A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Quito vs. Pedasi for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Quito or Pedasi?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Quito or Pedasi? 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 Pedasi?

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.

Pedasi

Pedasi is in the Los Santos province of the Pacific West region of Panama. It's on the edge of the Azuero Peninsula and has a population of just over 2000 people. The town is predominantly a fishing village and is set on a beautiful, rocky coastline, making it a dramatic place to visit. The town is small, but you'll find a few restaurants around town that are worth eating at. The area is well known for having some great carnivals and most travelers visit with the plan to enjoy some sport fishing, diving, snorkeling, or surfing. There are also some great national parks and preserves nearby.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.


Which place is cheaper, Pedasi or Quito?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Quito is $52, while the average daily cost in Pedasi is $38. 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 Pedasi in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Quito $22
    Pedasi $13
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Quito $44
    Pedasi $26
Compare Hotels in Quito and Pedasi

Looking for a hotel in Quito or Pedasi? 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.

Hotels in Quito


Hotels in Pedasi


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Quito $6.99
    Pedasi $5.45
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quito

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Quito:


  • 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
  • Transfer In & Out from Quito: $100
  • 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 Transfer Hotels in Quito to Mariscal Sucre Int. Airport: $70
  • Private Transfers Quito to Tena: $65
  • Quito Airport (UIO) to Quito hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $61
  • Private Transfer In from International Airport Mariscal Sucre to Quito : $60

Is it cheaper to fly into Quito or Pedasi?

Prices for flights to both Pedasi 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Quito $20
    Pedasi $18

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
  • Homemade Local Food Tour in Guayaquil: $80
  • Cooking Class in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
  • Jacchigua Show Including Dinner + Transfer: $92
  • 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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Quito $16
    Pedasi -
Typical Entertainment Prices in Quito

Here are a few typical costs in Quito for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • 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-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 Tour of Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon with hotel: $222
  • 2-day Quilotoa Lagoon and the adventure city of Baños: $265
  • 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
  • 3-Days Andes & Amazon | Tour From Quito: $849
  • 8 Hours Mindo Cloud Forest Tour from Quito : $100
  • Adventure in Quilotoa Lagoon by Lead: $150
  • All Included Antisana Reserve Condors Andean Wildlife Day Tour : $198

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Quito $17
    Pedasi $2.87
Typical Alcohol Prices in Quito

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Quito from other travelers:


  • Beers for Two
    $9.00


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quito and Pedasi, we can see that Quito is more expensive. And not only is Pedasi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Quito is in South America and Pedasi is in Central 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 Pedasi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pedasi 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 Pedasi.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Quito Expensive? and Is Pedasi Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Quito or Pedasi?

Quito has a larger population, and is about 900 times larger than the population of Pedasi. When comparing the sizes of Quito and Pedasi, 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.