Which place is cheaper, Guayaquil or Melbourne?
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 Melbourne or Guayaquil?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Melbourne or Guayaquil? 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: Melbourne or Guayaquil?
Melbourne
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, after Sydney. It is also the capital city of the state of Victoria, in southeastern Australia. Melbourne is arguably the best city to experience culture and the arts in Australia. There is a friendly rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney over livability and popularity and Melbourne is definitely the city to visit for its parks, shopping, restaurants, galleries and theaters. Like Sydney, it is situated on the water, at the head of Port Phillip Bay. It's a beautiful city, and although it lacks the major sights that you'll find in Sydney such as the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge, you will never find yourself lacking for entertainment. It is also a wonderful base for exploring many of the nearby highlights, including Grampians National Park, The Great Ocean Road, and Phillip Island where you can view the penguin parade.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Scuba Diving Tours in Australia, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Australia, The Best G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador.
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Melbourne Prices
Australia PricesGuayaquil Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMelbourne $208Guayaquil $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Melbourne is $208, while the average daily cost in Guayaquil is $116. 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 Melbourne and Guayaquil in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMelbourne $127Guayaquil $32
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMelbourne $254Guayaquil $64
Compare Hotels in Melbourne and Guayaquil
Looking for a hotel in Melbourne or Guayaquil? 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: Melbourne Hotel Prices and Guayaquil Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Melbourne $21Guayaquil $15
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melbourne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Melbourne:
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Airport Bus$11
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Tram Ride$2.65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melbourne
Also for Melbourne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Yarra Valley: Hot Air Balloon with Breakfast & CBD Transfers: $377
- Sydney Airport Transfer to Sydney CBD/ Other Suburbs: $96
- Sedan Arrival Private Transfer Melbourne Airport MEL to Melbourne: $116
- Private Transfer from Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Melbourne Port: $79
- Private Transfer Melbourne Airport: $107
- Private Melbourne Airport Transfers To City (Sedan, SUV, or Van): $107
- Private Luxury Transfer from Melbourne CBD to Melbourne Airport: $105
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Melbourne Airports: $92
- Private Car Transfer Melbourne Airport To CBD: $85
- Private Arrival Transfer: Melbourne Airports to Hotel: $92
- Private Airport Transfer: Hotel ⇄ Melbourne Airport (MEL): $125
- Private Airport Transfer from Melbourne Airport to City Center: $64
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
- Shared transfer from Hotel to Airport in Guayaquil: $43
- Private Transfer from Manta Cruise Port to Guayaquil city hotels: $226
- Private Transfer from Guayaquil Airport(GYE) to Manta Cruise Port: $226
- Private Transfer from Guayaquil Airport(GYE) to Manta Cruise Port: $249
- Luxury VIP car transfers to hotels in Guayaquil and Ecuador: $30
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport.: $20
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $17
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $20
- Guayaquil Departure Transfer: $34
- Guayaquil Airport(GYE) to Guayaquil - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $37
- Guayaquil Airport GYE to Guayaquil city -Arrival Private Transfer: $19
Is it cheaper to fly into Melbourne or Guayaquil?
Prices for flights to both Guayaquil and Melbourne 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 dayMelbourne $56Guayaquil $50
Typical Food Prices in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee$2.79
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Pizza$4.89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Melbourne Flavors: Queen Victoria Market Food Tour: $40
- Queen Victoria Market: 'Flavours of Australia' Food Tour: $52
- Inner North Street Food Tour: $72
- Sunset Kayak Tour with Dinner: $79
- Melbourne Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $87
- Best of Little Italy Dinner Tour: $92
- Chinese Dumpling Cooking Class with a Drink: $99
- Secret Food Tour: $109
- Melbourne Food Tour with 6 Food Tastings in Hidden Laneways: $115
- Yarra Valley Full Day Grazing Tour: Gin, Wine, Pizza, Cheese: $125
- Spanish Hands on Cooking Class: $128
- Choose Your Asian Cuisine Cooking Masterclass: $130
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Melbourne $29Guayaquil $21
Tours and Activities in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Hour Sight seeing Melbourne River Cruise on historic vessel: $25
- 1 day Puffing Billy Steam Train and Wildlife Tour from Melbourne: $156
- 1.5Hr Yarra River Crown Flames and City Lights Cruise: $317
- 12 Apostles,Great Ocean Road Tour - hotel PICKUP & free entries: $98
- 2 Day Great Ocean Road Small Group Tour: $843
- 4 Hours Sightseeing Small Group Tour in Melbourne City: $71
- 4D3N Best Bits Victoria Sightseeing Tour: $992
- 5 Days 4 Nights: Melbourne Package tour: $1,323
- Architecture Tour of Melbourne: $64
- Art Tour of Melbourne: $92
- ArtVo Immersive Gallery Experience: $25
- Australian Designer Walking Tour in Melbourne CBD: $107
Tours and Activities in Guayaquil
For Guayaquil, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Astonishing Mangroves & Dry forest /Chocolate experience trip: $280
- Choco-Culture City Tour & Cacao Museum: $110
- Churute Mangroves and Birdwatching Tour Guayaquil: $245
- Cocoa and Tropical Fruits Farm with Fine Chocolate Experience: $144
- Excursion Day Zhagal Thermal Baths Tour from Guayaquil: $175
- From Cloud Forest/Waterfalls Private Tour & Lunch: $189
- Full Day Churute Howler Monkeys and Chocolate Tour: $276
- Full Day Dolphins Mangroves and Birdwatching Tour from Guayaquil: $231
- Full Day Private Churute Mangroves Reserve and Cocoa Farm Tour: $255
