Which place is cheaper, Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Cancun?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Cancun or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Cancun and Lake Titicaca (Puno) can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Cancun
In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.
Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Lake Titicaca, which directly translates to "puma stone" in Quechua, is located high in the Andes Mountains straddling Peru and Bolivia, with about 60% of the lake in Peru and 40% in Bolivia. Among the lake are three main islands, the most popular of which are the Uros Islands, also known as the floating islands, where the Uros people live on totora reeds that grow in the lake.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Photography Tours in Peru, and The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru.
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Cancun Prices
Mexico PricesLake Titicaca (Puno) Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCancun $153Lake Titicaca (Puno) $70
The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $153, while the average daily cost in Lake Titicaca (Puno) is $70. 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 Cancun and Lake Titicaca (Puno) in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCancun $89Lake Titicaca (Puno) $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCancun $178Lake Titicaca (Puno) $56
Compare Hotels in Cancun and Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Looking for a hotel in Cancun or Lake Titicaca (Puno)? 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: Cancun Hotel Prices and Lake Titicaca (Puno) Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cancun $16Lake Titicaca (Puno) $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
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Taxi Around Town$1.52
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$13
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$15
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Local Bus (for 2)$1.85
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Transfer from Cancun Airport : $6.00
- Cancun Airport Small-Group Transfer to Cancun Hotels: $6.00
- Cancun Airport private transfer to Cancun hotel zone: $15
- CUN Airport to Cancun City Centre Hotels Shared Transfer: $17
- Cancun airport private Transfer: $17
- Shared Round-Trip Transfer To/From Cancun International Airport: $20
- Best SpeedBoat and Snorkeling tour with Transfer from Cancun: $25
- Departure Private Transfer Cancun to Cancun Airport CUN by Minivan or Minibus: $29
- Cancun Airport Hotel Private Transfer by Minivan: $32
- Marriot Cancun Private Airport Transfers: $32
- Private Transfer to/from Hotels in Cancun Area: $34
- One-Way Private Airport Transfer Cancun & Riviera Maya : $34
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
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Taxi$0.86
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
- Puno Arrival Transfer from bus or railway Station: $14
- Private transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno or Viceversa: $47
- Private transfer airport-puno-viceverse: $60
- Private Transfer from Puno to Inca Manco Capac (JUL) Airport: $97
- Private Transfer from Puno to Frontera Kasani: $222
- Private Transfer from Puno to Desaguadero: $212
- Private Transfer from Puerto de Puno to Hotel Puno: $23
- Private Transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno or Viceversa: $50
- Private Transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno Plaza de Armas: $40
- Private Transfer from Inca Manco Capac (JUL) Airport to Puno: $97
- Private Transfer From Puno to Chivay, English Speaking Driver: $229
- Juliaca Airport Shared Transfer to/from Puno: $20
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Prices for flights to both Lake Titicaca (Puno) and Cancun 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 dayCancun $45Lake Titicaca (Puno) $28
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cancun Pirate Ship Adventure : Dinner & Show at Sea 2 for 1 Deal: $50
- Pirate Show in Cancun! Dinner & drinks: $62
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Pirate Shop & Dinner at Cancun! Drinks, Adventure and Fun: $65
- Cancun Walking Food Tour: Local Food, Markets, and Street Art.: $77
- Puerto Morelos Walking Food Tour: $77
- Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
- Cancun Taco & Mexican Food Tour with Tequila Tasting: $79
- Cancun Private Mural Art and Food Tour: $81
- Hands-On Cooking Class in Drink & Cook Authentic Dishes: $85
- Pirate’s Night Out: Dinner and Entertainment in the Caribbean: $89
- Unforgettable Pirate Dinner Adventure in the Mexican Caribbean: $89
Typical Food Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
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Tamales$1.58
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cancun $32Lake Titicaca (Puno) $31
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Seasick Pills$0.54
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$92
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- ATV Tour, Zip Lines, Horseback Riding, Cenote and Tequila Tasting: $10
- Tour to Kin Ha Cenotes with Craft Jewelry Workshop : $12
- Tulum Mayan Ruins + Shopping Tour + Tulum Jaguar Park: $13
- Discover Isla Mujeres tour with snorkel, buffet and open bar : $14
- Visit to 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen + Shopping Tour: $14
- Speedboat jungle tour and snorkel: $15
- Chichen Itza full day tour: $16
- Catamaran Adventure in Cancun: $16
- Isla Mujeres Catamaran Tour with Snorkeling, Open Bar and Buffet: $16
- Tour to Tulum and Cenote for the best price! : $16
- Full Day Tour to Coba and Tulum Cenote Swim and Lunch: $16
- Chichen Itza Tour Full day food included: $16
Tours and Activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
- 2 Day Lake Titicaca Tour From Puno: $150
- 2 Day Tour to Uros, Amantani and Taquile from Puno: $69
- 2 Days and 1 Night Tour from Puno to Colca Canyon and Arequipa: $210
- 2 Days and One Night Tour on the Aymara Route and Churches in Juli: $90
- 2-Day Amantani Homestay Including Kayak Experience: $233
- 3-Hour Uros Floating Islands Tour from Puno: $13
- 3h Boat Tour to Uros Island from Puno: $40
- Aymara's route 1 day tour in Puno: Inca Uyo, Aramu Muru, Molloco: $90
- Chullpas de Sillustani Inca Cemetery Tour by Tourist Bus: $26
- Cultural Tour to Uros Floating Island: $60
- Full Day Guided Tour of the Aymara Route from Puno: $40
- Full Day Lake Titicaca Tour to Uros and Taquile Islands: $52
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCancun $12Lake Titicaca (Puno) $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Social Pub Crawl in Cancun: $35
- Bar Crawl Madness Tour in Cancun: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and Lake Titicaca (Puno), we can see that Cancun is more expensive. And not only is Lake Titicaca (Puno) much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cancun is in North America and Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 Cancun would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cancun than you might in Lake Titicaca (Puno).
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cancun Expensive? and Is Lake Titicaca (Puno) Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Lake Titicaca (Puno). When comparing the sizes of Cancun and Lake Titicaca (Puno), 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.