Which place is cheaper, Quito or Cancun?
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 Cancun or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Cancun and Quito can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or Quito?
Cancun
In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Cancun Prices
Mexico PricesQuito Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCancun $162Quito $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $162, 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 Cancun and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCancun $94Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCancun $188Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Cancun and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Cancun 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: Cancun Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cancun $17Quito $6.99
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
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Taxi Around Town$1.61
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$13
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$16
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Local Bus (for 2)$1.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer (Can-cun, Playa del Carmen & Tulum): $114
- Airport Transfer Cancun: $75
- Airport Transfer to Tulum: $160
- Airport Transfers to Costa Mujeres - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $231
- Airport Transfers to Puerto Juarez - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $210
- Akumal One Way or Roundtrip Private Luxury Transfer: $291
- Arrival Private Transfer Cancun Airport CUN to Cancun by Minivan or Minibus: $29
- Best SpeedBoat and Snorkeling tour with Transfer from Cancun: $29
- Cancún Airport (CUN) Cancun hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $75
- Cancún Airport (CUN) to Akumal - Private Arrival Transfer: $105
- Cancún Airport (CUN) to Akumal - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $209
- Cancún Airport (CUN) to El Dorado Maroma - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $207
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:
- Unique Quito Transfer Mariscal Sucre Airport to Hotel: $43
- Transfers To and From the Airport in Quito Ecuador: $35
- Transfers Friends Airport Quito: $40
- Transfer to Mashpi Amagusa Reserve one way: $109
- Transfer from or to Airport Mariscal Sucre (one way): $75
- Transfer Quito → Papallacta (one way / round trip): $85
- Transfer Private Airport–Hotel in Quito: $39
- Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $30
- Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel with bilingual driver: $43
- Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel or vice versa with bilingual driver-guide: $43
- Transfer Airport → Quito (one way / round trip): $50
- Shared Transfer from Quito hotels to Airport: $42
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Cancun 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 dayCancun $48Quito $34
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour in Cancun with a Local Guide: $61
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Cancun Food Tour: Market 23, Local Flavors & Downtown Culture: $69
- Salsa Streets Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $69
- Cancun Food Tour - Taco Attack: Street Food & Tequila Tasting: $69
- Tortilla Trails Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $69
- Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Cancun Taco & Mexican Food Tour with Tequila Tasting: $79
- Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
- Cancun Hands-On Mexican Cooking Class: $79
- Couples Special Price! Cancun Pirate Show with Dinner & Drinks: $80
- Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show at Cancun Couples Special: $80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.
- 3 Hours Local Food Tour in Quito: $38
- Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
- Quito Eats Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
- Quito Kitchens Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
- From Cayambe Traditional Cooking Class with Transfers: $60
- Quito Best Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $66
- 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 with Chef, Market Tour & Transportation: $88
- Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
- Private Famous Food Tour of Historic Old Town in Quito: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cancun $34Quito $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Seasick Pills$0.58
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$98
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cancun's Hidden Gems: A Self-Guided Tour: $1.15
- 7 Days Self Guided AI Audio Tours to Cancun and Yucatan: $12
- Speedboat Jungle Tour and Snorkel: $14
- Speedboat and Snorkeling Adventure in Cancun: $14
- Discover Isla Mujeres tour with snorkel, buffet and open bar: $15
- Isla Mujeres Catamaran Adventure Snorkeling, Spinnaker and Lunch: $15
- Isla Mujeres Catamaran Tour with Snorkeling, Open Bar and Buffet: $16
- Catamaran to Isla Mujeres Snorkeling, Beach Club and Lunch Tour: $16
- Isla Mujeres, Catamaran tour in one day for one price: $16
- Chichen Itza Full-Day Tour with Cenote Swim and Valladolid Visit: $16
- Isla Mujeres sailing tour in catamaran Open Bar& Lunch Included: $16
- Speedboat and Snorkel Adventure: $16
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:
- “Adventure in Baths: Waterfalls, End of the World Swing and More”: $190
- 2 Day Quito to Cotopaxi and Quilotoa Tour with Accommodation: $281
- 2 day 1 night tour to Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon all included: $280
- 3-Day Adventure: Quito, Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Baños, Jungle: $897
- 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
- 3-Day Antisana & Amazon comunities, Caves, Baños Guided Tour: $734
- 6-Day Ecuador Heritage Tour: Art, Culture and Otavalo: $1,847
- All-Inclusive Private Mindo Cloud Forest Tour from Quito: $220
- Amazon Adventure: 4 Days of Nature & Culture from Quito: $1,770
- Andean Adventure : Riding and Cotopaxi Refuge: $140
- Antisana Birding Tours to see CONDORS - by Richard Hernandez: $185
- Antisana Volcano Birding & Natural History Condor Tour PRIVATE, all included: $210
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCancun $13Quito $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- A bespoke wine tastings crafted for unforgettable moments: $87
- Bar Crawl Madness Tour in Cancun: $115
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Quito
Also in Quito, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Ecuador Spirit Craft Brewery Tasting and Latitude 0 Private Tour: $155
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and Quito, we can see that Cancun is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cancun is in North America 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 Cancun would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cancun 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 Cancun Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Cancun. When comparing the sizes of Cancun 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.