A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Hamburg vs. Quito for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Hamburg 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 Hamburg and Quito can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Hamburg or Quito?

Hamburg

Hamburg is most noted for its port, which is the largest in Germany and the second busiest in Europe. Despite it's size, it is actually located about 100 kilometers from the North Sea on the River Elbe. The popularity of this port has given Hamburg the nickname as Germany's Gateway to the World. The city itself is the second largest in Germany and the metropolitan area has a population of over 4 million people.

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 10-Day Tours from Berlin, The Best 2-Week Tours from Berlin, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.


Which place is cheaper, Quito or Hamburg?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Hamburg is $159, 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 Hamburg and Quito in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Hamburg $61
    Quito $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Hamburg $122
    Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Hamburg and Quito

Looking for a hotel in Hamburg 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.

Hotels in Hamburg


Hotels in Quito


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: Hamburg Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Hamburg $32
    Quito $6.99
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hamburg

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Hamburg:


  • Short Distance Ubahn Ticket
    $1.91

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hamburg

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hamburg:

  • Airport Transfer: Hamburg Airport HAM to Hamburg by Business Car: $102
  • Airport Transfer: Hamburg Airport HAM to Hamburg by Luxury Car: $145
  • Airport Transfer: Hamburg to Hamburg Airport HAM by Business Car: $100
  • Airport Transfer: Hamburg to Hamburg Airport HAM by Luxury Van: $107
  • Arrival Private Transfers from Hamburg Airport XFW to Hamburg City: $96
  • Arrival Transfer: Airport HAM to Hamburg by Business Car: $97
  • Departure Private Transfers from Hamburg City to Hamburg Airport XFW: $80
  • Departure Transfer: Hamburg to Airport HAM by Business Car: $97
  • Hamburg :Private Transfer to/from Airport and City: $128
  • Hamburg Airport (HAM) to Ostseekai Kiel Port - Arrival Transfer: $195
  • Hamburg Airport (HAM): Private Transfer to Hamburg hotels: $289
  • Hamburg Airport Transfers : Hamburg Airport XFW to Hamburg in Business Car: $80

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quito

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Quito:


  • Taxi from Bus Terminal to Hotel
    $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quito

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quito:

  • Custom Transfers Across Ecuador (quote required): $30
  • From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer: $129
  • From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch: $166
  • Private Departure Transfer from Quito to the Airport - One Way: $20
  • Private Premium Transfer Quito Airport To Quito City/hotel: $63
  • Private Transfer IN or OUT Hotel-Aiport Quito or Aiport-Hotel: $35
  • Private Transfer Quito to Mindo – SUV or Van (1–6): $88
  • Private Transfer from Quito to Baños de Agua Santa (one way): $80
  • Private Transfer from or to Quito Airport (one way): $21
  • Private Transfer to Quito airport and hotel: $35
  • Quito Airport ↔ Quito Hotels Private Transfer Service: $27
  • Quito Airport (UIO) to Quito hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $46

Is it cheaper to fly into Hamburg or Quito?

Prices for flights to both Quito and Hamburg 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Hamburg $67
    Quito $34
Typical Food Prices in Hamburg

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Hamburg:


  • Pink Thai Soup Dinner and Spring Rolls
    $17
  • Currywurst and Pommes Frites
    $5.62
  • Donner Kebab and Coke
    $6.74
  • Traditional Hamburg Dinner w/ Beer
    $17
  • Donner Kebab Lunch
    $4.49
  • Sandwich and Coffee Break
    $6.74
  • Fish Sandwich from Fish Market
    $3.93
  • Coffee and Donut
    $4.49

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hamburg

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hamburg.

