Which place is cheaper, Quito or Glasgow?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Glasgow or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Glasgow or Quito, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Glasgow or Quito?
Glasgow
Glasgow is the biggest city in Scotland with a population of about 600,000 and more than 2 million in the surrounding areas. It is located on the edge of River Clyde and has long been acclaimed as Scotland's main industrial city. It remains a major economic center for the United Kingdom outside of London. In recent years it has also been awarded the European titles as both the City of Culture as well as the City of Architecture and Design.
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 2-Week Tours from Edinburgh, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United Kingdom, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGlasgow $181Quito $52
The average daily cost (per person) in Glasgow is $181, while the average daily cost in Quito is $52. 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 Glasgow and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGlasgow $93Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGlasgow $186Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Glasgow and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Glasgow 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: Glasgow Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Glasgow $34Quito $6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Glasgow
Also for Glasgow, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport and Glasgow Centre Private Transfer to Oban: $314
- Departure Private Transfer Glasgow City to Glasgow GLA Airport by Business Car: $93
- Departure Private Transfer Glasgow City to Glasgow GLA Airport by Luxury Car: $139
- Departure Private Transfers: Glasgow City to Glasgow Airport GLA in Business Car: $98
- Executive transfer Glasgow/Edinburgh: $276
- From Private Day Trip to Edinburgh with Transfers: $840
- From Private One-Way Transfer to Edinburgh: $214
- Glasgow Airport (GLA) to Glenshee Ski Resort - Arrival Transfer: $104
- Glasgow Airport Transfer: Glasgow Airport GLA to Glasgow City in Luxury Van: $145
- Glasgow Airport Transfer: Glasgow City to Glasgow Airport GLA in Luxury Van: $145
- Glasgow Airport to Lecht Ski Resort - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $154
- Glasgow Private Transfer from Glasgow Airport to City centre: $65
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:
- Private Transpor for tours, transfers, visits, etc, for 8 hours: $165
- From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch: $145
- From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer: $119
- Quito Airport Private Transfer Service: $112
- Transfer to Mashpi Reserve one way : $99
- Private City Tour & Intiñam Museum Visit w/ Transfer: $94
- Private Transfer from Quito to Baños or Baños to Quito (one way): $90
- Transfer in and Transfer out: $75
- Private Transfers Quito to Tena: $65
- Private Transfer In from International Airport Mariscal Sucre to Quito : $60
- Private Transfer Quito Airport To Quito City/hotel : $57
- Airport Transfer- Hotel in Quito 1 Way: $55
Is it cheaper to fly into Glasgow or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Glasgow 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 dayGlasgow $56Quito $20
Typical Food Prices in Glasgow
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Glasgow:
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Dessert at Farmer's Market$2.26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Glasgow
For Glasgow, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Glasgow Walking Food Tour with EatWalk Tours: $146
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.
- Old Town Highlights & Food Tour: $35
- 3 Hours Local Food Tour in Quito: $39
- Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
- Cooking class In-home space: $75
- Private Famous Food Tour of Historic Old Town in Quito: $95
- Ecuadorian Cooking Class and Local Market Tour: $114
- Ecuadorian Cooking Classes Rooftop (English): $120
- Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour: $130
- Quito Private & All Inclusive Cooking Class with Certified Chef: $235
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Glasgow $28Quito $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Glasgow
For Glasgow, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Luss Highland Games Entrance Fee (for 2)$15
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Two Bike Rental$43
Tours and Activities in Glasgow
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Glasgow.
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $4.31
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $4.31
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Glasgow Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Uncover Historic In-App Audio Tour: $11
- Discover Glasgow's Imperial Legacy: In-App Audio Tour: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- City Center Guided Walking Tour: $15
- Glasgow City Centre Daily Walking Tour: 10:30am, 2pm & 5pm: $15
- Private Historical Walking Tour: $16
- Street Art Guided Walking Tour: $18
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:
- Flavors, Colors and History of Quito Private Tour: $185
- Otavalo Market Private Sightseeing and Surroundings: $110
- Tour Full-Day Mercado de Otavalo + Cotacachi, Ecuador.: $130
- 2 Full Days Exploring The Ecuadorian Amazon | Tour Start In Quito: $268
- 2-Day Private Tour from Quito:Baños and Quilotoa Lagoon: $329
- 2-Day Private Tour to Otavalo Market, Cuicocha Lake, Peguche and Condor´s Park: $295
- 2-day Quilotoa Lagoon and the adventure city of Baños: $265
- 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
- 3-Day Private Tour of Quito: $120
- 3-Days Andes & Amazon | Tour From Quito: $858
- 8 Hours Mindo Cloud Forest Tour from Quito includes Lunch: $100
- All inclusive Quito to Banos 2 day tour: $250
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGlasgow $19Quito $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Glasgow
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Glasgow:
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Bottle of Wine$15
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Ciders at Kilted Skirlie$4.39
Sample the Local Flavors in Glasgow
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Glasgow:
- Clydeside Distillery Tour and Whisky Tasting: $23
- Tennent’s Brewery Guided Tour and Free Pint: $24
- Secrets & Summer Serves at Glengoyne Distillery: $25
- Glengoyne Distillery Tour with Whisky & Chocolate: $44
- Glasgow Bar Maid-led Pub Crawl for Special Events: $44
- Stirling Castle, Loch Lomond Walk & Whisky Distillery Tour from Glasgow : $70
- Sample Fine & Rare Whiskies at Glengoyne Distillery: $75
- The Malt Master Experience at Glengoyne Distillery: $125
- Scottish Whisky Distillery Tour: $187
- Guided Electric Bike Tour with a Distillery Visit: $188
- Pints & Past: Glasgow Pub Tour: $459
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 Glasgow and Quito, we can see that Glasgow is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Glasgow 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 Glasgow would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Glasgow 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 Glasgow Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Glasgow or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Glasgow. When comparing the sizes of Glasgow 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.