Money and Costs

By Freddie Sumption

While Ecuador is not as cheap as it was before converting to the US dollar, it is still quite affordable for most travelers. See our Tips for Travelers section for detailed guidelines for budget, mid-range and luxury travelers.

If you’re prepared to rough it you should be able to get by on $20-25 per day by staying in hostel dorms, eating the set meal at restaurants and traveling on buses. If you are traveling in a group, you can cut daily costs down to $15 per person. If you have a little more money at your disposal you can live a modest, yet comfortable lifestyle on about $30-50 per day while staying at low-end hotels or hostels, eating out three times a day, and still have some cash left over to enjoy the nightlife or splurge on the odd day trip such as rafting or hiking. On the other hand, if money is no object you can travel very comfortably using private transportation and have a lot of fun eating out (Quito offers some world-class restaurants, many of which are located in stunning colonial buildings), touring the Galápagos and Oriente in style and shopping to your heart’s content at Ecuador’s many craft markets.