Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Quito?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Quito or San Juan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Quito or San Juan? 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 San Juan?
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.
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQuito $52San Juan $192
The average daily cost (per person) in Quito is $52, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $192. 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 San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQuito $22San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQuito $44San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Quito and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Quito or San Juan? 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 San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Quito $6.99San Juan $14
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
- 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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $210
- Mendoza: One-Way Private Transfer from Airport: $25
- Old Walking Tour with Shopping and Hotel Transfer: $70
- Oneway Transfer San Juan to Ceiba: Ferry, Vieques/Culebra Airport: $80
- Oneway Transfer from San Juan (SJU, hotel, airbnb, port) to Ponce: $125
- Oneway Transfer- San Juan(SJU, hotel, airbnb, port) to Río Grande: $68
- Private Airport Transfers to Ceiba Ferry Terminal and Airport: $155
- Private Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to San Juan Airport: $22
- Private Transfer from SJU Airport to San Juan / Rio Grande: $105
- Private Transportation in Puerto Rico From or To San Juan Airport(SJU) Transfers: $33
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 11Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $103
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
Is it cheaper to fly into Quito or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 $20San Juan $36
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Old San Juan Sunset Food Tour with Drinks: $156
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walk and Food Tour: $159
- City Lights Sky High Dinner Experience: $165
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
- Private Local Food Tour in San Juan: $275
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Quito $16San Juan $49
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-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: $852
- 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
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Historic Buildings: $5.99
- Discover Old In-App Audio Tour of History: $11
- Self-Guided Tour with Audio Guide: $14
- Group Transportation in airport, cruise ships, hotels, bnb's in San Juan, PR: $20
- Old Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $25
- History, Legends, & Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $30
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- Old San Juan Walking Tour with a Certified Guide: $30
- Old San Juan City Walking Tour: $39
- Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
- Legacy Tour at Casa BarcadÍ in Puerto Rico: $45
- Walking tour of Oaxaca City: $48
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQuito $17San Juan $12
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 San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quito and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Quito or San Juan?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Quito and San Juan, 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.