Which place is cheaper, Quito or Phuket?
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 Phuket or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Phuket or Quito, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Phuket or Quito?
Phuket
Phuket Island is the holiday gem of southern Thailand. Known for its beaches and resorts, the island brings in a massive amount of travelers from all over the world, year round. Although the beaches are beautiful, Phuket has also become more westernized and tourist-oriented in recent decades, leaving many travelers to venture elsewhere to find that amazing beach with a more authentic Thai vibe. However, Phuket Island is quite large, and hidden gems can still be found.
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 Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours in Thailand, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Phuket Prices
Thailand PricesQuito Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhuket $134Quito $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Phuket is $134, 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 Phuket and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhuket $62Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhuket $124Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Phuket and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Phuket 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: Phuket Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phuket $12Quito $6.99
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Phuket
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Phuket:
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Longtail Taxi (for Two)$9.12
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Taxi from Airport to Phuket Town$7.60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phuket
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phuket:
- Airport Transfer BKK - DMK - UTP - HKT - USM - KBV: $68
- Airport Transfer: Phuket to Phuket Airport HKT by Business Car: $115
- Andamanda Phuket Water Park Ticket Include Transfers: $82
- Arrival Private Transfers from Phuket Airport HKT to Phuket City: $126
- Best Ziplines Adventure 30 platforms with free transfer: $124
- Comfortable Private Phuket Airport to Hotel Arrival Transfer: $26
- Departure Private Transfers from Phuket City to Phuket Airport HKT: $126
- Flying Hanuman Ziplines 42 platforms With Lunch & Transfer RoundTrips: $122
- Flying Hanuman Ziplines 42 platforms with Transfer RoundTrips: $154
- Khaolak: Phi Phi & Maya Bay Speedboat Tour with Transfers & Lunch: $117
- One Way Cruise Transfer from Phuket to Phi Phi – Multiple Classes: $17
- One-way or Round-Trip Private Transfer in Phuket: $28
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quito
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Quito:
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Taxi from Bus Terminal to Hotel$10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quito
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quito:
- Arrival Private Transfer Quito Airport UIO to Quito by Minivan: $137
- Arrival Transfer from Quito Airport UIO to Quito by Sedan or SUV: $105
- From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer: $129
- From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch: $166
- Mariscal Sucre Airport to and from Quito Hotels Private Transfer: $45
- Mariscal Sucre Quito Airport (UIO) to Quito hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $42
- Private Arrival Transfer from Airport to Quito - One Way: $20
- Private Departure Transfer from Quito to the Airport - One Way: $20
- Private Premium Transfer Quito Airport To Quito City/hotel: $63
- Private Transfer IN from to the International Airport Mariscal Sucre to Quito: $48
- Private Transfer Out From Quito to International Airport Mariscal Sucre: $65
- Private Transfer Quito: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Phuket or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Phuket 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 dayPhuket $42Quito $34
Typical Food Prices in Phuket
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Phuket:
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Casual Dinner (for Two)$8.79
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$5.17
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Sit Down Dinner (for Two)$13
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Thai Noodles$2.74
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Bananas$0.76
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Pizza (for Two)$9.12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Phuket
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Phuket.
- Kanta Phuket Peranakan Cooking Class Experience: $26
- One Day Experience Cooking at Phuket Patong Thailand: $28
- Phuket City Tour with Sunset and Thai Cooking: $48
- 3-Hour Authentic Thai Cooking Experience: $52
- Phuket 10+ Tastings Food Tour & Charming Old Town: $52
- Phuket Express Thai Cooking Course with Authentic Recipes: $52
- Simply Thai Cooking Experience: $55
- Vegetarian Organic Thai Cooking Class and Market Tour in Phuket: $58
- Southern Flavors Phuket Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Baba Tastes Phuket Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Thai Cooking Class with Visit to Market in Phuket: $61
- Phuket Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour Option: $61
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
- Quito Eats Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
- From Cayambe Traditional Cooking Class with Transfers: $60
- 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 in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
- Cooking Class with Chef, Market Tour & Transportation: $88
- Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
- Tour Quito with Cooking Class with Professional Chef: $95
- Ecuadorian Cooking Class with a chef and Local Market: $100
- Old Town Highlights & Food Tour: $110
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phuket $47Quito $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Phuket
Here are a few typical costs in Phuket for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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One Day Boat Tour$27
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Scuba Diving (Two Dives)$76
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Thai Oil Massage$19
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Surfboard Rental$9.12
Tours and Activities in Phuket
Here are a few actual costs in Phuket for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Oto Indoor Play Park Entrance Ticket in Phuket: $7.68
- Phuket Circus : The Adrenaline Rush Show Tickets (Aqua Circus): $17
- Rock Beach Swing Ticket with Karon Viewpoint in Phuket: $18
- Phuket Bird Park Admission Ticket: $18
- Half Day Phuket City tour + Hotel Pick Up and Drop Off: $18
- Phuket City Discovery Tour with Chalong Temple and Coastal Views: $19
- Phuket City Tour: Big Buddha, Wat Chalong & Scenic Viewpoints: $21
- Phuket City Tour Sightseeing and Night Market Everyday: $23
- Superton Patong Beach Water Sports Adventure from Phuket: $24
- Phuket Beach Club Crawl Experience: $25
- Skip the Line: Phuket Simon Cabaret Show Admission Ticket: $25
- Simon Cabaret Show Tickets in Patong Phuket: $25
Typical Entertainment Prices in Quito
Here are a few typical costs in Quito for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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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:
- Quito Old Town Free Walking tour Small group Cacao Taste included: $1.00
- Quito Old Town Free Walking tour Cacao taste included Small group: $1.00
- Quito Audio Guided Walking Tour 2h10 and 19 audio reviews: $6.88
- Skip the Line-Entry to Heaven's Gateway The Basilica Towers!: $7.99
- Night Tour in Quito with free time at Old Town: $15
- 2.5-Hour City Bus Tour: $15
- Discover the heart of the Historic Center - Walking tour: $25
- Instagram walking tour in Quito's Historic Center: $26
- Quito's Cultural Tour & Indigenous Perspectives of Old Town: $27
- Quito Old Town Tour: History, Market Visit & Ice Cream Tasting: $29
- Gastronomic and Cultural Walking Tour of Quito with Tastings: $30
- Old Town Walking Tour with Basilica Church Visit: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhuket $7.08Quito $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Phuket
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Phuket from other travelers:
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Cocktails (for Two)$6.08
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Beer$2.58
Sample the Local Flavors in Phuket
Also in Phuket, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Phuket Guided Pub Crawl: $29
- Phuket Real City Tour with Rum Cocktail Distillery: $86
- Big Buddha & The Distillery Phuket: $132
- Phuket Rum Distillery Cocktail Workshop And Wat Chalong Temple: $172
Typical Alcohol Prices in Quito
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Quito from other travelers:
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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 we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phuket and Quito, we can see that Phuket is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Phuket is in Asia 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 Phuket would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Phuket 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 Phuket Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phuket or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Phuket. When comparing the sizes of Phuket 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.