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

Should you visit Oxford or Quito?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Oxford 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: Oxford or Quito?

Oxford

Oxford is a city in England best known as the home of the 12-century Oxford University, the oldest English-speaking university in the world. The city also features landmarks such as Christ Church, the Bodleian Library, and a number of world-class museums.

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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United Kingdom, The Best Coach Bus Tours in United Kingdom, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.


Which place is cheaper, Quito or Oxford?

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 Oxford is $219, 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 Oxford and Quito in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Oxford $98
    Quito $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Oxford $196
    Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Oxford and Quito

Looking for a hotel in Oxford 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 Oxford


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: Oxford Hotel Prices and Quito Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Oxford $36
    Quito $6.99

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oxford

Also for Oxford, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Fareham to Southampton Airport (SOU) - Departure Private Transfer: $105
  • Gatwick Airport Transfer To & From London Hotel Meet & Greet: $245
  • London and Oxford Private Transfer Service: $257
  • Oxford City to London Heathrow Airport Private Transfer Service: $210
  • Oxford To Gatwick Airport Private Transfer: $280
  • Oxford To London Heathrow Airport (LHR ) - Departure Private Transfer: $221
  • Oxford To Luton Airport Private Transfer: $240
  • Oxford To Stansted Airport Private Transfer: $290
  • Oxford to Birmingham Airport Private Transfer: $210
  • Oxford to Heathrow Airport private transfers: $164
  • Portsmouth Cruise Terminals to London Private Transfer: $273
  • Portsmouth Port to Heathrow Airport Transfer: $255

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:

  • Transfers To and From the Airport in Quito Ecuador: $35
  • Transfer from or to Airport Mariscal Sucre (one way): $75
  • Transfer Private Airport–Hotel in Quito: $39
  • Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $30
  • Transfer In from Quito's Airport to the city: $39
  • Transfer In & Out from Quito: $100
  • Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel with bilingual driver: $43
  • Quito airport private transfer IN or OUT: $28
  • Quito PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport: $36
  • Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $36
  • Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $28
  • Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $28

Is it cheaper to fly into Oxford or Quito?

Prices for flights to both Quito and Oxford 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
    Oxford $96
    Quito $34

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito

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

  • Quito Cooking Class Shared Experience: $59
  • Ecuador Food Tour: $69
  • Cooking Class in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
  • Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
  • Tour Quito with Cooking Class with Professional Chef: $95
  • Quito Private Best Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $114
  • Ecuadorian Cooking Classes Rooftop (English): $120
  • Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour : $135
  • Cooking Class at the Andes & Roses: PRIVATE Day trip from Quito: $149
  • Quito Food Tour Where my Family Go Urban Art New and Old Quito: $155

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Oxford $26
    Quito $16

Tours and Activities in Oxford

For Oxford, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Cheltenham by Operation City Quest: $11
  • Oxford's Historic Pubs: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $12
  • 2 Hour Shared Family Walking Tour in Whitefield Moor: $14
  • Junkyard Golf Tickets for 9 or 18 Holes: $15
  • A Guide to the City of Dreaming Spires: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Oxford: $15
  • Oxford Audio Tour Dreaming Spires Oxford Audio Tour Adventure: $15
  • City and Universities Express Tour & Audio Guide: $16
  • River Thames Sightseeing Cruise: $18
  • Haunted Amersham Ghost Guided Tour: $19
  • Guided Sightseeing River Cruise: $20
  • Historic Pubs & Taverns Guided Walking Tour: $21
  • Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Crawley by Zombie Scavengers: $22

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:

  • A Full-Day Private Adventure Antisana Andean Volcano: $100
  • The best of Quito walking tour: $283
  • Tour Full-Day Mercado de Otavalo + Cotacachi, Ecuador.: $75
  • 2-Day Tour of Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon with hotel: $222
  • 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
  • Adventure in Quilotoa Lagoon by Lead: $150
  • All Inclusive Mindo Cloud Forest in a Private Full Day Tour: $130
  • Andean Adventure : Riding and Cotopaxi Refuge: $140
  • Antisana Volcano Birding & Natural History Condor Tour PRIVATE, all included: $198
  • Antisana Volcano Day Tour from Quito: $120
  • Antisana Volcano Private Tour: $103
  • Antisana volcano private tour; birding and hike in the Andes: $130

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Oxford $28
    Quito $17

Sample the Local Flavors in Oxford

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Oxford:

  • Private Wine Tour of Margate: $130
  • Chilterns Blue Line Wine Tour Explore Boutique Vineyards: $136
  • Wine Tours of Kent Private group booking: $259

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

Sample the Local Flavors in Quito

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

  • Ecuador Spirit Craft Brewery Tasting and Latitude 0 Private Tour: $155


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


Which is Bigger, Oxford or Quito?

Quito has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Oxford. When comparing the sizes of Oxford 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.