Which place is cheaper, Quito or Tenerife?
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 Tenerife or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Tenerife or Quito, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Tenerife or Quito?
Tenerife
European tourists have long known Tenerife as a top vacation destination. Amazing beaches and a booming nightlife bring in visitors to the largest of the Canary Islands all the way from England, Germany and Spain - particularly during the Easter holiday. Now the rest of the world is catching up. It's not just a spot for spring breakers looking for a party - it is full of mountains, volcanoes and forests ready for exploring.
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 Spain, The Best Tours for Seniors to Spain, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Tenerife Prices
Spain PricesQuito Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTenerife $181Quito $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Tenerife is $181, 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 Tenerife and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTenerife $61Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTenerife $122Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Tenerife and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Tenerife 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: Tenerife Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tenerife $70Quito $6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tenerife
Also for Tenerife, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer from Tenerife South Airport TFS to Tenerife by Minibus: $153
- From South Loro Park Zoo Ticket & Hotel Transfers: $75
- From Tenerife South: La Gomera Full-Day Trip with Transfers: $169
- Hiking over Masca through laurel relict woods. Transfer included.: $105
- Private Transfer from Santa Cruz Tenerife Cruise Port to Tenerife: $114
- Private Transfer from Tenerife Airport (TFS) to Santa Cruz Port: $114
- Private arrival OR departure transfer in Tenerife (hotel OR airport pick-up): $134
- Santa Cruz Tenerife Cruise Port to Tenerife hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $114
- Santa Cruz Tenerife Cruise Port to Tenerife hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $229
- Tenerife Airport (TFN) to Tenerife - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $267
- Tenerife Arrival or Departure Transfer LUX Car (private service): $186
- Tenerife Cruise Port to Tenerife South Airport (TFS) -Departure Private Transfer: $114
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
- Transfers To and From the Airport in Quito Ecuador: $35
- Transfer from or to UIO Airport to any Hotel in Quito: $30
- Transfer Quito → Papallacta (one way / round trip): $85
- Transfer Private Airport–Hotel in Quito: $39
- Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $30
- Transfer In & Out from Quito: $117
- Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel with bilingual driver: $43
- Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel or vice versa with bilingual driver-guide: $43
- Shared Transfer from Quito hotels to Airport: $42
- Private Transfer from/to Airport: $35
- Private Transfer from the Airport to the city: $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Tenerife or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Tenerife 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 dayTenerife $77Quito $34
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tenerife
For Tenerife, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Mojo Workshop Cooking Class in Ancient Canarian Village: $34
- Hard Rock Cafe Set Menu Lunch or Dinner & Drink: $40
- MHT Comedy Drag Dinner Show: $48
- Medieval San Miguel Castle Dinner and Show in South Tenerife: $61
- Self-Drive Teide National Park Sunset & Stargazing - No Dinner: $65
- Teide National Park Sunset & Stargazing Experience - No Dinner: $77
- Canarian Cooking Class with Iconic Local Dishes: $81
- Paella Cooking Class in Traditional Canarian House: $81
- Self-Drive Teide National Park Sunset, Dinner & Stargazing Tour: $86
- Teide Night Experience with Dinner and Stargazing: $91
- Mount Teide Night Tour: Stargazing, Dinner and Hotel Pick up: $92
- Stargazing Experience with Dinner & Drinks: $93
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.
- 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
- Ecuadorian Cooking Class with a chef and Local Market: $100
- Old Town Highlights & Food Tour: $110
- Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour: $122
- Quito Cooking Class: Traditional Ecuadorian Dish: $139
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tenerife $32Quito $16
Tours and Activities in Tenerife
For Tenerife, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Teide Legends Exhibition Entry Ticket: $3.49
- La Orotava Audio Guided Walking Tour 1h and 16 audio reviews: $6.96
- Camel Experience: $8.15
- Fish Spa Experience Playa Fañabe: $9.32
- Tenerife Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $9.42
- Finca Las Margaritas Banana Plantation Experience: $12
- TOP Tenerife : Private guided tour with your mobile: $12
- Los Cristianos: Eco-Yacht Whale Watching Cruise with Swim: $13
- Teide Mountain On-Road Guided Quad Tour with drink: $17
- Los Cristianos: Eco Yacht Whale Watching Tour at Sunset: $17
- Los Cristianos: Viking Cruise Whales & Dolphins Watching: $23
- Tenerife Eco Banana Farm Tour: $24
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
- 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 Antisana & Amazon comunities, Caves, Baños Guided Tour: $734
- 6-Day Ecuador Heritage Tour: Art, Culture and Otavalo: $1,847
- Adventure in Quilotoa Lagoon by Lead: $150
- Amazon Adventure: 4 Days of Nature & Culture from Quito: $1,770
- Andean Adventure : Riding and Cotopaxi Refuge: $140
- Antisana Birding Tours to see CONDORS - by Richard Hernandez: $185
- Antisana Volcano Birding & Natural History Condor Tour PRIVATE, all included: $210
- Antisana Volcano Condor Birdwatching Private Experience: $90
- Antisana Volcano Private Day Tour from Quito: $266
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTenerife $7.46Quito $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Tenerife
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Tenerife:
- Bodegas Monje Winery Ticket w/Wine Tasting & Mojo Sauce Workshop: $54
- Visit to Arafo Mountain Vineyard and Organic Wine Tasting: $77
- Flavors of Mojo Workshop, Wine Tasting and Winery Tour: $88
- Full-Day Gastronomy and Wine Tour: $95
- Wine tasting "Tenerife grape varieties": $177
- Volcano Teide Buggy Tour with Wine Tasting & Tapas: $245
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 Tenerife and Quito, we can see that Tenerife is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tenerife 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 Tenerife would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tenerife 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 Tenerife Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
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.