Which place is cheaper, Honolulu or Quito?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Quito or Honolulu?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Quito or Honolulu? 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 Honolulu?
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.
Honolulu
Hawaii's capital city of Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, is the state's center for government, finance, and transportation. It's also the home of Waikiki Beach, one of the most famous beaches in the state of Hawaii. Nearly one million people live in this Honolulu metropolitan area. This is almost 80% of the state's population. The city is not the relaxed Hawaiian destination that you might be searching for, but is instead a fast paced, cosmopolitan city. In addition to attracting many tourists every year, you'll also find international businesses, military defense and a diverse culture and population.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador, The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQuito $52Honolulu $284
The average daily cost (per person) in Quito is $52, while the average daily cost in Honolulu is $284. 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 Honolulu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQuito $22Honolulu $183
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQuito $44Honolulu $366
Compare Hotels in Quito and Honolulu
Looking for a hotel in Quito or Honolulu? 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 Honolulu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Quito $6.99Honolulu $26
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:
- Private Transpor for tours, transfers, visits, etc, for 8 hours: $165
- From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch: $145
- From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer: $119
- Quito Airport Private Transfer Service: $112
- Transfer to Mashpi Reserve one way : $99
- Private City Tour & Intiñam Museum Visit w/ Transfer: $94
- Private Transfer from Quito to Baños or Baños to Quito (one way): $90
- Transfer in and Transfer out: $75
- Private Transfers Quito to Tena: $65
- Private Transfer In from International Airport Mariscal Sucre to Quito : $60
- Private Transfer Quito Airport To Quito City/hotel : $57
- Airport Transfer- Hotel in Quito 1 Way: $55
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Honolulu
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Honolulu are as follows:
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Rental Car for One Day$35
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Airport Shuttle for Two$30
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Hilton Parking$24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Honolulu
Also for Honolulu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Honolulu HNL Airport Round-Trip Private Transfer in SUV: $272
- Arrival Private Transfer Honolulu Airport HNL to Beach Resorts by Executive Car: $157
- Arrival Transfer Honolulu Airport HNL to Beach Resorts by SUV: $211
- Arrival Transfer: Airport Shuttle Honolulu and Waikiki or Cruise Terminal: $18
- Chief's Luau Admission Including Transfers: $181
- Departure Transfer: Airport Shuttle Honolulu and Waikiki or Cruise Terminal: $18
- HNL Airport & Waikiki Private Transfer by Brand New Mercedes Van: $160
- Honolulu Airport & Ko Olina Hotels Private Transfer by Minivan (up to 5 people): $90
- Honolulu Airport & KoOlina Hotels Private Transfer by Luxury SUV(up to 5 People): $180
- Honolulu Airport & Waikiki Hotels Private Transfer by Luxury SUV(up to 5 people): $130
- Honolulu Airport & Waikiki Hotels Private Transfer by Passenger Van(up to 14ppl): $140
- Honolulu Airport & Waikiki Hotels Private Transfer by SUV(up to 6 people): $100
Is it cheaper to fly into Quito or Honolulu?
Prices for flights to both Honolulu 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 $20Honolulu $53
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
Typical Food Prices in Honolulu
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Honolulu:
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Dinner for Two$73
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Lapperts Hawaii Ice Cream$5.55
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Chai's Island Bistro (for 2)$53
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Cheeseburger Waikiki (for 2)$34
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Matsumoto Shave Ice (for 2)$7.50
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Hot Dog with the Fixins'$8.30
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Sushi Dinner for Two$73
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Honolulu
For Honolulu, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hawaii Food Tour - Off The Beaten Path : $150
- Oahu Da Local's Food Tour: $150
- Lanai Tabura curated Private Aloha Plate Food Tour from Honolulu: $239
- Brewery and Local Food Tour: $480
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Quito $16Honolulu $40
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Honolulu
For Honolulu, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Parking for Hike$5.00
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Pearl Harbor Audio Tour for Two$12
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2 hr Dinner Cruise$85
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1 Day Kayak Rental$36
Tours and Activities in Honolulu
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Honolulu.
- Heart of Waikiki Walking Tour: Audio Tour Guide: $4.99
- Historic Downtown Honolulu Tour: Audio Tour Guide: $4.99
- Military and Entertainment in Waikiki: A Self-Guided Tour: $7.99
- Waikīkī's Beaches and Royalty: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Hawaii‘s Historic Kingdom: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Oahu: USS Arizona Memorial Chief's Narrated Multimedia Tour: $7.99
- Downtown Honolulu Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.49
- Waikiki Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.49
- Honolulu In-App Audio Tour: Historical & Cultural Treasures: $9.00
- Honolulu's Backyard Rainforest Tour: Audio Tour Guide: $9.99
- USS Arizona Commander's Narrated Multimedia Tour - 23 Stops: $11
- Oahu: Honolulu 3-Hour Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQuito $17Honolulu $6.47
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 we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quito and Honolulu, we can see that Honolulu is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Quito is in South America and Honolulu is in North 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 Honolulu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Honolulu 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 Quito Expensive? and Is Honolulu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Quito or Honolulu?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Honolulu. When comparing the sizes of Quito and Honolulu, 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.