Which place is cheaper, Queenstown or Guayaquil?
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 Guayaquil or Queenstown?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Guayaquil or Queenstown, 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: Guayaquil or Queenstown?
Guayaquil
Guayaquil is Ecuador's largest city and seaport. From a tourist perspective, the city acts primarily as a transportation gateway to the country and the Galapagos Islands. While the city can be skipped altogether, should you have a free day to spend here, there are a few noteworthy things to do, as well as some terrific dining and nightlife options. Guayaquil’s main tourist attraction is Las Penas, a hill with old, colorfully painted buildings at the north end of the Malecon, where you can walk the 400 steps to the lighthouse at the top for good views of the city. The neighborhood is filled with cafes, bars, restaurants, and art galleries and is relatively safe. Other important sights include the Malecon 2000, a massive urban development project that has brought new life to the riverside in the city center and the Parque Seminario, filled with fountains, trees and iguanas, located at 10 de Agosto Ave and Chile Ave.
Queenstown
Queenstown is a popular tourist destination on New Zealand's South Island. It is beautifully surrounded by the Southern Alps and sits on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. Across the lake you will find a stunning view of the Remarkables, a dramatic mountain range. The town itself is quite touristy, but prices still remain reasonable. There are options for all travel budgets, whether you're a backpacker hoping to save a few dollars or a family looking for some luxury accommodation. Despite its natural and tranquil setting, Queenstown is actually very much a party town, particularly during the peak seasons. Don't be surprised to find people out enjoying themselves until the early hours of the morning. If you're not into the party scene and are hoping to get a decent night's sleep, consider staying a little outside of town. About an hour outside of Queenstown you'll find Wanaka, which is a much smaller and peaceful town without the party scene.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador, The Best Bicycle Tours in New Zealand, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand.
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Guayaquil Prices
Ecuador PricesQueenstown Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGuayaquil $116Queenstown $127
The average daily cost (per person) in Guayaquil is $116, while the average daily cost in Queenstown is $127. 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 Guayaquil and Queenstown in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGuayaquil $32Queenstown $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGuayaquil $64Queenstown $108
Compare Hotels in Guayaquil and Queenstown
Looking for a hotel in Guayaquil or Queenstown? 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: Guayaquil Hotel Prices and Queenstown Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Guayaquil $15Queenstown $9.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guayaquil
Also for Guayaquil, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Guayaquil Airport to Hotel or vice versa: $13
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $17
- Guayaquil to Guayaquil Airport GYE Departure Private Transfer: $19
- Guayaquil Airport (GYE) to Guayaquil hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $19
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $20
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport.: $20
- Luxury VIP car transfers to hotels in Guayaquil and Ecuador: $30
- Guayaquil Airport(GYE) to Guayaquil - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $37
- Guayaquil Airport (GYE) to Guayaquil hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $37
- Private Transfer Guayaquil Airport GYE to Guayaquil by Car or Van: $48
- Private Transfer from Manta Cruise Port to Guayaquil Airport(GYE): $227
- Private Transfer from Guayaquil Airport(GYE) to Manta Cruise Port: $227
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Queenstown
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Queenstown:
- ZQN Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $27
- Tasman Glacier Helihike with Flight Transfers: $1,016
- Milford Sound Cruise with Helicopter Transfer: $901
- Queenstown to Mt Cook One Way Scenic Transfer: $121
- Queenstown private transfer: $76
- Queenstown Private Airport Transfer: Door to Door Service: $29
- Queenstown Airport to Towncenter Transfer: $78
- QUEENSTOWN Best Private Airport Transfer:1 Way from/to Hotel: $51
- Private Transfer from Wanaka to Queenstown Airport: $176
- Private Return Luxury Transfers Queenstown to Gibbston Vineyard: $257
- Private Queenstown Airport to Hotel Transfers: $73
- From Cardrona Ski/Snowboard Rentals & Transfer: $165
Is it cheaper to fly into Guayaquil or Queenstown?
