A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Mexico City vs. Quebec City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Mexico City or Quebec City?

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

Should I visit Mexico City or Quebec City? 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: Mexico City or Quebec City?

Mexico City

Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.

Quebec City

Quebec City is the capital of the Quebec province. It has a dramatic location on the cliffs by St. Lawrence Seaway and the city's Old Town has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Quebec is a mid sized city with a population of about 700,000. Most of the economy is administrative and bureaucratic, but the city has a very impressive history as the fortress capital of New France. French is the official language of the entire province, but most people in the tourist areas of Quebec City speak English.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Canada, and The Best Northern Lights Tours in Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Quebec City or Mexico City?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Mexico City is $214, while the average daily cost in Quebec City is $126. 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 Mexico City and Quebec City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mexico City $41
    Quebec City $73
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mexico City $82
    Quebec City $146
Compare Hotels in Mexico City and Quebec City

Looking for a hotel in Mexico City or Quebec City? 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 Mexico City


Hotels in Quebec City


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: Mexico City Hotel Prices and Quebec City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mexico City $13
    Quebec City $16
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City

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


  • Metro
    $1.20
  • Uber Ride
    $4.21

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City

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

  • Aguascalientes Airport (AGU) Aguascalientes - RoundTrip Transfer: $48
  • Aguascalientes to Aguascalientes Airport (AGU) Departure Transfer: $24
  • Airport Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Business Car: $86
  • Airport Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Luxury SUV/Van: $91
  • Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Business Car: $86
  • Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Luxury SUV/Van: $91
  • Arrival Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Business Car: $86
  • Arrival Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $91
  • Departure Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Luxury SUV: $91
  • Departure Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Luxury SUV: $91
  • International Airport Felipe Angeles(NLU) - Private Transfer To/from Mexico City: $104
  • Ixtapan de La Sal to Mexico Airport (MEX)-Departure Transfer: $44

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quebec City

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Quebec City are as follows:


  • Parking in Quebec City
    $3.63

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quebec City

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quebec City:

  • YQB Quebec City Airport Cruise Terminal Train Station Transfer: $99
  • YQB Airport Transfer: $97
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Quebec Airport (YQB) - Quebec City Center: $71
  • Quebec to Le Terminal Quebec Port - Departure Private Transfer: $97
  • Quebec city private transfer: $97
  • Jean Lesage Arrivals Private Airport Transfer: $108
  • Quebec Airport (YQB) to Downtown private transfer: $117
  • Québec Airport (YQB): Transfer to Le Terminal Quebec Port: $228
  • Québec Airport (YQB) to Le Terminal Quebec Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $114
  • Québec Airport (YQB) to Le Terminal Cruise Port -Arrival Transfer: $57
  • Private Transfer from Quebec City to YQB airport: $108
  • Private Transfer from Quebec City Hotels to Saguenay Cruise Port: $93

Is it cheaper to fly into Mexico City or Quebec City?

Prices for flights to both Quebec City and Mexico City 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
    Mexico City $27
    Quebec City $37
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City

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


  • Lunch for Two
    $13
  • Coffee and Snacks
    $4.69
  • Dinner for 2
    $27

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City

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

  • Virtual Mexican Cooking Class (private and personalized): $50
  • Veracruz and Boca del Rio Food Tour with Mangroves Boat Trip: $50
  • Uruapan Food Tour: $60
  • 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $66
  • Muchos moles: Multi-variety mole cooking class and feast: $70
  • La Roma Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
  • Food Tour with Ride an Electric Bike in Mexico: $80
  • Flamenco Tablao Live Show & dinner: $83
  • Flamenco Live Show and Dinner in Mexico City: $83
  • Mexico City Origins: Archeology, History, Art & Food Tour: $85
  • Tamales 101: Multi-variety tamal cooking class and feast: $93
  • Downtown Food Tour: $95

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quebec City

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

  • 5-Course Dinner Cruise with Music & VIP Option: $160
  • Old Quebec 5-Course Gourmet Food Tour: $189
  • Combo Historical and Food Tour of the Old Quebec City: $192
  • Evening Gourmet Tour 5 Course Dinner - History and Food in Old Quebec City: $192

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mexico City $15
    Quebec City $24

Tours and Activities in Mexico City

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

  • MUCHO Museum of Chocolate Entrance Ticket: $4.66
  • Double Decker Bus Night Tour: $5.83
  • Franz Mayer Museum Admission Ticket: $5.83
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour-Moctezuma and the Zocalo:The Aztec Empire : $6.99
  • Memory and Tolerance Museum Entry Ticket: $8.16
  • Mexico City (Historic Centre) City Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.75
  • Mexico City (Coyoacan) City Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.75
  • Mexico City (Historic Centre) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $8.89
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
  • Night Tour in a Double Decker Bus: $12
  • Teotihuacan Archaeological Site Skip-the-Line Ticket: $12
  • Night Tour of Mexico City Panoramic Ride on a Double-Decker Bus: $12

Tours and Activities in Quebec City

Here are a few actual costs in Quebec City for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Electric fatbike Tour of Québec City: $111
  • Magnificent Montmorency Falls Private E-Bike Tour: $149
  • 2-Hour Christmas Magic Tour in Old Quebec: $29
  • APP Self-Guided Tours Quebec with Audioguide: $8.74
  • Amazing Old Quebec City Classique Walking Tour with 1 Funicular Ticket included: $33
  • Animated Crime Walking Tour in Old Quebec: $19
  • Beautiful walking tour of Old Québec: $27
  • Beyond the Walls Private E-Bike Tour: $178
  • Bike Tour to Montmorency Falls from Quebec City: $126
  • City & Market Farm Tour from Québec: $34
  • Electric Bike Tour of Quebec City: $126
  • Fatbike tour of Québec city in the winter: $102

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mexico City $21
    Quebec City $18

Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City

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

  • Mexico City Pub Crawl: $25
  • CDMX Pub Crawl: Mexico City Bar Crawl: $29
  • Nightly Historic Center From Above© Rooftop Bar Crawl +Taco Snack: $129
  • 2 Hours Private Mexican Wine Tasting in Polanco: $155
  • Third Largest Monolith in the World:Bernal with wine tasting: $235
  • Cavas Freixenet Wine Tour from Mexico City: $255

Sample the Local Flavors in Quebec City

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Quebec City:

  • Honey and Distillery Tour with Tasting: $21
  • Craft Brewery and Beer Tasting Tour: $50
  • Island of Orleans Wine Tour: $91
  • Wine Tasting on Ile d'Orleans: $92
  • Quebec City : eTandem Rental on Ile d'Orleans-wine tasting: $116


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mexico City and Quebec City, we can see that Mexico City is more expensive. And not only is Quebec City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Quebec City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Quebec City 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 Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City than you might in Quebec City.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mexico City Expensive? and Is Quebec City Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Mexico City or Quebec City?

Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Quebec City. When comparing the sizes of Mexico City and Quebec City, 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.