Which place is cheaper, Quito or San Pedro La Laguna?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Pedro La Laguna or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Pedro La Laguna or Quito? 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: San Pedro La Laguna or Quito?
San Pedro La Laguna
Located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful volcanic lake ringed by small towns and villages that are highly frequented by backpackers. Panajachal is one of the best known of the towns, as well as the main entry point of the region, while others like San Pedro La Laguna are quieter and more off the beaten path. Lake Atitlan and its villages attract visitors for its scenic beauty, outdoor activities, and Mayan culture nearby.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Guatemala, The Best Tours for Seniors to Guatemala, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Pedro La Laguna $36Quito $52
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro La Laguna is $36, while the average daily cost in Quito is $52. 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 San Pedro La Laguna and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Pedro La Laguna $8.23Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Pedro La Laguna $16Quito $44
Compare Hotels in San Pedro La Laguna and Quito
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro La Laguna or Quito? 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.San Pedro La Laguna $13Quito $6.99
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: $29
- Transfers To and From the Airport in Quito Ecuador: $35
- Transfers Friends Airport Quito: $40
- Transfer to Mashpi Reserve one way : $99
- Transfer in private vehicle from Quito City - Quito Airport (UIO): $38
- Transfer in or transfer out to Quito airport: $40
- Transfer in and Transfer out: $75
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Quito City - Quito Airport (UIO): $53
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Quito Airport (UIO) - Quito City: $53
- Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $39
- Transfer In / Out Quito: $25
- Transfer In & Out from Quito: $100
Is it cheaper to fly into San Pedro La Laguna or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and San Pedro La Laguna 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 daySan Pedro La Laguna $11Quito $20
Typical Food Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lemonade$2.06
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Cake$1.29
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Ice cream$0.39
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Hot Cocoa & Banana Bread$2.96
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Guatemalan street food tour with a local bilingual guide: $40
- Temazcal sauna and dinner, cultural sharing experience: $44
- Maya Cooking Class from Panajachel: $55
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Pedro La Laguna $21Quito $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for San Pedro La Laguna's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Canopy Tour (for 2)$39
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Kayaking (for 2)$1.93
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Coffee Tour (for 2)$6.95
Tours and Activities in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Beading Class and tour a Non-profit vocational training center a Fun cultural sharing experience: $28
- Tour a NGO non profit Vocational Training Center Amigos de Santa Cruz and explore the Mayan village: $33
- Coffee Tour in Lake Atitlán: $35
- Day of the Dead Giant Kite Festival Cultural Experience: $35
- Biking tour through the towns of Santa Catarina and San Antonio: $46
- Private Tour of Lake Atitlán by Mototaxi: $50
- 5-Hour Private Birdwatching Experience in San Juan La Laguna: $50
- Sololá Colourful Market Day Tour: $50
- Lake Atitlan Lower Mayan Trail Hiking Tour from Panajachel: $51
- Get fun with an Adventure Tour - Zip Line (Canopy): $51
- Sunrise Hike Tour on Indian's Nose Mountain: $52
- sunset tour : $55
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Pedro La Laguna $5.58Quito $17
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 San Pedro La Laguna and Quito, we can see that Quito is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro La Laguna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Pedro La Laguna is in Central America and Quito is in South 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 San Pedro La Laguna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Pedro La Laguna 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 San Pedro La Laguna.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Pedro La Laguna Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Pedro La Laguna or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 140 times larger than the population of San Pedro La Laguna. When comparing the sizes of San Pedro La Laguna and Quito, 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.