Which place is cheaper, Quito or Grand Cayman?
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 Grand Cayman or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Grand Cayman and Quito. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Grand Cayman or Quito?
Grand Cayman
When people think of the Cayman Islands, they typically think of offshore bank accounts and sunny, cruise ship ports. Grand Cayman has more to offer travelers than a playground for the wealthy or a short stopover for cruise passengers. This tropical island is the largest of the three Cayman Islands, it is a shopper's heaven, a center for global finance and an ideal vacation spot.
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 Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Grand Cayman Prices
Cayman Islands PricesQuito Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGrand Cayman $242Quito $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Grand Cayman is $242, 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 Grand Cayman and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGrand Cayman $149Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGrand Cayman $298Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Grand Cayman and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Grand Cayman 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: Grand Cayman Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Grand Cayman $31Quito $6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grand Cayman
Also for Grand Cayman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer - Owen Roberts Intl Airport to GeorgeTown or Seven Mile Beach: $80
- Airport Transfer to West Bay Accommodations (GCM)-Round Trip: $88
- Owen Roberts Airport (GCM) to George Town - Round-Trip Transfer: $298
- Owen Roberts Airport (GCM) to George Town Cruise Port - Arrival Private Transfer: $149
- Owen Roberts Airport GCM to George Town-Arrival Private Transfer: $149
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 Friends Airport Quito: $40
- Transfer from or to UIO Airport to any Hotel in Quito: $30
- 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 or vice versa with bilingual driver-guide: $43
- Transfer Airport → Quito (one way / round trip): $50
- Shared Transfer from Quito hotels to Airport: $42
- Private Transfer from/to Airport: $35
- Private Transfer from the Airport to the city: $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Grand Cayman or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Grand Cayman 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 dayGrand Cayman $67Quito $34
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
- Quito Eats Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
- From Cayambe Traditional Cooking Class with Transfers: $60
- The Delicious Side of Quito Food Tour: $70
- 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 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
- Ecuadorian Cooking Class with a chef and Local Market: $100
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Grand Cayman $41Quito $16
Tours and Activities in Grand Cayman
For Grand Cayman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Diamonds and Cocktails a Shopping Experience in Grand Cayman: $10
- Bling and Beverages Cayman Jewelry Shopping Experience: $22
- Stingray City Catamaran Sunset Tour: $59
- Stingray City Catamaran Sunset Tour: $59
- 4 Stops Tour: Stingray, Snorkeling, Starfish & 7 Mile Beach: $60
- Stingray City and Starfish Experience with Coral Reef Snorkeling: $62
- Cayman Best Stingray City Reef Snorkel and Starfish Point Tour: $63
- 3 Stop Boat Tour Stingray City Coral Gardens and Starfish Point: $65
- Stingray City Sandbar Experience: $65
- Fun Family 3 stops StingrayCity Adventure: $69
- Stingrays and Starfish Point Tour: $70
- Stingray City Experience Plus One Snorkeling Stop: $75
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:
- 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 Volcano Condor Birdwatching Private Experience: $90
- Antisana Volcano Private Day Tour from Quito: $266
- Antisana volcano private tour; birding and hike in the Andes: $130
- Authentic Cloud Forest Experience: $299
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGrand Cayman $13Quito $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Grand Cayman
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Grand Cayman:
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Beer$4.96
Sample the Local Flavors in Grand Cayman
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Grand Cayman:
- Cayman Spirits Co. Distillery Tour Pass Ticket Only: $24
- Taste of Cayman Distillery Experience: $75
- Distillery Tour with Gin Tasting: $75
- Cayman Art and Wine Tour: $150
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 Grand Cayman and Quito, we can see that Grand Cayman is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Grand Cayman is in Caribbean Islands 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 Grand Cayman would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Grand Cayman 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 Grand Cayman Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Grand Cayman or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Grand Cayman. When comparing the sizes of Grand Cayman 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.