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

Should you visit Zadar or Quito?

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

Should I visit Zadar 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: Zadar or Quito?

Zadar

You'll find Zadar in northern Dalmatia, Croatia. It is located on the Adriatic Sea and is the center of Zadar County. It is both the historic center for the region and the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Zadar. There are a handful of sights around town, most of which can be explored on foot.

The climate for the city is a mix between humid subtropical and a Mediterranean climate. The winters are usually mild and wet, and the summers are humid and warm. The hottest months are July and August when temperatures can exceed 30 degrees Celsius. Average yearly rainfall usually exceeds 917 mm. Fall months often remain warm and temperatures are often around 30 degrees Celsius as well. In general, the temperatures rarely drop below freezing, even during the coldest month of January. The rainiest months are October and November, although winter is considered the wet season. July is usually the driest month. Water temperatures are around 25 degrees Celsius in July and August and it may be possible to swim any time between May and October.

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 Tours for Seniors to Croatia, The Best G Adventures Tours to Croatia, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.


Which place is cheaper, Quito or Zadar?

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 Zadar is $123, 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 Zadar and Quito in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Zadar $57
    Quito $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Zadar $114
    Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Zadar and Quito

Looking for a hotel in Zadar 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 Zadar


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.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Zadar Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Zadar $11
    Quito $6.99

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zadar

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zadar:

  • Krka National Park Private Tour from Zadar with transfer to Split: $297
  • Modern bus transfer between Dubrovnik and Zadar: $52
  • Plitvice Lakes from Round-Trip Transfer: $53
  • Privat transfer to Novalja: $151
  • Private Transfer from Biograd Na Moru to Zadar Airport (ZAD): $89
  • Private Transfer from Starigrad Paklenica to Zadar Airport (ZAD): $166
  • Private Transfer from Zadar Airport (ZAD) to Šibenik: $274
  • Private Transfer from Zadar Airport (ZAD) to Biograd Na Moru: $71
  • Private Transfer from Zadar Airport (ZAD) to Borik Zadar: $39
  • Private Transfer from Zadar Airport (ZAD) to Kožino: $57
  • Private Transfer from Zadar Airport (ZAD) to Murter: $274
  • Private Transfer from Zadar Airport (ZAD) to Vodice: $190

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:

  • Private Departure Transfer from Quito to the Airport - One Way: $20
  • Quito hotels to Mariscal Sucre Quito Airport (UIO) - Departure Private Transfer: $21
  • Private Transfer from or to Quito Airport (one way): $21
  • Transfer from or to UIO Airport to any Hotel in Quito: $25
  • Quito Airport ↔ Quito Hotels Private Transfer Service: $27
  • Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $28
  • Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $28
  • Quito PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport: $28
  • Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $30
  • Custom Transfers Across Ecuador (quote required): $30
  • Private Transfer from the Airport to the city: $32
  • Private Transfer IN or OUT Hotel-Aiport Quito or Aiport-Hotel: $35

Is it cheaper to fly into Zadar or Quito?

Prices for flights to both Quito and Zadar 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
    Zadar $55
    Quito $34

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zadar

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

  • Golden Hour Cruise RIB Tour Island Dinner Stop & Swim: $41
  • Sunset Cruise Tour with Island Dinner & Swiming Stop: $46
  • Zadar City Market Food Tour: $51
  • Sunset Dinner Cruise with 3-Course Meal: $88
  • Zadar Food Tour: Local Dishes & City Stories: $102
  • Private Cooking Class: $140
  • Gourmet Sunset dinner on board: $228

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Zadar $22
    Quito $16

Tours and Activities in Zadar

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zadar are as follows:

  • Zadar city tour: Be Local by Šušur: $5.83
  • TOP Zadar : Private Guided Tour with your mobile: $11
  • Zadar Walking Tour: $17
  • Zadar Old Town Walking Tour: $17
  • Zadar Walking Tour sponsored by Gligora cheese and deli: $17
  • Zadar highlights - Zadar discovery Short tour: $18
  • Old Town Walking Tour: $18
  • Zadar Walking Tour sponsored by Gligora Cheese and deli: $18
  • From Plitvice Lakes Day Tour: $18
  • Sunset boat tour with champagne: $19
  • Sunset Cruise & unlimited champagne: $19
  • Romantic Sunset Cruise with unlimited wine: $19

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:

  • 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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Zadar $13
    Quito $17

Sample the Local Flavors in Zadar

Also in Zadar, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Guided Speedboat Tour with Food, Oil & Wine Tasting: $41
  • Guided Pub Crawl with Welcome Shots and VIP Entry: $61
  • City Tour with Educational Beer Tour in Brlog Brewery: $90
  • City Tour with Brewery Visit and Beer Tasting: $92
  • City and Wine Tour in Zadar with Eco Tuk Tuk: $103
  • Private Island Hopping & Wine Tasting with Canapés: $350

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 Zadar and Quito, we can see that Zadar is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Zadar 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 Zadar would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Zadar 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 Zadar Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Zadar or Quito?

Quito has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Zadar. When comparing the sizes of Zadar 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.