Which place is cheaper, Quito or Split?
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 Split or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Split and Quito. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Split or Quito?
Split
Split is a historic city in Central Dalmatia with many opportunities to glimpse its fascinating past in its historic city center. Centuries ago the city grew up around a Diocletian palace that was used as refuge by the locals.
Today, as you wander around the historic center, you can see the remains of the Roman walls, temples, and squares. Despite it's appeal to tourists, Split is much more than just a tourist destination. It is larger than you might initially realize and it spreads well beyond the historic center. There is a population of about 300,000 in the larger area and it is an economic center for the region.
Split has a beautiful climate with mild winters, countless sunny days, and a generally pleasant temperature. As such, there are many opportunities to enjoy yourself outdoors, whether by participating in sports or walking around the city's quaint streets. Winters in Split are also quite mild, but there may be one snowy day, on average, every year. This rare snowfall can cause a significant disruption in the flow of traffic.
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 Walking Tours in Croatia, The Best Luxury Tours to Croatia, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Split Prices
Croatia PricesQuito Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySplit $220Quito $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Split is $220, 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 Split and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSplit $95Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSplit $190Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Split and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Split 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: Split Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Split $26Quito $6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Split
Also for Split, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- **Private Door to Door Airport Split Transfer up to 15 People**: $69
- Airport Transfer from Split: $45
- Airport Transfer to Split: $45
- Airport transfers, Locco transfers, Port transfers: $90
- CO2-Offset Arrival Transfer Split Airport to Split City: $60
- CO2-Offset Departure Transfer Split City to Split Airport SPU: $60
- Cetina River Rafting Tour with Transfer from Split: $76
- Cruise Port of Split to Split Hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $40
- Cruise Port of Split to Split hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $80
- From Split or Trogir: Cetina River Rafting with Transfer: $93
- From Split or Trogir: Cetina River Rafting with Transfer: $91
- From Split to Baska Voda Private Transfer: $154
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: $43
- Transfer from or to UIO Airport to any Hotel in Quito: $25
- Transfer from or to Airport Mariscal Sucre (one way): $75
- Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $30
- Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel with bilingual driver: $43
- Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel or vice versa with bilingual driver-guide: $43
- Transfer Airport → Quito (one way / round trip): $50
- Shared Transfer from Quito hotels to Airport: $42
- Private Transfer from/to Airport: $35
- Private Transfer from the Airport to the city: $32
- Private City Tour & Intiñam Museum Visit w/ Transfer: $89
- Panoramic City Tour & Airport Departure Transfer: $114
Is it cheaper to fly into Split or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Split 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 daySplit $104Quito $34
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Split
For Split, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Omiš: Sunset Boat Trip to Pučišća Brač island with Dinner: $51
- Split’s Ultimate Walking Food Tour with Full Meal & Drinks: $67
- Small Group Food Tour with Private Option: $104
- Split Old Town Authentic Food Tour with 9 Dishes & Local Wines: $124
- Split Food Tour: Discover Split One Bite At A Time: $137
- Split Food Tour: Discover Split One Bite at a Time: $140
- Dinner In Dalmatia: A Family Affair Outside Split: $142
- Split Cooking Class: $200
- From farm to table : Cooking class on island Brac: $297
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.Split $13Quito $16
Tours and Activities in Split
For Split, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Split self guided walking tour through history: $5.71
- Split's Old Town and Marjan Hill: A Self Guided Audio Tour: $8.99
- Discover Split Guided Walking Tour: $12
- Entry Ticket to Selfie Experience Museum: $13
- Klis Fortress Sunset Tour & Game of Thrones Views: $13
- Museum of Illusions Entrance Ticket: $14
- Hajduk Poljud Stadium Tour with Trophy Room Entry: $14
- Walking Tour of UNESCO Diocletian Palace & Old Town: $14
- Klis Fortress & Olive Museum Tour with GOT Sites: $14
- Split History Walking Tour with Local Guide and Tips: $15
- Amazing Audio tour : Adriatic Blues and Roman Clues Split: $15
- Diocletian's Palace Virtual Reality Experience: $15
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:
- “Adventure in Baths: Waterfalls, End of the World Swing and More”: $190
- 1-Day Adventure to the Andean Choco Experience the Forest: $125
- 2 day 1 night tour to Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon all included: $280
- 2-Day Tour of Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon with hotel: $222
- 2D private Tour from Quito visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $281
- 3-Day Adventure: Quito, Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Baños, Jungle: $897
- 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
- 3-Day Antisana & Amazon comunities, Caves, Baños Guided Tour: $734
- 6-Day Ecuador Heritage Tour: Art, Culture and Otavalo: $1,847
- Adventure and Relaxation in Baños de Agua Santa: $236
- All-Inclusive Private Mindo Cloud Forest Tour from Quito: $220
- Amazon Adventure: 4 Days of Nature & Culture from Quito: $1,770
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySplit $20Quito $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Split
Also in Split, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Split Pub Crawl: Nightlife, Shots & Club Entry: $14
- Split Nightlife Pub Crawl with Shots and Club Entry: $17
- From Krka Waterfalls, Food & Wine Tasting Tour: $44
- From Krka Waterfalls, Food & Wine Tasting Tour: $53
- From Krka Waterfalls day tour & wine tasting: $55
- Split/Trogir: Krka National Park Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $55
- Olive Oil and Wine Tasting with Snacks: $57
- Educational wine tasting in Split: $63
- Split&Sip: Educational wine tasting: $64
- Split/Trogir: Mostar and Medjugorje Tour with Wine Tasting: $99
- Split Mediterranean Food & Wine tasting with Meal & Local Guide: $106
- Vineyard Wine Tasting Experience with a Sea view from Split: $137
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 Split and Quito, we can see that Split is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Split 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 Split would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Split 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 Split Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Split or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Split. When comparing the sizes of Split 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.