Which place is cheaper, Quito or Pretoria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Pretoria or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Pretoria 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: Pretoria or Quito?
Pretoria
Located in Gauteng Province, Pretoria is the administrative capital city of South Africa, making it home to many government buildings and three universities. It is actually one of three capital cities, being home to the executive branch, with Cape Town as the legislative capital and Bloemfontein as the judicial capital. Within South Africa, Pretoria is also known as the "Jacaranda City" due to the thousands of jacaranda trees lining its streets, parks, and gardens.
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 Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPretoria $50Quito $52
The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $50, 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 Pretoria and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPretoria $25Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPretoria $50Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Pretoria 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: Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pretoria $12Quito $6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Gauteng, South Africa: Airport transfers, shuttle services: $27
- One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $89
- Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $61
- Sun City Private Transfer: $250
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:
- 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 Pretoria or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Pretoria 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 dayPretoria $15Quito $20
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pretoria $14Quito $16
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- History Bicycle Tour of Soweto: $40
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg from Pretoria, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Soweto and Johannesburg Tours: $55
- Soweto Township Tour from Johannesburg - Friday Special: $58
- Soweto & Johannesburg - walking, Bike , E-scooter, Tuk Tuk Tour : $58
- Pretoria Tour-Voortrekker Monument, Town, Union Buildings: $59
- Cullinan Diamond Mine Surface Guided Tour from Pretoria, every MONDAY: $61
- Soweto Pub-Crawl Tour: $61
- Taste of Africa Food tasting Experience & Optional Beer Tasting: $61
- Johannesburg exploration tour(Jo-burg/Soweto & Apartheid museum): $66
- Private Johannesburg and Soweto with Apartheid museum tour: $69
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:
- 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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPretoria $31Quito $17
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
When comparing the travel costs between Pretoria and Quito, we can see that Quito is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Pretoria is in Africa and Quito is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pretoria Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Quito?
Pretoria has a larger population, and is about 16% larger than the population of Quito. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria 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.