Prices for flights to both Queenstown and Guayaquil 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 dayGuayaquil $50Queenstown $60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guayaquil
For Guayaquil, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Wagyu Cooking Class in Guayaquil: $135
- Cooking Class, Wine & Chocolate Experience: $174
- Half Day of Cooking and Chocolate at Cocoa Farm from Guayaquil: $175
- Gastronomic workshop tour, live cooking, Learn about the Ecuadorian culinary art: $200
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Queenstown
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Queenstown.
- Bar Crawl with 5 Free Shots and Pizza: $17
- Skyline Queenstown Gondola with Lunch or Dinner: $80
- Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown: $113
- Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch: $129
- Queenstown Dinner & Wine Experience (Adults Only) 3 Iconic Venues: $286
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Guayaquil $21Queenstown $21
Tours and Activities in Guayaquil
For Guayaquil, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cultural Tour of the Museums of Guayaquil: $35
- Shared Walking Tour in Guayaquil City: $50
- Shared Walking Tour in Guayaquil City: $50
- City Highlights Tour with Cable Car Ride: $58
- Guayaquil Museum Tour: $64
- Half-Day City Tour—Iguana Park & Santa Ana Hill: $70
- Guayaquil to Cuenca one-way tour with Cajas Park and a Cacao Farm visit: $74
- Guayaquil City Tour Including the Light House of Cerro Santa Ana: $74
- Guayaquil City Tour Including the Light House of Santa Ana: $74
- Private Guayaquil City Tour: $77
- City Tour with Hotel Pickup and Drop-off: $80
- Historic Walking Tour Through Time & Culture: $83
Typical Entertainment Prices in Queenstown
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Queenstown are as follows:
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Skyline Gondola (for 2)$29
Tours and Activities in Queenstown
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Queenstown are as follows:
- 25-Minute Remarkables Helicopter Tour from Queenstown: $185
- 30-Minute High-Speed Thrill Queenstown Jet Boat Adventure: $65
- 5 Day South Island New Zealand Private Tour from Queenstown: $2,767
- Ale Trail: Wharehuanui Adventure with Queenstown Shuttles: $66
- Arrowtown and Wanaka Highlights Tour from Queenstown: $125
- Arrowtown to Queenstown Bike Tour with Shuttle: $69
- Arrowtown to Queenstown Full-Day Bike Adventure: $63
- Boutique Winery Half-Day Tour & Vineyard Platter-Style Lunch: $158
- Coronet Peak Snow Play Experience from Queenstown: $60
- Coronet Peak Snow Sightseeing Tour: $203
- Dart River Jet Boat and Wilderness Experience: $196
- Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Queenstown: $286
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGuayaquil $17Queenstown $8.67
Sample the Local Flavors in Guayaquil
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Guayaquil:
- Wine Tasting Experience with Tasting Menu: $65
- Premium Wine Tasting and 3-Course Pairing Menu in Guayaquil.: $86
- Craft Brewery Tour with Tasting: $428
Sample the Local Flavors in Queenstown
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Queenstown:
- Kinross Winery: Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $18
- Ice Bar Crawl: $23
- Queenstown Wine Tour - Self Guided Audio Tour (Driving): $30
- Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours: $73
- Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $95
- Queenstown's Original Premium Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour: $101
- Queenstown Classic Wine Tour: 3 Winery Visits, Cave Tour & Cheese: $129
- Small Group Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $129
- Classic Wine Tour: $135
- Arrowtown Wine Tour: $141
- Queenstown Afternoon Wine Tour (Adults Only) | Kiwi Host, Max 10: $149
- Small Group Wine Tasting Tour with 18+ tastings: $150
When comparing the travel costs between Guayaquil and Queenstown, we can see that Queenstown 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. Even though Guayaquil is in South America and Queenstown is in Pacific, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Guayaquil Expensive? and Is Queenstown Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Guayaquil or Queenstown?
Guayaquil has a larger population, and is about 190 times larger than the population of Queenstown. When comparing the sizes of Guayaquil and Queenstown, 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.