Should you visit Cappadocia or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cappadocia or Quito? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Cappadocia or Quito?
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is in Central Anatolia, between the mountains Erciyes, Melendiz and Hasan. It is famous for its underground cities, fairy chimneys, and caves. The landscape of the area is some of the most unique you'll ever see. The fairy chimneys are bizarrely shaped rock outcroppings that have evolved from the unique geography in the area. There are hiking trails through the series of valleys that make up the area. It's a great place to explore for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers.
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 10-Day Tours from Istanbul, The Best 2-Week Tours from Istanbul, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
Which place is cheaper, Quito or Cappadocia?
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 Cappadocia is $122, 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 Cappadocia and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Cappadocia 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:
Cappadocia Hotel Prices and
Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cappadocia
Also for Cappadocia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
ATV Quad Bike Tour in Cappadocia (Sunrise/sunset + transfer):
$23
-
All-Inclusive Cappadocia Day Tour with Hotel & Airport Transfers:
$101
-
Cappadocia 2 Hours Sunset ATV Tour w/Free Hotel Transfers:
$16
-
Cappadocia 2-Hour Sunset ATV Quad Tour with Hotel Transfer:
$46
-
Cappadocia 2-Hours Sunset ATV Quad Tour w/Free Hotel Transfer:
$40
-
Cappadocia ATV Tour Sunrise Sunset or Daytime with Hotel Transfer:
$16
-
Cappadocia ATV tour with transfer and guide:
$13
-
Cappadocia Airport Shuttle Transfer:
$23
-
Cappadocia Airport Transfer:
$114
-
Cappadocia Airport Transfer to/from Kayseri/Nevsehir (ASR or NAV):
$14
-
Cappadocia Airport Ultra Luxry Vip Transfer NAV:
$55
-
Cappadocia Dervishes Ceremony & İncluding Hotel Transfer:
$20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quito
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Quito:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quito
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quito:
-
From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch:
$166
-
Private Transfer In & Out:
$130
-
From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer:
$129
-
Panoramic City Tour & Airport Departure Transfer:
$114
-
Middle of the World Tour with Airport Transfer:
$114
-
Airport Transfer and City Highlights Tour:
$114
-
Arrival Transfer from Quito Airport UIO to Quito by Sedan or SUV:
$105
-
Private City Tour & Intiñam Museum Visit w/ Transfer:
$89
-
Private Transfer Quito to Mindo – SUV or Van (1–6):
$88
-
Transfer Quito → Papallacta (one way / round trip):
$85
-
Private Transfer from Quito to Baños de Agua Santa (one way):
$80
-
Transfer from or to Airport Mariscal Sucre (one way):
$75
Is it cheaper to fly into Cappadocia or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Cappadocia 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
Cappadocia $56
Quito $34
Typical Food Prices in Cappadocia
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cappadocia:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cappadocia
For Cappadocia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Cappadocia Traditional Turkish Night Show and Dinner:
$46
-
Cappadocia Turkish Night Show with Dinner and Drinks:
$51
-
Cappadocia Turkish Night Show, Dinner & Unlimited Drinks & Pickup:
$61
-
Turkish Night at Cave Restaurant with Dinner and Unlimited Drinks:
$63
-
Cappadocia Turkish Night Show with Dinner in a Cave:
$64
-
Turkish Nights in Cappadocia Dinner & Cultural Show in a Cave:
$65
-
Cappadocia Turkish Night Show with Dinner and Unlimited Drinks:
$72
-
Turkish Night Show With Dinner in a Cave Restaurant:
$74
-
Cappadocia Turkish Night Cultural Show and Dinner:
$75
-
Cappadocia Night Show with Dinner, Folk Dance & Belly Dancers:
$102
-
Cappadocia Home Cooking Experience:
$102
-
Turkish Night Show in Cave Restaurant with Dinner and Transfer:
$114
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:
$25
-
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
-
3-hour Andean Cooking Class in Quito with a Local Host:
$75
-
Street Food Tour with Private Transport:
$79
-
Homemade Local Food Tour in Guayaquil:
$80
-
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
Entertainment
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cappadocia
For Cappadocia, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Underground City Entrance for Two
$0.60
-
Hot Air Balloon Ride for Two
$12
-
Horseback Riding for Two
$2.31
-
Cappadocia Driving Tour
$2.46
-
Goreme Museum Entrance Fee
$0.30
-
Whirling Dervishes Show
$2.01
-
Turkish Bath
$1.41
-
Hot air ballooning
$8.15
-
Goreme open air museum
$0.40
-
Bellydancing Show
$2.62
Tours and Activities in Cappadocia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cappadocia.
-
Cappadocia Horseback Riding Tour with Hotel Pickup & Helmet:
$3.40
-
Cappadocia Sunrise Balloon Watching Tour with Hotel Pickup:
$3.40
-
Cappadocia Daily Tour Red & Green - Mix:
$5.69
-
Cappadocia Horse Tour:
$6.72
-
Cappadocia Underground Ceramic Museum Entry Ticket:
$7.97
-
Cappadocia Private Day Tour:
$8.00
-
Cappadocia Private Tour - Cappadocia's All Highlights in 1 Day:
$9.00
-
Private Full Day Cappadocia Tour With Luxury Van and Guide:
$9.00
-
Private Pottery Workshop Experience and Guiding:
$9.11
-
Private Tour : All Highlights of Cappadocia 1 Day:
$10
-
Cappadocia Tours : Best of Cappadocia:
$10
-
Cappadocia Artisan & Local Craft Experience:
$10
Typical Entertainment Prices in Quito
Here are a few typical costs in Quito for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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
-
1-Day Adventure to the Andean Choco Experience the Forest:
$125
-
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
-
2-Day Tour of Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon with hotel:
$222
-
2D private Tour from Quito visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños:
$281
-
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
-
Adventure and Relaxation in Baños de Agua Santa:
$236
-
Adventure in Cotopaxi Firefall Limpiopungo and Andes:
$160
Alcohol
Sample the Local Flavors in Cappadocia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cappadocia:
-
Signature Local Wine Tasting in Cappadocia:
$12
-
Wine tasting in Cappadocia:
$67
-
Local Wine Tasting Experience:
$68
-
Wine Tasting in Cappadocia Turkey - Introduction of local wines:
$72
-
Cappadocia Tour with Wine Tasting and Clay Shaping:
$90
-
Cappadocia Vineyard Experience and Wine Tasting:
$92
-
Private Wine Tasting and Day Tour w/Göreme Museum:
$108
-
Cappadocia Private Wine Tasting Tour:
$158
-
Cappadocia Private Tour-Mixed Tour+Home-made Wine Tasting:
$219
-
Half-Day Private Cappadocia Wine Tour Experience:
$269
-
Ancient Cappadocia's Wine Tasting - Private Tour:
$275
Typical Alcohol Prices in Quito
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Quito from other travelers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cappadocia and Quito, we can see that Cappadocia is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cappadocia 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 Cappadocia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cappadocia 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 Cappadocia Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cappadocia or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 220 times larger than the population of Cappadocia. When comparing the sizes of Cappadocia 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.
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