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

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Should you visit Lisbon or Quito?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Lisbon or Quito? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Lisbon or Quito?

Lisbon

Portugal's capital city of Lisbon continues to grow in popularity as a travel destination. The cultural scene has come to life in recent years and the city itself is stunningly beautiful. It sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and is made up of hills that create a dramatic and scenic layout. The city has many white-bleached limestone buildings, narrow alleyways, and a laidback charm that appeals to visitors.

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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Portugal, The Best 2-Week Tours in Portugal, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.


Which place is cheaper, Quito or Lisbon?

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 Lisbon is $196, 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 Lisbon and Quito in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Lisbon $74
    Quito $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Lisbon $148
    Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Lisbon and Quito

Looking for a hotel in Lisbon 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 Lisbon


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: Lisbon Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Lisbon $29
    Quito $6.99
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lisbon

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


  • Taxi Ride
    $7.63

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lisbon

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

  • Lisbon Airport (LIS) to Lisbon Cruise Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $84
  • Airport Private Transfer to Óbidos | Caldas da Rainha: $114
  • Airport Private Transfer to Ericeira | Torres Vedras | Campo Real: $51
  • Airport Transfer - Lisbon: $66
  • Airport Transfer | Cruise Port - Estoril | Cascais | Sintra: $82
  • Airport transfer to any destination: $131
  • Algarve to Lisbon Airport Transfer: $470
  • Arrábida Snorkeling Adventure with Transfer from Lisbon: $96
  • Arrival Transfer by Sedan from Lisbon Airport LIS to Lisbon City: $46
  • Arrival Transfer: Lisbon Airport LIS to Lisbon in Business Car: $72
  • Cascais Aerodrome (CAT) to Lisbon city - Arrival Private Transfer: $64
  • Costa da Caparica Private Transfer to/from Lisbon: $36

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:

  • Transfers To and From the Airport in Quito Ecuador: $35
  • Transfer from or to Airport Mariscal Sucre (one way): $75
  • Transfer Private Airport–Hotel in Quito: $39
  • Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $30
  • Transfer In from Quito's Airport to the city: $39
  • Transfer In & Out from Quito: $100
  • Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel with bilingual driver: $43
  • Quito airport private transfer IN or OUT: $28
  • Quito PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport: $36
  • Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $36
  • Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $28
  • Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $28

Is it cheaper to fly into Lisbon or Quito?

Prices for flights to both Quito and Lisbon 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
    Lisbon $86
    Quito $34
Typical Food Prices in Lisbon

For Lisbon, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Coffee
    $2.93

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lisbon

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

  • Pizza Cruise on a Luxury Boat with Open Bar: $29
  • Lisbon Exclusive Sunset Cruise – Pizza, Open Bar & Dolphins: $29
  • Lisbon Sunset DJ Party – Luxury Boat, Pizza & Open Bar: $29
  • Hard Rock Cafe Lisbon with Set Lunch or Dinner : $32
  • Sunset DJ Party – Sangria, Pizza & Open Bar : $35
  • Traditional Walking Food Tour: $50
  • Sangria DJ Party – Luxury Boat, Pizza & Open Bar: $54
  • Fado Show and Portuguese Dinner: $57
  • Alfama Tour and Live Fado with Traditional Dinner: $58
  • Lisbon Sangria – Exclusive Luxury Cruise with Pizza & Music: $58
  • Portuguese street food cooking class with Drinks: $59
  • Lisbon Fado Experience: Walking Tour, Dinner and Live Music Show: $59

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito

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

  • Quito Cooking Class Shared Experience: $59
  • Ecuador Food Tour: $69
  • Cooking Class in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
  • Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
  • Tour Quito with Cooking Class with Professional Chef: $95
  • Quito Private Best Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $114
  • Ecuadorian Cooking Classes Rooftop (English): $120
  • Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour : $135
  • Cooking Class at the Andes & Roses: PRIVATE Day trip from Quito: $149
  • Quito Food Tour Where my Family Go Urban Art New and Old Quito: $155

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Lisbon $28
    Quito $16

Tours and Activities in Lisbon

For Lisbon, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Unravel Lisbon an Outdoor Charms Self Guided Tour: $1.18
  • Lisbon Walking Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City: $1.24
  • Alfama and Mouraria Tour - The oldest neighbourhoods in Lisbon: $1.24
  • Lisbon Walking Tour: Historic Strolls of the Old Town: $1.76
  • Lisbon Walking Tour - Discover Belém and the Discoveries Age: $1.79
  • Lisbon Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $3.37
  • Lisbon Tour in Walled City and Alfama and Old Town: $3.59
  • The Moorish Beyond the Tourist Trail Quarter Free Walking Tour: $3.59
  • Self Guided Tour in Lisbon with 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.59
  • Lisbon City Center Tour - The Unmissable Lisbon: $3.59
  • Lisbon Walking Tour: Historic Strolls of the Old Town: $3.61
  • Lisbon (Chiado-Baixa) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.52

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:

  • A Full-Day Private Adventure Antisana Andean Volcano: $100
  • The best of Quito walking tour: $283
  • Tour Full-Day Mercado de Otavalo + Cotacachi, Ecuador.: $75
  • 2-Day Tour of Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon with hotel: $222
  • 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
  • Adventure in Quilotoa Lagoon by Lead: $150
  • All Inclusive Mindo Cloud Forest in a Private Full Day Tour: $130
  • Andean Adventure : Riding and Cotopaxi Refuge: $140
  • Antisana Volcano Birding & Natural History Condor Tour PRIVATE, all included: $198
  • Antisana Volcano Day Tour from Quito: $120
  • Antisana Volcano Private Tour: $103
  • Antisana volcano private tour; birding and hike in the Andes: $130

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Lisbon $21
    Quito $17

Sample the Local Flavors in Lisbon

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

  • Lisbon Port Wine Tasting at Taylors Shop and Tasting Room: $19
  • 1-Hour Portuguese Wine Tasting Session: $22
  • Pub Crawl with Open Bar, Shots & VIP Club Entry: $23
  • Pub Crawl with Open Bar (Premium Upgrade Available): $23
  • Lisbon Pub Crawl: Unlimited Drinks, Shots & V.I.P Club Entry: $23
  • Lisbon Pub Crawl: $24
  • Lisbon Pub Crawl: $24
  • Portuguese Wine Tasting: $25
  • Guided Port Wine Tasting Apéritif/Digestif: $28
  • Port Wine Tasting Apéritif/Digestif at Portuguese Wine Bar: $29
  • Lisbon Wine Tasting: $29
  • A Taste of Wine Tasting Experience: $42

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

How are these travel costs calculated?

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


Which is Bigger, Lisbon or Quito?

Quito has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Lisbon. When comparing the sizes of Lisbon 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.
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