A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Tartu vs. Quito for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Tartu or Quito?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Tartu and Quito can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Tartu or Quito?

Tartu

Tartu is a university town that is also the second largest city in Estonia. It has a population of about 100,000 and dates back to 1030, making it the oldest city in the country. The Emajogi River passes through town and it has a lovely old town that's pleasant to explore. The city is a great place to see day to day life in Estonia. It is a very real town with people going about their daily lives. If you find yourself here when the weather is nice, you'll be greeted by crowds of happy locals out enjoying the weather. They make full use of the warm, sunny weather with festivals, events, and concerts during the summer. This is easily the most fun and eventful time to visit the city.

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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Estonia, The Best Budget Tours to Estonia, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.


Which place is cheaper, Quito or Tartu?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Tartu is $154, 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 Tartu and Quito in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tartu $54
    Quito $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tartu $108
    Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Tartu and Quito

Looking for a hotel in Tartu 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.

Hotels in Tartu


Hotels in Quito


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Tartu $32
    Quito $6.99

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quito

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Quito:


  • Taxi from Bus Terminal to Hotel
    $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quito

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quito:

  • From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch: $166
  • From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer: $129
  • Panoramic City Tour & Airport Departure Transfer: $114
  • Middle of the World Tour with Airport Transfer: $114
  • Airport Transfer and City Highlights Tour: $114
  • Arrival Transfer from Quito Airport UIO to Quito by Sedan or SUV: $105
  • Private City Tour & Intiñam Museum Visit w/ Transfer: $89
  • Transfer Quito → Papallacta (one way / round trip): $85
  • Private Transfer from Quito to Baños de Agua Santa (one way): $80
  • Transfer from or to Airport Mariscal Sucre (one way): $75
  • Private Transfer from Quito Airport to Hotels in Quito: $70
  • Transfer Airport → Quito (one way / round trip): $50

Is it cheaper to fly into Tartu or Quito?

Prices for flights to both Quito and Tartu 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Tartu $75
    Quito $34
Typical Food Prices in Tartu

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tartu:


  • Danishes
    $0.88
  • Lunch for Two
    $5.72
  • Ice Cream
    $1.47
  • Cookies
    $0.59
  • Coffee & Cake
    $4.03

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.

  • 3 Hours Local Food Tour in Quito: $38
  • Quito Eats Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
  • From Cayambe Traditional Cooking Class with Transfers: $60
  • The Delicious Side of Quito Food Tour: $70
  • 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 with Chef, Market Tour & Transportation: $88
  • Cooking Class in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
  • Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
  • Private Famous Food Tour of Historic Old Town in Quito: $95
  • Ecuadorian Cooking Class with a chef and Local Market: $100

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Tartu $19
    Quito $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Tartu

For Tartu, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Art Museum ticket
    $1.11
  • Movie Ticket
    $4.03

Tours and Activities in Tartu

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tartu.

  • Around Viljandi bike tour: $29
  • TARTU COUNTRY: SLED DOG TOUR AND KENNEL VISIT: $141
  • Private Horse-Drawn Sleigh Adventures: $209
  • Charming Viljandi Private Walking Tour for Couples: $253
  • Magical Tartu Romantic Private Walking Tour: $751
  • Dazzling Tartu City Cultural Private Walking Tour: $751

Typical Entertainment Prices in Quito

Here are a few typical costs in Quito for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • 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:

  • 2 day 1 night tour to Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon all included: $280
  • 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
  • All-Inclusive Private Mindo Cloud Forest Tour from Quito: $220
  • Amazon Adventure: 4 Days of Nature & Culture from Quito: $1,770
  • Andean Adventure : Riding and Cotopaxi Refuge: $140
  • Antisana Volcano Condor Birdwatching Private Experience: $90
  • Antisana Volcano Private Day Tour from Quito: $266
  • Antisana volcano private tour; birding and hike in the Andes: $130
  • Authentic Cloud Forest Experience: $299

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Tartu $18
    Quito $17

Typical Alcohol Prices in Quito

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Quito from other travelers:


  • Beers for Two
    $9.00


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tartu and Quito, we can see that Tartu is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tartu 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 Tartu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tartu 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 Tartu Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Tartu or Quito?

Quito has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Tartu. When comparing the sizes of Tartu 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.