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

Should you visit Jakarta 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 Jakarta 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: Jakarta or Quito?

Jakarta

As Indonesia's capital and largest city, Jakarta rests on the northwest coast of the island of Java. It is the country's economic, cultural, and political center with plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, nightlife, shopping, and entertainment.

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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Indonesia, The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.


Which place is cheaper, Quito or Jakarta?

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 Jakarta is $68, 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 Jakarta and Quito in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Jakarta $30
    Quito $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Jakarta $60
    Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Jakarta and Quito

Looking for a hotel in Jakarta 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 Jakarta


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: Jakarta Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Jakarta $18
    Quito $6.99
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Jakarta

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jakarta are as follows:


  • Taxi to Station
    $0.98

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jakarta

Also for Jakarta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Airport Transfer: $30
  • Airport Transfer Jakarta ( Private Car ): $30
  • All-inclusive Private Jakarta Airport Transfer: $15
  • Departure Private Transfer: Jakarta City to Jakarta Airport CGK: $105
  • Jakarta Airport (CGK) to Bandung/Lembang Arrival Transfer: $71
  • Jakarta Airport Transfer Service: $20
  • Jakarta Airport Transfer for Small/Big Group: $28
  • Jakarta Airport Transfers : Jakarta City to Jakarta Airport CGK in Business Van: $105
  • Jakarta Arrival Private Transfers from Jakarta Airport CGK to Jakarta City: $105
  • Jakarta City Tour, National Monument, Indonesian park w/ transfer: $61
  • Jakarta Full-Day Highlights Tour with Transfer: $60
  • Jakarta Private Airport Transfer: $25

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:

  • From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch: $166
  • Private Transfer: Quito Airport (UIO) to Baños de Agua Santa: $160
  • Arrival Private Transfer Quito Airport UIO to Quito by Minivan: $137
  • From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer: $129
  • Panoramic City Tour & Airport Departure Transfer: $114
  • Middle of the World Tour with Airport Transfer: $114
  • Airport Transfer and City Highlights Tour: $114
  • Transfer to Mashpi Amagusa Reserve one way: $109
  • Arrival Transfer from Quito Airport UIO to Quito by Sedan or SUV: $105
  • Private City Tour & Intiñam Museum Visit w/ Transfer: $89
  • Transfer Quito → Papallacta (one way / round trip): $85
  • Private Transfer from Quito to Baños de Agua Santa (one way): $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Jakarta or Quito?

Prices for flights to both Quito and Jakarta 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
    Jakarta $26
    Quito $34
Typical Food Prices in Jakarta

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Jakarta:


  • Dinner
    $2.46
  • Dinner
    $0.67

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jakarta

For Jakarta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Mangga Besar Food Tour: $49
  • Jakarta Night Tour with Dinner at Café or Food street: $50
  • Kota Tua Food Tour: $64
  • Jakarta Private Cooking Class and Experience Tour: $120

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
  • Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
  • Quito Eats Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
  • Quito Kitchens Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
  • From Cayambe Traditional Cooking Class with Transfers: $60
  • Quito Best Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $66
  • 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 with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
  • Private Famous Food Tour of Historic Old Town in Quito: $95

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Jakarta $11
    Quito $16

Tours and Activities in Jakarta

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Jakarta.

  • Atlantis Water Adventures at Ancol Entry Ticket: $9.61
  • Jakarta Aquarium Safari Admission Ticket: $11
  • Dunia Fantasi at Ancol Entry Ticket: $20
  • Watercolor & Wellness : A Healing Art Therapy Experience: $27
  • Experience Jakarta Street Food Scene with MRT Transportation: $40
  • Jakarta Half Day Visit The Monument with Highlight City Tour: $45
  • Jakarta Half Day Shared Guided Tour Visit Monument and Old Town: $47
  • Pasar Baru Foodie Tour: $49
  • Jakarta Half-Day Highlights Tour: $50
  • Afternoon Guided Chinatown Tour in Jakarta: $53
  • Half Day 4 Hours Jakarta City Tour: $55
  • Half Day Jakarta Private Tour in two highlight place: $55

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:

  • “Adventure in Baths: Waterfalls, End of the World Swing and More”: $190
  • 2 Day Quito to Cotopaxi and Quilotoa Tour with Accommodation: $281
  • 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 Birding Tours to see CONDORS - by Richard Hernandez: $185
  • Antisana Volcano Birding & Natural History Condor Tour PRIVATE, all included: $210

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Jakarta $3.80
    Quito $17

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

Sample the Local Flavors in Quito

Also in Quito, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Ecuador Spirit Craft Brewery Tasting and Latitude 0 Private Tour: $155


When comparing the travel costs between Jakarta and Quito, we can see that Jakarta 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 Jakarta is in Asia and Quito is in South America, 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 Jakarta Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Jakarta or Quito?

Jakarta has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Quito. When comparing the sizes of Jakarta 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.