Which place is cheaper, Bogota or Quito?
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 Quito or Bogota?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Quito or Bogota? 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: Quito or Bogota?
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.
Bogota
Sprawling across a high altitude in the Columbian Andes region, Bogota is the capital city of Columbia. It is a mix of the old and new with century-old plazas and churches shadowed by towering skyscrapers, museums representing the history, art, and culture of the region, as well as a mix of distinct neighborhoods from quaint and historic to trendy and contemporary.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia.
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Quito Prices
Ecuador PricesBogota Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQuito $66Bogota $75
The average daily cost (per person) in Quito is $66, while the average daily cost in Bogota is $75. 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 Quito and Bogota in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQuito $22Bogota $32
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQuito $44Bogota $64
Compare Hotels in Quito and Bogota
Looking for a hotel in Quito or Bogota? 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 and Bogota Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Quito $6.99Bogota $11
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: $43
- Transfer from or to UIO Airport to any Hotel in Quito: $25
- Transfer from or to Airport Mariscal Sucre (one way): $75
- Transfer Quito → Papallacta (one way / round trip): $85
- Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $30
- Transfer Airport → Quito (one way / round trip): $50
- Shared Transfer from Quito hotels to Airport: $42
- Private Transfer from/to Airport: $35
- Private Transfer from the Airport to the city: $32
- Private Transfer In & Out: $130
- Private City Tour & Intiñam Museum Visit w/ Transfer: $89
- Panoramic City Tour & Airport Departure Transfer: $114
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Bogota
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Bogota are as follows:
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Taxi from Airport$9.10
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Taxi Ride$0.47
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2 Bus Passes$1.07
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bogota
Also for Bogota, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Transfer from Bogota Airport BOG to Bogota by Car: $93
- Bogotá to or from Villa de Leyva Private Transfer: $105
- Bogota Private Airport Transfer: $13
- Bogota to Bogota Airport (BOG) - Departure Private Transfer: $17
- Downtown Hotels to Bogota Airport BOG Departure Private Transfer: $22
- From Bogotá: Salt Cathedral shared Transfer included: $36
- Layover Bogotá Private Tour + Transfer in & Out (4 Hrs.): $249
- Nemocón Salt Mine Full service: Guide, tickets and transfers: $142
- Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: El Dorado Airport: $14
- Private Bogota Airport - Hotel Transfer: Safe, Fast, and Reliable: $30
- Private Bogota Airport drop-off Transfer: $59
- Private Bogota Airport transfer to your Hotel: $70
Is it cheaper to fly into Quito or Bogota?
Prices for flights to both Bogota and Quito 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 dayQuito $34Bogota $28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.
- Ecuadorian Gastronomy Tasting and Cooking Class in Quito: $25
- Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
- 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
- 3-hour Andean Cooking Class in Quito with a Local Host: $75
- Street Food Tour with Private Transport: $79
- Homemade Local Food Tour in Guayaquil: $80
- 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
Typical Food Prices in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$1.89
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Hot Dog$1.10
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Behind the Pint: Candelaria Craft Beer & Food Tour — 13 Tastings: $55
- Viejo Bogota Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $55
- Food Tour in La Candelaria Bogotá: $63
- Bogota Food Tour: 7 Tastings Through the Heart of La Candelaria: $65
- Bogotá Local Food Tour - La Candelaria: $65
- Bogotá: 3h Traditional Home Cooking Class with a Local: $85
- Private Colombian Cooking Class and Market Tour In Bogota: $95
- Private Tour of the Salt Cathedral and Dinner/Party at Andrés Carne de Res: $160
- Cooking Class with Market Visit and Lunch: $170
- Food Tour in Local Markets (Bogota): $185
- Gastronomic Tour and Cooking Workshop: $213
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Quito $16Bogota $16
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:
- “Adventure in Baths: Waterfalls, End of the World Swing and More”: $190
- 1-Day Adventure to the Andean Choco Experience the Forest: $125
- 2 Day Quito to Cotopaxi and Quilotoa Tour with Accommodation: $281
- 2 day 1 night tour to Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon all included: $280
- 2-Day Tour of Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon with hotel: $222
- 2D private Tour from Quito visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $281
- 3-Day Adventure: Quito, Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Baños, Jungle: $897
- 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
- 3-Day Antisana & Amazon comunities, Caves, Baños Guided Tour: $734
- 6-Day Ecuador Heritage Tour: Art, Culture and Otavalo: $1,847
- Adventure and Relaxation in Baños de Agua Santa: $236
- Adventure in Cotopaxi Firefall Limpiopungo and Andes: $160
Typical Entertainment Prices in Bogota
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Bogota's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Beer$1.58
Tours and Activities in Bogota
For Bogota, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self Guided Walking Tour of Bogotá with Audio Guide: $5.70
- Traditional Bogotá: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Paranormal Candelaria: $6.72
- Tour de fantasmas con 1 Copa Sangrienta Rest La Bruja Bogotá: $11
- La Candelaria : The Best Tour of the Historic Center: $14
- Bogota Highlights Walking Tour With A Guide: $14
- Shared Walking Tour of Bogotá's Historic Center Candelaria: $14
- Chapinero Shared Walking Tour: $15
- 3-in-1 Panoramic city tour with walking candelaria & experiences: $15
- Candelaria Timeless Tour Bogota : History, Culture & Technology: $16
- Explore the Wetland Bird Watching and Eco Tour: $16
- Walking Tour in La Candelaria Bogotá: $16
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQuito $17Bogota $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
Sample the Local Flavors in Bogota
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Bogota:
- Dave’s Bogota Pub Crawl: $25
- Pub CrawL la Candelaria/Bogotá Español: $27
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Bogotá, Colombia: $30
When comparing the travel costs between Quito and Bogota, we can see that Bogota 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. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Quito Expensive? and Is Bogota Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Quito or Bogota?
Bogota has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Quito. When comparing the sizes of Quito and Bogota, 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.