- Full Day Tour Mangroves Dolphins and Cocoa Farm from Guayaquil: $225
- Full-Day Cuenca and Traditional Craft Beer Tasting Tour: $250
- Guayaquil City Tour (3.5 Hours): Las Peñas & Iguana Park: $131
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMelbourne $18Guayaquil $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Melbourne
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Melbourne from other travelers:
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Bottle of Wine$5.41
Sample the Local Flavors in Melbourne
Also in Melbourne, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Saturday Melbourne Bar Crawl: $18
- Weekly Bar Crawl: 5 Free shots, Club Entry: $20
- Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $26
- Melbourne Music Venue Pub Crawl with History + 2 Free Drinks: $26
- Relaxed Half Day Yarra Valley Wine Tasting Tour from Melbourne: $78
- New Chocolate and wine tasting tour in the Yarra Valley: $89
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour w Exclusive Gin, Cider & Chocolate Tasting: $92
- Yarra Valley: Bus Wine Tour with Lunch and a Glass of Wine: $116
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour inc lunch with a glass of wine, tastings and chocolate: $124
- Epic Yarra Valley Wine Tour & Lunch - Gin/Beer Upgrade: $127
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour & Lunch & Gin/Beer Option: $129
- Cruise Ship Friendly Yarra Valley Wine Tour with Port Pickup: $135
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Melbourne and Guayaquil, we can see that Melbourne is more expensive. And not only is Guayaquil much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Melbourne is in Pacific and Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guayaquil 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 Melbourne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Melbourne than you might in Guayaquil.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Melbourne Expensive? and Is Guayaquil Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Melbourne or Guayaquil?
Melbourne has a larger population, and is about 91% larger than the population of Guayaquil. When comparing the sizes of Melbourne and Guayaquil, 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.
When is the best time to visit Melbourne or Guayaquil?
Melbourne has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Guayaquil experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Melbourne or Guayaquil in the Summer?
Both Guayaquil and Melbourne are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Melbourne for the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences. Plenty of visitors come to Guayaquil because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the summer, Melbourne is cooler than Guayaquil. Typically, the summer temperatures in Melbourne in January average around 20°C (68°F), and Guayaquil averages at about 23°C (73°F)in July.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Guayaquil. In January, Melbourne usually receives less rain than Guayaquilin July. Melbourne gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Guayaquil receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyMelbourne 20°C (68°F)Guayaquil 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Melbourne or Guayaquil in the Autumn?
Both Guayaquil and Melbourne during the autumn are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Melbourne in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Guayaquil year-round.
In April, Melbourne is generally cooler than Guayaquilin October. Daily temperatures in Melbourne average around 15°C (60°F), and Guayaquil fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
Melbourne usually gets less rain in April than Guayaquilin October. Melbourne gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Guayaquil receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberMelbourne 15°C (60°F)Guayaquil 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Melbourne or Guayaquil in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Melbourne and Guayaquil. Most visitors come to Melbourne for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months. Guayaquil attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Melbourne is much colder than Guayaquil in the winter. The daily temperature in Melbourne averages around 9°C (49°F) in July, and Guayaquil fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in January.
Guayaquil receives a lot of rain in the winter. In July, Melbourne usually receives less rain than Guayaquilin January. Melbourne gets 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Guayaquil receives 190 mm (7.5 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryMelbourne 9°C (49°F)Guayaquil 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Melbourne or Guayaquil in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Melbourne as well as Guayaquil. The spring months attract visitors to Melbourne because of the beaches and the activities around the city. The warm climate attracts visitors to Guayaquil throughout the year.
In the spring, Melbourne is much colder than Guayaquil. Typically, the spring temperatures in Melbourne in October average around 14°C (57°F), and Guayaquil averages at about 28°C (82°F)in April.
It's quite rainy in Guayaquil. Melbourne usually gets less rain in October than Guayaquilin April. Melbourne gets 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Guayaquil receives 120 mm (4.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilMelbourne 14°C (57°F)Guayaquil 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Guayaquil and Melbourne
| Melbourne | Guayaquil | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 20°C (68°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 190 mm (7.5 in) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 230 mm (9.1 in) |
| Mar | 19°C (65°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 220 mm (8.7 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (60°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| May | 13°C (55°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Jun | 10°C (50°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Jul | 9°C (49°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Aug | 10°C (51°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (53°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
| Oct | 14°C (57°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Nov | 16°C (61°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
| Dec | 18°C (65°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
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.