Which place is cheaper, Quito or Melbourne?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Melbourne or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Melbourne 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: Melbourne or Quito?
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.
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 Water Sports Tour Packages in Australia, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMelbourne $179Quito $52
The average daily cost (per person) in Melbourne is $179, while the average daily cost in Quito is $52. 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 Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMelbourne $120Quito $22
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMelbourne $240Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Melbourne and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Melbourne 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: Melbourne Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Melbourne $20Quito $6.99
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melbourne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Melbourne:
-
Airport Bus$11
-
Tram Ride$2.51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melbourne
Also for Melbourne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Melbourne Airport Arrival Or Departure Luxury Car Transfers : $110
- Airport Transfers: $143
- Arrival Transfer Melbourne Airport MEL to Melbourne in Sedan: $115
- Arrival Transfer from Melbourne Airport MEL to Melbourne in Van: $163
- Avalon Airport Transfers: $167
- Ballarat - Melbourne Airport Transfers: $178
- Departure Transfer Melbourne to Melbourne Airport MEL in Sedan: $115
- Departure Transfer from Melbourne to Melbourne Airport MEL in Van: $163
- From Melbourne Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer to Melbourne: $79
- From Lake Mountain Ski Resort Tour with Transfers: $958
- GoBlu-EV: 100% Electric Cabs for Airport & City Transfer in MEL: $33
- MEL Airport: Minibus Private Transfer to Melbourne CBD: $208
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:
- Unique Quito Transfer Mariscal Sucre Airport to Hotel: $29
- Transfers To and From the Airport in Quito Ecuador: $35
- Transfers Friends Airport Quito: $40
- Transfer to Mashpi Reserve one way : $99
- Transfer in private vehicle from Quito City - Quito Airport (UIO): $38
- Transfer in or transfer out to Quito airport: $40
- Transfer in or out transportation from Mariscal airport to Quito: $40
- Transfer in and Transfer out: $75
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Quito City - Quito Airport (UIO): $53
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Quito Airport (UIO) - Quito City: $53
- Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $39
- Transfer In / Out Quito: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into Melbourne or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito 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
-
Food Meals for one dayMelbourne $31Quito $20
Typical Food Prices in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Coffee$2.64
-
Pizza$4.62
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Queen Victoria Market: 'Flavours of Australia' Food Tour: $52
- Eynesbury Homestead Dinner and Ghost Tour: $54
- Sunset Kayak Tour with Dinner: $79
- Melbourne Private Multicultural Markets Food Tour: $87
- Chinese Dumpling Cooking Class with a Drink: $98
- Secret Food Tour: $109
- Chinese Cooking Class Master: $120
- Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise: $124
- Choose Your Asian Cuisine Cooking Masterclass: $130
- Street Food of Asia Cooking Class: $132
- Great Ocean Road Sunset Tour with Dinner and Wildlife Park: $144
- Phillip Island Penguins, Wine Tasting and Dinner from Melbourne: $147
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: $35
- 3 Hours Local Food Tour in Quito: $39
- Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
- Cooking class In-home space: $75
- Private Famous Food Tour of Historic Old Town in Quito: $95
- Ecuadorian Cooking Class and Local Market Tour: $114
- Ecuadorian Cooking Classes Rooftop (English): $120
- Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour: $130
- Quito Private & All Inclusive Cooking Class with Certified Chef: $235
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Melbourne $28Quito $16
Tours and Activities in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Melbourne:Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $3.23
- Escape Game and Tour: $6.46
- MoPA Children's Museum Admission Ticket: $9.25
- Immigration Museum Entry Ticket: $9.91
- Melbourne Gardens Explorer Minibus Tour: $9.91
- Melbourne Museum Entry Ticket: $9.91
- Scienceworks Entry Ticket: $9.91
- Explore Melbourne's Pulse: A CBD In-App Audio Tour: $11
- Questo Self-guided Haunted Melbourne Walking Tour: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $11
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:
- Flavors, Colors and History of Quito Private Tour: $185
- Otavalo Market Private Sightseeing and Surroundings: $110
- Tour Full-Day Mercado de Otavalo + Cotacachi, Ecuador.: $130
- 2 Full Days Exploring The Ecuadorian Amazon | Tour Start In Quito: $268
- 2-Day Private Tour from Quito:Baños and Quilotoa Lagoon: $329
- 2-Day Private Tour to Otavalo Market, Cuicocha Lake, Peguche and Condor´s Park: $295
- 2-day Quilotoa Lagoon and the adventure city of Baños: $265
- 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
- 3-Day Private Tour of Quito: $120
- 3-Days Andes & Amazon | Tour From Quito: $858
- 8 Hours Mindo Cloud Forest Tour from Quito includes Lunch: $100
- All inclusive Quito to Banos 2 day tour: $250
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayMelbourne $17Quito $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Melbourne
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Melbourne from other travelers:
-
Bottle of Wine$5.12
Sample the Local Flavors in Melbourne
Also in Melbourne, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Melbourne Pub Crawl: $17
- Weekly Bar Crawl: 5 Free shots, Club Entry: $19
- Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $26
- Melbourne Halloween Bar Crawl: $33
- Laid back,Small-Group Yarra Valley Wine Tour :Wine,Gin,Cider+more: $87
- Yarra Valley Day Trip with Local Wine Tastings from Melbourne: $104
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour inc lunch with a glass of wine, tastings and chocolate: $117
- Yarra Valley Gourmet Food & Wine Tasting Tour: $129
- Southern Gippsland boutique Wine Tour with Tapas from Melbourne : $140
- Yarra Valley Premium Tour Lunch and Sparkling Wine Tasting at Domaine Chandon: $181
- Champion Racehorse Tour with Beer and Wine Tasting: $194
- Pour Decisions | Wine Tour in Yarra Valley (Private Tour): $260
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 Melbourne and Quito, we can see that Melbourne is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Melbourne is in Pacific 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 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 Quito.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Melbourne Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Melbourne or Quito?
Melbourne has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Quito. When comparing the sizes of Melbourne 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.