Which place is cheaper, Quito or Istanbul?
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 Istanbul or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Istanbul 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: Istanbul or Quito?
Istanbul
Istanbul is strategically located on the Bosphorus and is split between Europe and Asia. It truly is a city where east meets west. Istanbul is the cultural and financial hub of Turkey, and also the most populous city. The sites are countless and there's something for everybody, whether you're interested in art, music, food, or adventure. You can pass many days exploring both the residential and commercial pockets of this city. Much of the appeal is hidden away along back alleys or within corner shops.
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 in Turkey, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Istanbul Prices
Turkey PricesQuito Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIstanbul $193Quito $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Istanbul is $193, 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 Istanbul and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIstanbul $89Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIstanbul $178Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Istanbul and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Istanbul 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: Istanbul Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Istanbul $42Quito $6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Cruise Port(Galataport) Private Transfer Service: $35
- Private Airport Transfer in Istanbul: $138
- Saw Sabiha Gokcen Airport Transfers for Old City & Taksim Hotels: $65
- 1-Way Private Transfer to/from Sabiha Gokcen Airport: $85
- Airport - Otel Transfer and City Tours: $35
- Airport Transfer: $63
- Airport Transfer: $61
- Airport Transfer Hotel Transfer Istanbul Transfer: $62
- Airport transfer Istanbul: $57
- Arrival Private Transfer: New Airport IST to Istanbul in Business Car: $68
- Comfortable and Reliable Private Istanbul Airport Transfer: $80
- Departure Private Transfer: Istanbul to New Airport IST in Luxury Van: $74
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 Transfer from or to Quito Airport (one way): $20
- Private Departure Transfer from Quito to the Airport - One Way: $21
- Private Arrival Transfer from Airport to Quito - One Way: $21
- Quito hotels to Quito Airport (UIO) - Departure Private Transfer: $23
- Transfer from or to Airport Mariscal Sucre (one way): $23
- Unique Quito Transfer Mariscal Sucre Airport to Hotel: $27
- Quito airport private transfer IN or OUT: $28
- Quito PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport: $28
- Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $30
- Private Transfer from Quito Airport : $30
- Private Transfer from/to Airport: $35
- Private Transfer from the Airport to the city: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Istanbul or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Istanbul 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 dayIstanbul $71Quito $34
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Istanbul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Istanbul.
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Incl. Drinks with Transfer: $17
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Transfer Included: $28
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Private Table: $29
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Folklore Show & Belly Dancers: $32
- Istanbul Turkish Coffee Cooking and Tasting with Locals at Home: $33
- İstanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Traditional Turkish Show: $33
- Bosphorus Cruise with Dinner Show: $34
- Dinner Cruise and Entertainment with Private Table: $34
- Pasha Istanbul Dinner Cruise: $34
- Golden Horn & Bosphorus Dinner and Show: $34
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show with Private Table: $34
- All Inclusive; Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise w/live shows: $34
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: $29
- Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
- Food Tour in quaint old town with tastings and lunch: $55
- Quito Cooking Class Shared Experience: $59
- Ecuador Food Tour: $69
- Authentic Andean Cooking Class in Quito : $85
- 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
- Ecuadorian Cooking Class with a chef and Local Market: $89
- Quito after-dark street food tour : $90
- Afternoon Coffee in Quito - Foodie Tour with empanada cooking class: $110
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Istanbul $47Quito $16
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- Old Town Of Istanbul Orientation - Tip Based Walking Tour: $2.50
- Private 1 - 2 or 3-Days Tour: $4.51
- Bosphorus Strait Sightseeing Cruise w/Audio Guide: $5.65
- Hagia Sophia Admission Ticket - Pay on Arrival : $5.73
- Kadikoy's history, theatres and sweet shops: a self-guided audio tour: $5.99
- Bosphorous Asian Side Boat Cruise Morning: $6.78
- Explore Bosphorous on a Sunset Boat Cruise: $6.78
- Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise Tour with Audio Guide: $7.80
- Bosphorus Cruise from Europe or Asia & Audio Guide: $7.85
- Istanbul's Old Town Through Time: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Daytime or Sunset Sightseeing Cruise & Audio Guide: $8.00
- The Royal Adventure Quest Experience in Istanbul: $8.31
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:
- Middle of the World shuttle Tour: $14
- 2.5-Hour City Bus Tour: $15
- Night Tour in Quito with free time at Old Town: $15
- Quito Walking Experience Tour with Activities: $25
- Shared Quito City Tour: $28
- Walking Tour Quito: $30
- Old Town Walking Tour with Basilica Church Visit: $30
- Quito : Must-see Sites Walking Tour With A Guide: $31
- Gastronomic and Cultural Walking Tour of Quito with Tastings: $32
- Private custom tour with a local guide: $34
- Quito : Private Custom Walking Tour With A Guide (Private Tour): $34
- Middle of the World Tour with entrances every day: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIstanbul $13Quito $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Rooftop Pub Crawl with Party Bus: $28
- Pub Crawl Istanbul / Rooftop Clubs & Party Bus: $29
- Party Pub Crawl with Party Bus: $31
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $78
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries : $201
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:
- Half-day tour to high altitude vineyards and wine tasting: $45
- Ecuador Spirit Craft Brewery Tasting and Latitude 0 Private Tour: $130
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Istanbul and Quito, we can see that Istanbul is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Istanbul 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 Istanbul would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Istanbul 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 Istanbul Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Istanbul or Quito?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Quito. When comparing the sizes of Istanbul 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.