Which place is cheaper, Ponce 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 Ponce?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Quito or Ponce? 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 Ponce?
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.
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Quito Prices
Ecuador PricesPonce Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQuito $66Ponce $230
The average daily cost (per person) in Quito is $66, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $230. 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 Ponce in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQuito $22Ponce $151
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQuito $44Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in Quito and Ponce
Looking for a hotel in Quito or Ponce? 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 $6.99Ponce $10
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:
- Quito Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel: $20
- Private Departure Transfer from Quito to the Airport - One Way: $21
- Private Transfer from or to Quito Airport (one way): $21
- Mariscal Sucre Quito Airport (UIO) to Quito hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $22
- Quito airport private transfer IN or OUT: $28
- Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $28
- Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $28
- Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $30
- Transfers To and From the Airport in Quito Ecuador: $35
- Private Transfer to Quito airport and hotel : $35
- Quito PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport: $36
- Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
- Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
- Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
- Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
- Rio Grande hotel to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $109
- San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
- San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- Transfer SJU Airport to Humacao and Nagüabo. Vice Versa One Way Trip: $185
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Vega Baja to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $170
Is it cheaper to fly into Quito or Ponce?
Prices for flights to both Ponce 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 $34Ponce $61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.
- Quito Cooking Class Shared Experience: $59
- Ecuador Food Tour: $69
- Cooking Class in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
- Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
- Tour Quito with Cooking Class with Professional Chef: $95
- Quito Private Best Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $114
- Ecuadorian Cooking Classes Rooftop (English): $120
- Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour : $135
- Cooking Class at the Andes & Roses: PRIVATE Day trip from Quito: $149
- Quito Food Tour Where my Family Go Urban Art New and Old Quito: $155
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Latin Night with Dinner and Local Music with Transportation: $59
- Puerto Rico Art and Wine Dinner with One Way Transportation: $89
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Island Authentic Food Tour : $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Quito $16Ponce $56
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:
- Quito Old Town, Free walking tour Cacao taste included!: $1.00
- Skip the Line-Entry to Heaven's Gateway The Basilica Towers!: $7.99
- Night Tour in Quito with free time at Old Town: $15
- Quito Walking Experience Tour with Activities: $25
- Quito Private Walking Tour with a Local: $35
- Quito Oldtown: A Cultural-Gastro Walking Tour and Shopping: $40
- Gastronomic and Cultural Walking Tour of Quito with Tastings: $40
- Half-Day Ecuadorian Gastronomy Tour in Quito: $40
- Quito Half Day PRIVATE City tour: $42
- Quito Historic Center Night Tour: $42
- Half Day Bike Tour Discovering Quito: $48
- Fruit Tasting Experience with +15 Exotics Flavors of Ecuador: $49
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Private Sunset Walking Tour in San Juan: $25
- Guided Walking Tour in Ponce: $30
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- La Perla Cultural Tour: $35
- Prive Tours in Puerto Rico: $40
- Las Tinajas Waterfall: Guided Short Hike Adventure from Fajardo: $55
- Walking Guided Tour of History and Myths of Old San Juan : $60
- 2.5-Hour Historical Walking Tour of Old San Juan: $65
- Half-Day El Yunque Rainforest Tour from Fajardo: $65
- Half-Day Small-Group River Experience in El Yunque with Local : $68
- El Yunque Rainforest, Waterslides & Beach Tour from San Juan: $75
- Party Bus Experience in San Juan, Puerto Rico: $79
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQuito $17Ponce $16
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 Ponce
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quito and Ponce, we can see that Ponce 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 Ponce is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce 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 Ponce Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Quito or Ponce?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Ponce. When comparing the sizes of Quito and Ponce, 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.