Which place is cheaper, Quito or Florianopolis?
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 Florianopolis or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Florianopolis 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: Florianopolis or Quito?
Florianopolis
With a population of almost 500,000, Florianopolis is the capital city of the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. The city is split between mainland Brazil and Santa Catarina Island.
Florianopolis has grown in popularity with tourists recently because of its wonderful scenery, beautiful beaches, and fascinating culture. Many Brazilians have also moved here, leaving behind the big cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Florianopolis has a warm humid subtropical climate. There are summer, winter, spring and fall seasons. Frosts are rare but do occur occasionally. Highs during the warmest months are usually in the high 70s Fahrenheit. Rain is evenly distributed throughout the year and there is no distinct dry season.
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 Wildlife Tours to Brazil, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Florianopolis Prices
Brazil PricesQuito Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFlorianopolis $74Quito $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Florianopolis is $74, 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 Florianopolis and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFlorianopolis $25Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFlorianopolis $50Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Florianopolis and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Florianopolis 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: Florianopolis Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Florianopolis $13Quito $6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Florianopolis
Also for Florianopolis, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Hercilio Luz Airport - North Island Transfer: $13
- Private Transfer Florianópolis Airport to City Center: $31
- Private Transfer from FLN Airport to the City Balneario Camboriú : $81
- Private Transfer from Florianópolis Airport to Bombinhas: $115
- Roundtrip transfer from Florianópolis Airport to Bombinhas: $228
- Shared Transfer: $13
- Shared transfer from Florianópolis airport to Balneário Camboriú: $56
- Transfer Hotels in Florianópolis/Airport - private: $67
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:
- Transfers To and From the Airport in Quito Ecuador: $35
- Transfer from or to Airport Mariscal Sucre (one way): $75
- Transfer Private Airport–Hotel in Quito: $39
- Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $30
- Transfer In from Quito's Airport to the city: $39
- Transfer In & Out from Quito: $100
- Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel with bilingual driver: $43
- Quito airport private transfer IN or OUT: $28
- Quito PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport: $36
- Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $36
- Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $28
- Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $28
Is it cheaper to fly into Florianopolis or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Florianopolis 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 dayFlorianopolis $36Quito $34
Typical Food Prices in Florianopolis
For Florianopolis, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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A Quick Snack$0.42
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.
- Quito Cooking Class Shared Experience: $59
- Ecuador Food Tour: $69
- Cooking Class in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
- Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
- Tour Quito with Cooking Class with Professional Chef: $95
- Quito Private Best Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $114
- Ecuadorian Cooking Classes Rooftop (English): $120
- Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour : $135
- Cooking Class at the Andes & Roses: PRIVATE Day trip from Quito: $149
- Quito Food Tour Where my Family Go Urban Art New and Old Quito: $155
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Florianopolis $25Quito $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Florianopolis
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Florianopolis's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Internet$0.56
Tours and Activities in Florianopolis
For Florianopolis, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Florianopolis Walking Tour - History, Art and Gastronomy: $17
- Bombinhas Beach and 4 Islands Tour: $21
- Florianópolis city tour (full day): $21
- Shared Shuttle between Florianópolis Airport and Hotel with optional City Tour: $26
- Discover Florianópolis: Full Day City Tour and Local Highlights: $27
- Rafting Adventure in Apuama - Rio Cubatão in Greater Florianópolis: $35
- Floripa City Tour by Bus - Whole Island - The Most Complete City Tour: $35
- Tour Balneario Camboriu and Laranjeiras Beach TELEFERICO INCLUDED: $36
- Balneário Camboriú tour and cable car ride from Florianópolis: $39
- Secret Island Adventure: Gravata Trail, Floripa: $39
- Blumenau City Tour - departing from Florianópolis: $40
- Blumenau City Tour from Florianópolis: $40
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:
- A Full-Day Private Adventure Antisana Andean Volcano: $100
- The best of Quito walking tour: $283
- Tour Full-Day Mercado de Otavalo + Cotacachi, Ecuador.: $75
- 2-Day Tour of Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon with hotel: $222
- 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
- Adventure in Quilotoa Lagoon by Lead: $150
- All Inclusive Mindo Cloud Forest in a Private Full Day Tour: $130
- Andean Adventure : Riding and Cotopaxi Refuge: $140
- Antisana Volcano Birding & Natural History Condor Tour PRIVATE, all included: $198
- Antisana Volcano Day Tour from Quito: $120
- Antisana Volcano Private Tour: $103
- Antisana volcano private tour; birding and hike in the Andes: $130
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFlorianopolis $8.34Quito $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Florianopolis
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Florianopolis from other travelers:
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Beer$0.56
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 comparing the travel costs between Florianopolis and Quito, we can see that Florianopolis is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Florianopolis Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Florianopolis or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Florianopolis. When comparing the sizes of Florianopolis 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.