Which place is cheaper, Mendoza 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 Mendoza?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Quito or Mendoza? 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 Mendoza?
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.
Mendoza
Mendoza is a city in western Argentina and more precisely in the desertic Cuyo region. Mendoza is the center of the Argentinian wine industry and is famed around the world for its vineyards and wine production. Spread across the valley of the Rio Mendoza and in the foothills of the Andean mountain range, Mendoza is also near the Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of the Himalayas. The bustling and scenic city of wide, leafy avenues, atmospheric plazas and cosmopolitan cafes spoils visitors with unique natural attractions and historical landmarks. If you can, visit Mendoza during the harvest festival at the end of February. There are many events and festivals in Mendoza and they are usually free. Each has a different theme, and they usually have a stage with singing and dancing and booths that sell food around a plaza. Seventy percent of Argentina's wines are produced here, and Mendoza is especially known for its world-famous malbecs.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador, The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina.
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Quito Prices
Ecuador PricesMendoza Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQuito $66Mendoza $56
The average daily cost (per person) in Quito is $66, while the average daily cost in Mendoza is $56. 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 Mendoza in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQuito $22Mendoza $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQuito $44Mendoza $84
Compare Hotels in Quito and Mendoza
Looking for a hotel in Quito or Mendoza? 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.Quito $6.99Mendoza $4.15
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
- Transfers To and From the Airport in Quito Ecuador: $35
- Transfers Friends Airport Quito: $40
- Transfer to Mashpi Amagusa Reserve one way: $109
- Transfer from or to Airport Mariscal Sucre (one way): $75
- Transfer Quito → Papallacta (one way / round trip): $85
- Transfer Private Airport–Hotel in Quito: $39
- Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $30
- Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel with bilingual driver: $43
- Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel or vice versa with bilingual driver-guide: $43
- Transfer Airport → Quito (one way / round trip): $50
- Shared Transfer from Quito hotels to Airport: $42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mendoza
Also for Mendoza, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer from Mendoza Airport MDZ to Valle de Uco: $116
- Asado Argentino Lunch & Visit 2 Wineries with Private Transfer: $190
- Departure Private Transfer Valle de Uco to Mendoza Airport MDZ: $114
- From Potrerillos Rafting Tour with Transfer: $100
- Huarpe Winery Experience & Lunch at Lagarde. Private Transfer: $240
- MDZ Airport Private Transfer to Mendoza City Center: $22
- Mendoza Airport (MDZ) Private Transfer to Mendoza City: $18
- Mendoza Airport (MDZ) to Mendoza - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $66
- Mendoza Airport Shuttle Transfer: $27
- Mendoza Private Airport Transfers: $55
- Mendoza Private Full Day : Olive Oil, Wine & Roast + Transfer: $170
- Mendoza, Los Puquios: Snow experience + transfer and equipment included: $133
Is it cheaper to fly into Quito or Mendoza?
Prices for flights to both Mendoza 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 $34Mendoza $5.81
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
- Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
- Quito Eats Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
- Quito Kitchens Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
- From Cayambe Traditional Cooking Class with Transfers: $60
- Quito Best Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $66
- 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 with Chef, Market Tour & Transportation: $88
- Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
- Private Famous Food Tour of Historic Old Town in Quito: $95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mendoza
For Mendoza, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Mendoza Meals Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $95
- 3h Cooking Class in Mendoza with 7 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $110
- Original Asado Cooking Class at a Local's Home: $114
- 4-Hour Argentine Cooking Class at Grazie Mille Winery: $125
- Cooking Class with 7 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $150
- City Tour with Dinner at a Local Restaurant: $164
- Full-Day Small-Group Mendoza Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $195
- Horseback Riding at Sunset and Dinner in Mendoza: $205
- Horseback Riding at Sunset and Dinner at an Estancia in Mendoza: $210
- Tango Show with Dinner at Hualta Winery Hotel: $220
- Casa Vigil (the enemy) + Dinner + Guided tour: $250
- Winery & Michelin-Star Dinner Saffron barrels. Private Transport: $260
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Quito $16Mendoza $23
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
- 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
- 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
- All-Inclusive Private Mindo Cloud Forest Tour from Quito: $220
- Amazon Adventure: 4 Days of Nature & Culture from Quito: $1,770
- Andean Adventure : Riding and Cotopaxi Refuge: $140
- Antisana Birding Tours to see CONDORS - by Richard Hernandez: $185
- Antisana Volcano Birding & Natural History Condor Tour PRIVATE, all included: $210
Tours and Activities in Mendoza
For Mendoza, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- City Center Walking Tour with a Local Guide: $20
- Mendoza City: Immigrant Sightseeing Tour – Squares, Museums, Artisans, Casino, Theater: $22
- Malbec Experience in Bodega Tierras Altas: $22
- Self-Guided Bike Tour in Luján de Cuyo Wine Region (Mendoza): $23
- Luján de Cuyo Wine Region Self-Guided Bike Tour: $23
- Standard City Tour: $23
- Half-Day Sightseeing Tour: $24
- Guided Walking Tour of the Historic Quarter plus Mendoza-Style Snack: $25
- City Tour: $25
- City Tour: $25
- City Highlights Tour: $26
- City tour with visit to General San Martin Park: $27
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQuito $17Mendoza $5.90
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Mendoza
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mendoza:
- Walking & Wine Tasting Tour & San Martin Park Gate: $17
- Burlesque Cabaret Show with Wine: $20
- Antigal Winery Tour with Wine Tasting & Choice of Experiences: $31
- Maipu Wine Tour: 3 Wineries and Olive Oil Factory: $37
- Mendoza Wine Tasting at Bodega Ciclo Andino with Snacks: $39
- Wine, Distillery & Chocolate Tour with Tastings: $39
- Half-Day Wine Tour with Tastings: $41
- Classic Wine Tasting: $44
- La Histórica Winery Tour and Wine Tasting: $48
- Premium Wine Tasting: $66
- Make an Argentine Asado BBQ w/ Local Host & Wine Tasting: $85
- Winery tours in Mendoza, wine tasting and lunches: $90
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quito and Mendoza, we can see that Quito is more expensive. And not only is Mendoza much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Mendoza would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mendoza 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 Quito would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quito than you might in Mendoza.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Quito Expensive? and Is Mendoza Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Quito or Mendoza?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 60% larger than the population of Mendoza. When comparing the sizes of Quito and Mendoza, 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.