Which place is cheaper, Quito or Santiago de Compostela?
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 Santiago de Compostela or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Santiago de Compostela 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: Santiago de Compostela or Quito?
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital city of northwest Spain's Galicia region. Its famous cathedral marks the culmination of the Way of Saint James pilgrimage route, and is the alleged burial site of the apostle himself. The pilgrimage route begins in the Pyrenees, 500 miles away, though travelers can decide to join the journey at certain points in between, depending on how far they want to walk and how much they want to see.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Spain, The Best 2-Week Tours in Spain, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Santiago de Compostela Prices
Spain PricesQuito Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantiago de Compostela $118Quito $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago de Compostela is $118, while the average daily cost in Quito is $66. 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 Santiago de Compostela and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantiago de Compostela $41Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantiago de Compostela $82Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Santiago de Compostela and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Santiago de Compostela 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: Santiago de Compostela Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santiago de Compostela $43Quito $6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago de Compostela
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago de Compostela:
- Airport Transfer Santiago de Compostela: $78
- Airport transfer Santiago de Compostela: $78
- Private Transfer Santiago de Compostela to Porto or vice versa: $200
- Private Transfer from Santiago Airport (SCQ) to La Coruna Port: $150
- Private Transfer from Santiago city hotels to La Coruna Port: $150
- Private Transfer from Santiago de Compostela to Porto: $286
- Private Transfer from Santiago de Compostela to Porto with Tour: $200
- Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer from SCQ Airport to City centre: $65
- Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer from the city centre to SCQ Airport: $54
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:
- Custom Transfers Across Ecuador (quote required): $30
- From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer: $129
- From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch: $166
- Private Departure Transfer from Quito to the Airport - One Way: $20
- Private Premium Transfer Quito Airport To Quito City/hotel: $63
- Private Transfer IN or OUT Hotel-Aiport Quito or Aiport-Hotel: $35
- Private Transfer Quito to Mindo – SUV or Van (1–6): $88
- Private Transfer from Quito to Baños de Agua Santa (one way): $80
- Private Transfer from or to Quito Airport (one way): $21
- Private Transfer to Quito airport and hotel: $35
- Quito Airport ↔ Quito Hotels Private Transfer Service: $27
- Quito Airport (UIO) to Quito hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $46
Is it cheaper to fly into Santiago de Compostela or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Santiago de Compostela 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 daySantiago de Compostela $38Quito $34
Typical Food Prices in Santiago de Compostela
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Santiago de Compostela:
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Raspberries$3.93
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Ice Cream$2.25
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Cookie$1.12
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Kebab$8.14
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Dinner & Tapas (for 2)$31
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Tuna Empanada$3.93
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Fruit Shake$3.93
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Crepe$4.49
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santiago de Compostela
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santiago de Compostela.
- legends tour and galician dinner: $95
- Santiago Food Tour Tapas Drinks and Delights with a Local: $102
- Santiago de Compostela Food Tour: 5 Authentic Tastings & Drinks: $111
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.
- Ecuadorian Gastronomy Tasting and Cooking Class in Quito: $15
- Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
- Quito Eats Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
- From Cayambe Traditional Cooking Class with Transfers: $60
- 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 in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
- Cooking Class with Chef, Market Tour & Transportation: $88
- Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
- Tour Quito with Cooking Class with Professional Chef: $95
- Private Famous Food Tour of Historic Old Town in Quito: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santiago de Compostela $43Quito $16
Tours and Activities in Santiago de Compostela
Here are a few actual costs in Santiago de Compostela for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- TOP Santiago de Compostela : Private guided tour with your mobile: $5.71
- Old town walking tour in a small group: $7.11
- Self Guided Walking Tour to Santiago de Compostela with Quiz: $8.00
- Stories of Santiago de Compostela Self Guided Tour: $8.99
- Guided Tour Historic Town with Official Guide: $11
- Christmas in a tour among lights and stone: $12
- Santiago de Compostela City Walking Tour: $17
- Queimada Experience Show and Tasting at Santiago de Compostela: $17
- Urban and Heritage Tour: $18
- Tour of the Templars in Spanish: $18
- Night tour "Secrets of Compostela".: $18
- Queimada Experience Show and Tasting: $18
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 tip based walking tour small groups Cacao Taste: $5.00
- Quito Old Town Walking tour small groups Chocolate taste included: $5.00
- Saturday Night tour! Basilica del Voto Nacional exclusive tour: $5.00
- Quito Audio Guided Walking Tour 2h10 and 19 audio reviews: $6.74
- 2.5-Hour City Bus Tour: $15
- Discover the heart of the Historic Center - Walking tour: $25
- Instagram walking tour in Quito's Historic Center: $26
- Quito's Cultural Tour & Indigenous Perspectives of Old Town: $27
- Fruit Tasting Experience with +15 Exotics Flavors of Ecuador: $29
- Old Town Walking Tour with Basilica Church Visit: $30
- Walking Tour Quito: $30
- Quito Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantiago de Compostela $25Quito $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Santiago de Compostela
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Santiago de Compostela from other travelers:
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1 Pint Beer$2.25
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago de Compostela
Also in Santiago de Compostela, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience: $34
- Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience: $34
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 Santiago de Compostela and Quito, we can see that Santiago de Compostela is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santiago de Compostela is in Europe 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 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 Santiago de Compostela would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santiago de Compostela 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 Santiago de Compostela Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santiago de Compostela or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Santiago de Compostela. When comparing the sizes of Santiago de Compostela 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.