Ecuador has it all: Go on an adventure in the Andes, explore the colonial towns or visit the famous Galapagos islands. But, how much does it cost to travel in Ecuador? Tapashia and Ashvin from the Netherlands visited Ecuador for 2 weeks during their RTW trip. For Bunch of Backpackers they kept track of all expenses! Take a look at their overview of costs to travel in Ecuador and budget tips. 

This article is part of the Money Matters series in which we ask travelers to keep their expenses for Bunch of Backpackers. Real travelers, real expenses. 

COSTS 14-DAY ECUADOR TRIP: 1781 EURO (2372 USD)
DAILY TRAVEL EXPENSES Ecuador*: 35 EURO (46 USD)
DAILY TRAVEL EXPENSES Galapagos*: 196 EURO (261 USD)

*These daily travel expenses are per one person per day.  Including all tours, domestic flights, souvenirs, lodging, food, drinks, entrance fees, tips etc. Excluding international flights.

Otavalo Market Ecuado

EXAMPLES OF PRICES IN ECUADOR:

These prices are per person unless stated otherwise.

Standard Ecuador expenses

One night in a hostel dormitory: 7,8 euro (10 USD)
One night in a double room in a simple guesthouse: 13,20 euro (15 USD)
A short 10-minute taxi ride: 4,4 euro (5 USD)
A bottle of water (0,5L) at the store: 0,44 euro (0,5 USD)
A local beer at a bar/restaurants: 1,20 euro (1,5 USD) 
A glass of coca cola in a restaurant: 0,7 euro (1 USD)
Basic lunch at a local restaurant: 4,4 euro (5 USD)
Dinner at a local restaurant: 8,9 euro (12 USD)

Notable Ecuador expenses 

Costs 8-day Galapagos Islands tour: 1571 euro (2100 USD) (Luxury boat booked last minute with 50% discount)

Friget ecuador

SOME DETAILS ON THIS ECUADOR BACKPACKING TRIP:

About the backpackers: Tapashia and Ashvin
Destination and travel period: Ecuador in August 2014 for 14 days.
Visited places: Otavalo, Galapagos, Quito
Type of trip: Independently and as a couple
Accommodation*: standard (mainly guesthouses and basic hotels in doubles)
Transportation*: standard (mix of transportation) 
Food*: budget (local places and cheap western places)

*4 options: basic, budget, standard and luxury

View Ecuador

ECUADOR BUDGET TIPS

  • Ecuador is already very cheap, so it’s an attractive country to travel around on a budget
  • Use local transportation instead of cabs
  • Streetfood is obviously also a great way to save money while traveling in Ecuador
  • Would you like to visit the Galapagos islands on a budget then I’d recommended the following articles of Departful and Flora The Explorer

How much did you spend in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands?

Continue to the other articles of the Money Matters series!

5 COMMENTS

  1. Tapashia and Ashvin,
    I spent 5 weeks in Cuenca last summer and didn’t spend $1,000, including rent at $500 for the 5 weeks. I ate out way too much at local places, shopped at markets and walked everywhere. I was blown away at how cheaply I could actually live a very comfortable lifestyle.
    Mike

  2. My wife and I are looking to visit Ecuador, just don’t know when ,but it’s one of our things to do list

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