Which place is cheaper, Quito or Dar es Salaam?
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 Dar es Salaam 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 Dar es Salaam and Quito can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dar es Salaam or Quito?
Dar es Salaam
Having grown from a fishing village, Dar es Salaam is now a major city and commercial port on Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast. While it is mainly used as a stopping point on the way to Zanzibar, it has a few unique treasures of its own such as the Kariakoo Market, National Museum, and the open-air Village Museum.
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 Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Dar es Salaam Prices
Tanzania PricesQuito Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDar es Salaam $462Quito $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Dar es Salaam is $462, 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 Dar es Salaam and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDar es Salaam $424Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDar es Salaam $848Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Dar es Salaam and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Dar es Salaam 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: Dar es Salaam Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dar es Salaam $13Quito $6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dar es Salaam
Also for Dar es Salaam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers To/from Dar Es Salaam City Center Or To/from Your Hotel: $85
- Dar es Salaam Airport Transfers Comfortable Ride to Your Hotel: $60
- Half-Day City Tour with Transfers: $59
- Private Layover Tour with Airport Transfer: $120
- Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with Transfers.: $120
- Julius Nyerere Airport (DAR) Private Transfer to Dar es Salaam: $50
- Private Airport Transfers in Dar: $60
- Private VIP Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with two way transfers: $250
- Transfer from dar es salaam to morogoro: $203
- Zanzibar Airport Shared Taxi Transfer to Any Hotel: $10
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:
- Arrival Private Transfer Quito Airport UIO to Quito by Minivan: $137
- Transfer Quito → Papallacta (one way / round trip): $85
- Private Transfer from Quito to Baños de Agua Santa (one way): $80
- Private Transfer Out From Quito to International Airport Mariscal Sucre: $59
- Private Transfer IN from to the International Airport Mariscal Sucre to Quito: $48
- Mariscal Sucre Airport to and from Quito Hotels Private Transfer: $45
- Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel or vice versa with bilingual driver-guide: $43
- Mariscal Sucre Quito Airport (UIO) to Quito hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $43
- Private Transfer in & out of the airport in Quito: $42
- Quito PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport: $36
- Private Transfer to Quito airport and hotel: $35
- Private Transfer IN or OUT Hotel-Aiport Quito or Aiport-Hotel: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Dar es Salaam or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Dar es Salaam 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 dayDar es Salaam $31Quito $34
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: $12
- 3 Hours Local Food Tour in Quito: $38
- Quito Eats Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
- Quito Best Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $66
- The Delicious Side of Quito Food Tour: $70
- 3-hour Andean Cooking Class in Quito with a Local Host: $85
- Cooking Class in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and 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
- Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour: $122
- Quito Food Tour Where my Family Go Urban Art New &Old Quito City: $155
- Cooking Class at the Andes & Roses: PRIVATE Day trip from Quito: $178
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dar es Salaam -Quito $16
Tours and Activities in Dar es Salaam
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dar es Salaam.
- Dar es Salaam Architectural Guided Walking Tour and History: $22
- Dar es Salaam City Tour: Experience & Insights Tanzanian culture: $37
- Visit Sinda island with Samrun Marine Tours: $50
- Beach Day Tour with Resort Access: $65
- Private Mbudya Island Retreat Adventure from Dar Es Salaam: $82
- Private Tour to Jozani Forest Reserve Half-Day Guided Tour from Zanzibar: $90
- The Best/Top Rated Cultural City Tour in Dar es Salaam: $90
- Jozani forest, Salaam Cave & The Rock Restaurant Tour in Zanzibar: $95
- Dar es Salaam City Tour - Everyday: $97
- Dar es Salaam City Walking tour - Explore the Life of the Local People!: $100
- Full Day Private Tour in Dar es Salaam City: $104
- Zanzibar Spice Tour: $109
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
- 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
- All-Inclusive Private Mindo Cloud Forest Tour from Quito: $220
- Andean Adventure : Riding and Cotopaxi Refuge: $140
- Antisana Condor Tour from Quito: $220
- Antisana Volcano Birding & Natural History Condor Tour PRIVATE, all included: $210
- Baños Full Day Tour from Quito Including Entrances and Activities: $89
- Banos Highlights Tour - Adventure & Nature in One Day from Quito: $260
- Cable Car Quito & Volcano Pichincha Trekking – Full Day Tour: $200
- Cable Car and Quito Private City Tour: $89
- City Tour in Quito. Muffin, Cable Car, Historic Center and Middle of the World: $150
- Cotopaxi & Baños Full Day Tour from Quito Adventure in the Andes: $300
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDar es Salaam $7.48Quito $17
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 Dar es Salaam and Quito, we can see that Dar es Salaam is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dar es Salaam 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 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 Dar es Salaam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dar es Salaam 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 Dar es Salaam Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dar es Salaam or Quito?
Dar es Salaam has a larger population, and is about 93% larger than the population of Quito. When comparing the sizes of Dar es Salaam 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.