Which place is cheaper, Quito or Bilbao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Bilbao 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 Bilbao 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: Bilbao or Quito?
Bilbao
The industrial city of Bilbao is located on a port of the Nervión River in northern Spain, an important location of Basque country. While the downtown is filled with skyscrapers and innovative architecture, it sits between a river and mountains of natural allure. A city of hard-workers to the core, Bilbao displays remnants of its industrial past, though in more recent years it has transformed into a center for art. It is now a popular location for visitors looking to experience art galleries and museums.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Spain, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Bilbao Prices
Spain PricesQuito Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBilbao $191Quito $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Bilbao is $191, 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 Bilbao and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBilbao $81Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBilbao $162Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Bilbao and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Bilbao 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: Bilbao Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bilbao $29Quito $6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bilbao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bilbao:
- Bilbao Airport Private Departure Transfer: $51
- Bilbao Airport Transfers : Bilbao City to Bilbao Airport BIO in Business Car: $67
- Bilbao Airport Transfers : Bilbao City to Bilbao Airport BIO in Luxury Car: $82
- Departure Private Transfer from Bilbao City to Bilbao airport BIO by Luxury Van: $109
- Private Transfer from Bilbao Airport (BIO) to Bilbao Cruise Port: $90
- Private Transfer from Bilbao Airport to Santander Port: $285
- Private Transfer from Bilbao Cruise Port to Bilbao Airport (BIO): $90
- Private Transfer from Bilbao city to Santander Airport: $285
- Private Transfer from Bilbao city to Vitoria: $172
- Private Transfer from Bilbao to Santander Port: $264
- Private Transfer from Vitoria Airport to Bilbao city: $172
- Private Transfer from Vitoria Airport to Pamplona city: $259
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:
- Custom Transfers Across Ecuador (quote required): $30
- From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer: $129
- From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch: $166
- Private Departure Transfer from Quito to the Airport - One Way: $20
- Private Premium Transfer Quito Airport To Quito City/hotel: $63
- Private Transfer IN or OUT Hotel-Aiport Quito or Aiport-Hotel: $35
- Private Transfer Quito to Mindo – SUV or Van (1–6): $88
- Private Transfer from Quito to Baños de Agua Santa (one way): $80
- Private Transfer from or to Quito Airport (one way): $21
- Private Transfer to Quito airport and hotel: $35
- Quito Airport ↔ Quito Hotels Private Transfer Service: $27
- Quito Airport (UIO) to Quito hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $46
Is it cheaper to fly into Bilbao or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Bilbao 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 dayBilbao $87Quito $34
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bilbao
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bilbao.
- Bilbao Food Tour: Pintxos, Drinks, and Tapas with a Local: $102
- Bilbao Authentic Food Tour with 9 Pintxos and Local Drinks: $111
- Pintxos and Tapas Cooking Class in Bilbao: $114
- Traditional Basque Pintxos Cooking Class in Bilbao: $114
- The Award-Winning Bilbao Food Tour & Wine Pairing by Basque Local: $120
- Bilbao Food Tour Market Pintxos and Wine: $200
- Gourmet Pintxos & Premium Wines small groups Food Tour: $206
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.
- Ecuadorian Gastronomy Tasting and Cooking Class in Quito: $15
- Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
- Quito Eats Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
- From Cayambe Traditional Cooking Class with Transfers: $60
- Food Tour in quaint old town with tastings and lunch: $71
- Street Food Tour with Private Transport: $79
- Hidden Gems Food Tour with Cacao Tasting and Culture: $87
- 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
- Tour Quito with Cooking Class with Professional Chef: $95
- Private Famous Food Tour of Historic Old Town in Quito: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bilbao $32Quito $16
Tours and Activities in Bilbao
Here are a few actual costs in Bilbao for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Free Tour Bilbao Historic: $3.41
- Free walking Tour Historical Bilbao with local guides: $3.41
- FreeTour Bilbao Stories not in Google: $5.00
- Self-Guided Podcast Tour: The True Story of the Bilbao Effect: $6.84
- Guggenheim Bilbao Museum Entry Ticket: $32
- Historic Vitoria Gasteiz Group Walking Tour: $33
- Bilbao Guggenheim Museum Ticket: $34
- Bilbao Guggenheim Museum Entry Ticket: $34
- Guggenheim Museum Bilbao Entry Ticket: $34
- Spanish Tour in Bilbao Old Town and Santiago Cathedral: $34
- Bilbao Old Town Tour: $34
- Bilbao Historic Walking Tour in Small Group: $34
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:
- Quito Old Town tip based walking tour small groups Cacao Taste: $5.00
- Quito Old Town Walking tour small groups Chocolate taste included: $5.00
- Saturday Night tour! Basilica del Voto Nacional exclusive tour: $5.00
- Quito Audio Guided Walking Tour 2h10 and 19 audio reviews: $6.74
- 2.5-Hour City Bus Tour: $15
- Discover the heart of the Historic Center - Walking tour: $25
- Instagram walking tour in Quito's Historic Center: $26
- Quito's Cultural Tour & Indigenous Perspectives of Old Town: $27
- Fruit Tasting Experience with +15 Exotics Flavors of Ecuador: $29
- Old Town Walking Tour with Basilica Church Visit: $30
- Walking Tour Quito: $30
- Quito Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBilbao $24Quito $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Bilbao
Also in Bilbao, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Rioja & Txakoli Wine Tasting in Bilbao with a Local Sommelier: $57
- Vizcaya Bridge, Gaztelugatxe and wine tasting from Bilbao: $86
- The Authentic Bilbao Pintxos, Food & Wine Tour with a Local: $113
- Basque Best Bites - #1 Food & Wine tour of Bilbao: $114
- Private Basque Vineyard Visit: Txakoli Wine Tasting from Bilbao: $200
- Architectural Rioja Wine Tour: Marqués de Riscal & Ysios (Bilbao): $285
- La Rioja wine tour: winery and traditional lunch from Bilbao: $285
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 Bilbao and Quito, we can see that Bilbao is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bilbao 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 Bilbao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bilbao 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 Bilbao Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bilbao or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Bilbao. When comparing the sizes of Bilbao 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.