  • St George's Culinary Food Tour: $56
  • St. Pauli kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $56
  • Elbphilharmonie Plaza and HafenCity Food Tour: $63
  • Elbphilharmonie Plaza and HafenCity Food Tour: $63
  • Reeperbahn Tour and Dinner Voucher St. Pauli for Connoisseurs: $67
  • Elphi Plaza und HafenCity kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $67
  • Hamburg Walking Food Tour with 7 Authentic Local Dishes: $111
  • Hamburg Traditional Food Tour: Full Meal and Drinks: $127
  • Eat Like a Local in Private & Personalized Food Tour: $199
  • St. Pauli: Guided Food Tour with 5 Tastings: $524
  • The Wilhelmsburg Food Tour: $524

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: $15
  • Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
  • Quito Eats Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
  • From Cayambe Traditional Cooking Class with Transfers: $60
  • 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 in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
  • Cooking Class with Chef, Market Tour & Transportation: $88
  • Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
  • Tour Quito with Cooking Class with Professional Chef: $95
  • Private Famous Food Tour of Historic Old Town in Quito: $95

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Hamburg $44
    Quito $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hamburg

Here are a few typical costs in Hamburg for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Tower at St. Michael's Church
    $3.93

Tours and Activities in Hamburg

Here are a few actual costs in Hamburg for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Free tour: Centro Histórico. Tú decides el precio al final: $1.16
  • Hamburg Relax Lounge – Private Massage Experience by NAIPO: $1.18
  • Free Tour: Port, Red Light District and Beatles. You decide how much to pay at the end: $1.45
  • Guided tour of Hamburg's UNESCO World Heritage Site - Warehouses & Cathedrals of Commerce: $2.33
  • Guided tour of Hamburg's Neustadt - ramparts, Gängeviertel & Neustädter: $2.33
  • Guided tour of Hamburg's Speicherstadt - warehouse, free port & duty-free: $2.33
  • City tour through Hamburg St. Georg – dreams, diversity, and tolerance: $2.33
  • Freewalking Tour Hamburg St.Georg Dreams, diversity and tolerance: $3.41
  • The Local Tour of Hamburg Historic Centre: $3.41
  • Hamburg Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $4.57
  • Podcast Tour Hamburg The Defiant Heart of the Gängeviertel: $5.47
  • Self-guided podcast tour Concrete and Tunnels: $5.47

Typical Entertainment Prices in Quito

Here are a few typical costs in Quito for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • 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:

  • Quito Old Town tip based walking tour small groups Cacao Taste: $5.00
  • Quito Old Town Walking tour small groups Chocolate taste included: $5.00
  • Saturday Night tour! Basilica del Voto Nacional exclusive tour: $5.00
  • Quito Audio Guided Walking Tour 2h10 and 19 audio reviews: $6.74
  • 2.5-Hour City Bus Tour: $15
  • Discover the heart of the Historic Center - Walking tour: $25
  • Instagram walking tour in Quito's Historic Center: $26
  • Quito's Cultural Tour & Indigenous Perspectives of Old Town: $27
  • Fruit Tasting Experience with +15 Exotics Flavors of Ecuador: $29
  • Old Town Walking Tour with Basilica Church Visit: $30
  • Walking Tour Quito: $30
  • Quito Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Hamburg $20
    Quito $17

Sample the Local Flavors in Hamburg

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Hamburg:

  • Original Hamburg Pub Crawl Sex & Crime St. Pauli Tour: $21
  • The Original Hamburg Pub Crawl Sex & Crime St. Pauli Tour: $23
  • Party Walk & legendary pub crawl through St. Paul & Reeperbahn: $25
  • Pub Crawl Hamburg - Ladies Night: $28
  • Pub Crawl - Drink & Dare: $28
  • Night Pub Crawl through the Reeperbahn: $29
  • Hamburg Private Pub Crawl Nightlife Experience with Local Guide: $34
  • Reeperbahn Pub Crawl with Shots and Games: $35
  • Reeperbahn pub crawl with insider-guide & shots: $335
  • Bachelor party Pub crawl & party for your bachelor party: $419

Typical Alcohol Prices in Quito

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Quito from other travelers:


  • Beers for Two
    $9.00


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hamburg and Quito, we can see that Hamburg is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Hamburg 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 Hamburg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hamburg 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 Hamburg Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Hamburg or Quito?

Hamburg has a larger population, and is about 24% larger than the population of Quito. When comparing the sizes of Hamburg 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.