Which place is cheaper, Quito or Athens?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Athens or Quito?
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 Athens and Quito. 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: Athens or Quito?
Athens
Athens is the capital city of Greece and is home to a population of over 3.7 million people. It's most famous as the birthplace of Classical Greece and the history in the city is incomparable to that found anywhere. It became the national capital of the modern Greek State in the 1830s, before which it was just a small village with a very impressive history. The city was redesigned by architects and city planners and incorporated large public squares, lots of green space, and wide avenues. The city has had its ups and downs both economically and politically, but it remains a beautiful and impressive place to explore.
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 3-Day Tours from Athens, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Athens, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAthens $138Quito $52
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is $138, while the average daily cost in Quito 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Athens and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAthens $69Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAthens $138Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Athens and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Athens 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.
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: Athens Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Athens $29Quito $6.99
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:
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Airport Bus for Two$6.97
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Metro$1.63
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Metro$2.18
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Metro from Airport to City Center$8.71
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Taxi from Airport$38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens
Also for Athens, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Athens Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $36
- Athens Airport To Piraeus Port / Hotel Private Luxury Transfer : $44
- Athens to Piraeus (Athens) Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $33
- Private Athens International Airport to Piraeus Port Transfer: $77
- Private Transfer from /to Athens International Airport: $32
- Santorini Airport JTR Private Transfer with Wi-Fi: $33
- "Luxurious Transfer": $48
- Accessible Private Transfer WAV from Athens Airport to Port Rafina: $43
- Airport Transfer: Athens Airport ATH to Athens by Luxury Car: $136
- Airport Transfer: Athens to Athens Airport ATH by Business Car: $88
- Airport Transfer: Athens to Athens Airport ATH by Luxury Van: $121
- Arrival Private Transfer from Athens Airport ATH to Athens City by Luxury car: $108
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quito
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Quito:
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Taxi from Bus Terminal to Hotel$10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quito
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quito:
- Private Transpor for tours, transfers, visits, etc, for 8 hours: $165
- From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch: $145
- From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer: $119
- Transfer In & Out from Quito: $100
- Private City Tour & Intiñam Museum Visit w/ Transfer: $89
- Transfer in and Transfer out: $75
- Private Transfers Quito to Tena: $65
- Private Transfer Out From Quito to International Airport Mariscal Sucre: $60
- Transfer Express - Quito Airport - Hotel: $58
- Private Transfer Quito Airport To Quito City/hotel : $57
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Quito Airport (UIO) - Quito City: $53
- RoundTrip Transfer in Private Minivan Quito Airport (UIO) - Quito City: $53
Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Athens 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
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Food Meals for one dayAthens $41Quito $20
Typical Food Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:
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Ice cream$3.27
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Souvlaki$2.40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Athens
For Athens, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Foodies’ Favorite Food tour: $47
- Athens walking and tasting food tour.: $55
- Street Food Tour - Sample the Food the Locals Love: $66
- Street Food Tour with 7 Tastings: $66
- Eat like an Athenian food tour of Athens: $66
- Greek Traditional Vegan Cooking Classes in Athina: $66
- Athens, Greek food tour including market visit: $69
- Traditional Greek Cooking Class and Organic Lunch on Poros: $72
- Small Group, Delicious Athens Food Tour: $75
- Athens Evening Food Tour: $78
- Taste of Athens Small-Group Food Tour: $78
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: $35
- Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
- Quito Cooking Class Shared Experience: $59
- Ecuador Food Tour: $69
- Cooking class In-home space: $75
- Homemade Local Food Tour in Guayaquil: $80
- Cooking Class in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
- Ecuadorian Cooking Class with a chef and Local Market: $89
- Tour Quito with Cooking Class with Professional Chef: $95
- Ecuadorian Cooking Classes Rooftop (English): $120
- Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour: $130
- Cooking Class at the Andes & Roses: PRIVATE Day trip from Quito: $149
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Athens $39Quito $16
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
- Acropolis Highlights Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.79
- Ancient Athens Quest Experience: $6.12
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Athens: $6.67
- Athens Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.69
- The Best of Piraeus: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $6.99
- Greek Mythology Quest Experience in Athens: $7.23
- Neighborhood of the Gods Smarthphone GPS APP Audio Walking Tour: $7.50
- Athens Olympic Museum ticket: $7.80
- Temple of Olympian Zeus: Self-Guided Audio Tour on your Phone (without ticket): $8.90
- On the prowl- Cats of Athens Plaka, Self-Guided audio tour on your Phone: $8.90
- Private Self-Guided Audio City-Tour in Athens: $8.91
- Ancient Agora of A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $8.99
Typical Entertainment Prices in Quito
Here are a few typical costs in Quito for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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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:
- Otavalo Market Private Sightseeing and Surroundings: $110
- The best of Quito walking tour: $261
- 2-Day Private Tour from Quito:Baños and Quilotoa Lagoon: $329
- 2-Day Private Tour to Otavalo Market, Cuicocha Lake, Peguche and Condor´s Park: $295
- 2-Day Tour of Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon with hotel: $222
- 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
- 3-Days Andes & Amazon | Tour From Quito: $868
- Adventure in Quilotoa Lagoon by Lead: $150
- Adventure to Antisana Volcano and Andean Condor in one Day: $160
- All inclusive Quito to Banos 2 day tour: $250
- Antisana Volcano Private Tour: $103
- Antisana Volcano Private Tour: Condors & Andean birds Wat: $129
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAthens $25Quito $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
- The NightCrawlers | Athens Bar Hopping | Pub Crawl: $18
- Pub Crawl with Unlimited Drinks & Nightclub Access: $20
- Greek Wine Tasting: $23
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Athens, Greece: $25
- Greek Wine Tasting with Acropolis view: $55
- Best rated Acropolis Wine Tasting : $55
- 1 Hour Private Four Greek Wine Tasting and Food Pairing in Athens: $56
- Wine Tasting and Storytelling in a Historical Square in Athina: $61
- Small-Group Wine Tour in Athens with Tasting: $81
- Premium Santorini Wine Tasting: $105
- Santorini Wine Tasting and Wine Museum: $110
- Santorini Half Day Wine Tasting & Winery Tour with Pickup: $166
Typical Alcohol Prices in Quito
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Quito from other travelers:
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Beers for Two$9.00
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Quito, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens is in Europe 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 Quito would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Quito 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 Athens would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Athens than you might in Quito.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Athens Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Athens or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 92% larger than the population of Athens. When comparing the sizes of Athens 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.