Which place is cheaper, Quito or Valencia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Valencia or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Valencia 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: Valencia or Quito?
Valencia
Valencia is a port city that sits on Spain's southeastern Orange Blossom coast, where the Turia River meets the Mediterranean Sea. As the nation's third-largest city, it is continually innovative in the arts and sciences with some futuristic architecture including a planetarium, oceanarium, and an interactive museum. The nightlife and daytime culture both thrive in their own ways, bustling with limitless opportunities for sight-seeing and entertainment. While the city is surrounded by fertile farmland, its center is a modern metropolis, skirted by beautiful beaches.
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 G Adventures Tours to Spain, The Best 3-Day Tours from Madrid, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayValencia $132Quito $52
The average daily cost (per person) in Valencia is $132, 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 Valencia and Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personValencia $62Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomValencia $124Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Valencia and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Valencia 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: Valencia Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Valencia $19Quito $6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Valencia
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Valencia:
- Arrival Private Transfer Valencia Port to Valencia City by Van: $42
- Arrival Transfer Valencia Airport VLC to Valencia City by Minivan: $42
- Arrival Transfer Valencia Airport VLC to Valencia City by Sedan: $37
- Barcelona to Montserrat: Guided Tour & Return Bus Transfers: $46
- Departure Private Transfer Montserrat to Barcelona Airport or City by Luxury Van: $176
- From Albufera Day Trip with Boat Tour and Transfer: $59
- From Morella and Peñíscola Day Trip with Transfers: $118
- Private Transfer - Valencia Airport (VLC) to Valencia Cruise Port: $38
- Private Transfer Valencia Airport to Hotel: $109
- Private Transfer: Valencia Airport (VLC) to Valencia City Center: $27
- Private Transfer: Valencia City Center to Valencia Airport (VLC): $26
- Private Transfer: Valencia to VLC Airport in Business Car: $77
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:
- Airport Transfer- Hotel in Quito 1 Way: $55
- Express Transfer: Mariscal Sucre Airport to Quito: $34
- From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer: $119
- From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch: $145
- Guayaquil to Guayaquil Airport GYE Departure Private Transfer: $29
- Private Departure Transfer from Quito to the Airport - One Way: $21
- Private Transfer IN from to the International Airport Mariscal Sucre to Quito: $48
- Private Transfer IN or OUT Hotel-Aiport Quito or Aiport-Hotel : $25
- Private Transfer In from International Airport Mariscal Sucre to Quito : $60
- Private Transfer Quito Airport To Quito City/hotel : $57
- Private Transfer from Quito Airport : $25
- Private Transfer from Quito to Baños or Baños to Quito (one way): $90
Is it cheaper to fly into Valencia or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito and Valencia 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 dayValencia $43Quito $20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Valencia
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Valencia.
- Flamenco at Toro y La Luna with Drinks or Dinner: $19
- Hard Rock Cafe Entrance with Lunch or Dinner: $32
- Traditional Spanish Home Dinner: $48
- Valencia Traditional Food Tour: $51
- Guided Food Tour with Chocolate Tasting Experience: $54
- Street Food Tour including Paella & Tapas Tasting: $59
- Paella Cooking Experience near the center of Valencia: $59
- Morning Food Tour with Central Market Visit: $64
- Cooking Class of traditional spanish food: $65
- Vegetable Paella cooking class, tapas and visit market: $66
- Valencian Paella cooking class, Tapas and Market Visit: $66
- Flamenco Show with Dinner at La Bulería: $70
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
- Private Famous Food Tour of Historic Old Town in Quito: $95
- 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.Valencia $31Quito $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Valencia
Here are a few typical costs in Valencia for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Flamenco Tour$17
Tours and Activities in Valencia
Here are a few actual costs in Valencia for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $3.77
- Self-Guided City Exploration Game and Walking Tour: $3.77
- Valencia Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- In love with A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Between Two Gates Self-Guided Smartphone Tour: $7.99
- Between Two Gates: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in Valencia: $7.99
- Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07
- Silk Museum Entry Ticket with Audio Guide: $8.61
- Historic Center Audio-Guided Tour with Earphones: $8.61
- Scavenger Hunt and Monumental Self-Guided Tour: $8.84
- Scavenger Hunt and Iconic Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.84
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:
- Skip the Line: La Compañia Church Admission Ticket: $5.50
- Skip the Line: Capilla del Hombre and Guayasamin's Museum Ticket: $10
- Middle of the World shuttle Tour: $14
- 2.5-Hour City Bus Tour: $15
- Night Tour in Quito with free time at La Ronda Street: $15
- Quito City Tour Double Decker Bus: $15
- Middle of the World Tour with Tickets: $19
- Quito at Night & Urban Legends Tour : $20
- 1914 Original Trolley City Tour: $20
- Pululuahua Reserve & Museo del Sol Tour - "Small Group": $20
- Intiñan Museum Small-Group Tour: $25
- Guided City Tour with Tastings and Box Lunch: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayValencia $21Quito $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Valencia
Also in Valencia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Guided Pub Crawl with Free Shots: $13
- Pub Crawl Tour in the Old town of Valencia: $17
- Pub Crawl With Free Shots: $25
- Wine Tasting with Professional Sommelier in centre Valencia: $59
- From Guided Cheese Factory Tour with Wine Tasting: $91
- Local Tapas & Wine tasting experience: $91
- Wine Tasting and Tapas Experience: $102
- Cheese Factory Workshop with Wine Tasting in Requena, Valencia: $108
- From Requena Wine Tour with Tastings: $124
- Small Group - Half-Day Wine Tour: $126
- Two wineries tour with wine tasting : $131
- Christmas Tapas and Wine Tour in Valencia: $164
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 Valencia and Quito, we can see that Valencia is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Valencia 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 Valencia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Valencia 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 Valencia Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Valencia or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 74% larger than the population of Valencia. When comparing the sizes of Valencia 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.