranges lies the world's highest capital city, Quito, Ecuador. For history lovers, Quito is a very desirable destination as it's home to the Quito Historic Center – one of the largest and best-preserved historic centers in the Americas.

Even though Quito is full of people – in fact, it's the second most populous city in the country – very few of its inhabitants speak English. Luckily, however, the citizens of Quito tend to speak a slower and more clear Spanish than surrounding areas. This is the perfect place to practice what you read in your Intro to Spanish book.

Before visiting Quito, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, give yourself a few days to grow accustomed to the elevation. Staying 9,350 feet above sea level takes some getting used to. Second, don't be fooled into thinking that just because you're visiting a town on the equator that you'll need all your summer clothes. Because of the city's elevation, the area keeps a relatively cool climate year round.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.


Which place is cheaper, Quito or Addis Ababa?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $36, while the average daily cost in Quito is $66. 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 Addis Ababa and Quito in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Addis Ababa $19
    Quito $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Addis Ababa $38
    Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Quito

Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Quito? 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 Addis Ababa


Hotels in Quito


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: Addis Ababa Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.47
    Quito $6.99
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Addis Ababa are as follows:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.23

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa

Also for Addis Ababa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23
  • Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $49
  • Addis Ababa Airport pickup and Transfer: $16
  • Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $16
  • Addis Ababa Private Airport-Hotel Transfer: $82
  • City and Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa: $35
  • City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $36
  • City/Airport Transfers-Addis Ababa: $35

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quito

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Quito:


  • Taxi from Bus Terminal to Hotel
    $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quito

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quito:

  • Quito Airport (UIO) to Quito hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $175
  • From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch: $169
  • Private Transpor for tours, transfers, visits, etc, for 8 hours: $165
  • From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer: $119
  • Transfer In & Out from Quito: $100
  • Transfer to Mashpi Amagusa Reserve one way : $99
  • Private City Tour & Intiñam Museum Visit w/ Transfer: $89
  • Quito Airport (UIO) to Quito hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $88
  • Quito hotels to Quito Airport (UIO) - Departure Private Transfer: $88
  • Private transfer to Mindo: $70
  • Transfer airport to hotel in Quito or from Quito to airport: $70
  • Private Transfers Quito to Tena: $65

Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Quito?

Prices for flights to both Quito and Addis Ababa 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
    Addis Ababa $13
    Quito $34
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Addis Ababa:


  • Slice of Cake
    $0.05

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Addis Ababa

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

  • Food tour in Addis Ababa with airport pick-up.: $56
  • Ethiopian cooking class: $61
  • Local Ethiopian Food Tour Addis Ababa: $62
  • Flavors of Ethiopia Explore Traditional Cooking Class : $67
  • Private City Tour with Folkloric Dinner: $80
  • Yod Abyssinia Cultural Night: Dinner, Music, and Dance: $82
  • Half Day Food Tour Addis Ababa With Airport pickUp And Drop-Off: $90
  • Addis abeba Full Cooking class.: $90
  • Cooking class in Addis Ababa: $95
  • Local Ethiopian Food Tour: $100
  • Unique Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis Ababa: $116
  • Food tours in Addis Ababa tastever with lunch: $120

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.

  • Old Town Highlights & Food Tour: $29
  • 3 Hours Local Food Tour in Quito: $39
  • Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
  • Quito Cooking Class Shared Experience: $59
  • Cooking Class in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
  • Cooking Class with Chef, Market Tour & Transportation: $88
  • Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
  • Ecuadorian Cooking Class with a chef and Local Market: $89
  • Tour Quito with Cooking Class with Professional Chef: $95
  • Afternoon Coffee in Quito - Foodie Tour with empanada cooking class: $110
  • Ecuadorian Cooking Classes in Quito at the Terrace: $120
  • Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour: $130

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.58
    Quito $16

Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.

  • Explore Addis Ababa full day city tour: $43
  • Layover in Addis Ababa 5 hours tour: $46
  • Best of Merkato Addis Guided Tour: $46
  • Guided City Tour: $48
  • Addis Ababa city tour.: $49
  • Pup crawl and nightlife tour in Addis Ababa.: $50
  • City tour of Addis, Transit in Addis by car: $51
  • Historical and sightseeing tour in Addis Ababa: $53
  • Addis Ababa City Tour. : $54
  • Addis Ababa highlight city tour: $54
  • Authentic Addis Ababa City Tour with a Local Guide: $55
  • Half Day Addis Ababa Tour: $55

Typical Entertainment Prices in Quito

Here are a few typical costs in Quito for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Entrance to Guyasimine Museum for Two
    $8.00

Tours and Activities in Quito

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

  • 2-Day Private Personalized Tour: Mindo Cloud Forest: $295
  • Otavalo Market Private Sightseeing and Surroundings: $110
  • Tour Full-Day Mercado de Otavalo + Cotacachi, Ecuador.: $130
  • Tour Quilotoa Loop from Quito: $220
  • 1-Night/1-Day in the Birdwatching Capital of Ecuador *Photo Tour: $249
  • 2 Full Days Exploring The Ecuadorian Amazon | Tour Start In Quito: $284
  • 3-Day Adventure: Quito, Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Baños, Jungle: $713
  • 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
  • 3-Day Private Tour of Quito: $120
  • Antisana Volcano Private Tour: $103
  • Baños 3Day/2Night Tour - All included tours: $179
  • Baños Full Day Tour From Quito : $50

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Addis Ababa $2.96
    Quito $17

Sample the Local Flavors in Addis Ababa

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Addis Ababa:

  • Pub-crawl Tour ( locally crafted beer and wine tasting ): $52
  • Night Tour Addis Ababa beer and wine tasting: $65

Typical Alcohol Prices in Quito

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Quito from other travelers:


  • Beers for Two
    $9.00

Sample the Local Flavors in Quito

Also in Quito, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Half-day tour to high altitude vineyards and wine tasting: $45
  • Ecuador Spirit Craft Brewery Tasting and Latitude 0 Private Tour: $130


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Addis Ababa Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Quito?

Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 97% larger than the population of Quito. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Quito, 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.