Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Cuenca?
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 Cuenca or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Cuenca and Cusco. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Cuenca or Cusco?
Cuenca
Cuenca is a vibrant colonial city in southern Ecuador, the third largest in the country, and the capital of Azuay Province. Cuenca is considered as Ecuador's most important and beautiful colonial city after Quito. Dating from the 16th century, Cuenca's historic center, a Unesco World Heritage Site with its trademark skyline of massive rotundas and soaring steeples, is a magical sight in which you will feel like you are moving back in time. Cuenca is the center of many craft traditions, including ceramics, metalwork and the internationally famous panama hat. The nearby villages also offer many other handicrafts. Tourists enjoy wandering the ancient streets discovering picturesque alleys and hidden corners, where nuns march along cobblestone streets and kids in Catholic-school uniforms skip past historic churches. Fascinating historic monuments and fabulous views are found at every turn. Cuenca also has outstanding art museums and festivals. For a rewarding cultural experience, visit during Easter to attend the Festival of Religious Music.
Cusco
Cusco is most famous as the historic capital of the Inca Empire. It is in the southern Sierras and is one of the most popular travel destinations within Peru. The city is located at 3,400 meters above sea level so it is best to acclimate yourself slowly to avoid altitude sickness.
Cusco is the starting point for many travelers making their way to the famed Machu Picchu or other Inca sites in the surrounding area.
The city is very beautiful and has impressive architecture throughout. The history is obvious as you walk around town and there are impressive ruins nearby, with the most impressive being Sacsayhuaman. The city also has a significant indigenous population that is obvious from their traditional clothing and style.
Cusco has a subtropical highland climate with a pleasant daytime temperature year around. There are two distinct seasons with the dry season being between May and August and the wet season between December and March. During the dry season there is plenty of sun with occasional nighttime freezes. Frost is less common in the wet season.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Ecuador, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Ecuador, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Cuenca Prices
Ecuador PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCuenca $53Cusco $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Cuenca is $53, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $64. 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 Cuenca and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCuenca $13Cusco $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCuenca $26Cusco $48
Compare Hotels in Cuenca and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Cuenca or Cusco? 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: Cuenca Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cuenca $11Cusco $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cuenca
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cuenca:
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Taxi Ride$2.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cuenca
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cuenca:
- Cuenca Airport Transfer: $13
- Cuenca to/from Guayaquil Private Transfer: $80
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cusco
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cusco:
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Taxi Ride$1.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Assistance & Transfers Included | Hassle-free service in Cusco: $30
- Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $9.50
- Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $9.18
- Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $15
- Cusco Airport Pickup and Transfer: $9.00
- Cusco Airport Private Departure Transfer: $18
- Cusco Airport Private Transfer with large Van: $45
- Cusco Private Airport Transfer: Fast, Reliable Hotel Drop-Off: $20
- Alpaca and Llama Farm Tour with Transfer & Weaving Demo: $34
- Cuzco to Ollantaytambo Train Station - Departure Private Transfer: $108
- Direct Private Transfer From Cusco to Puno, English Local Speaking Driver: $295
- Ollantaytambo Train Station to Cuzco - Arrival Private Transfer: $108
Is it cheaper to fly into Cuenca or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Cuenca 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 dayCuenca $26Cusco $24
Typical Food Prices in Cuenca
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cuenca:
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Lunch$10
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Snacks$5.00
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Empanada$1.50
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Hot Dog$1.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cuenca
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cuenca.
- Street food Tour in Cuenca,Ecuador: $33
- Cooking Class & Market Tour in Cuenca: $55
- Experience Ecuador: Join an Andean Cooking Class in Cuenca: $85
- Private Cooking Class: $125
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.29
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Mango$0.57
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- Cooking Class Lomo Saltado Pisco Sour y Papa a la Huancaina: $40
- Pete's Peruvian Cooking Class: $52
- Cusco Cooking Classes and San Pedro Market Tour: $55
- Hands-on High End Peruvian Cooking Class & San Pedro Market Visit: $57
- Peruvian Cooking Class in Sacred Valley: $59
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market in Cusco: $59
- Peruvian Cooking Class and Local Market in Cusco: $59
- Cooking Class in Ollantaytambo: $68
- Best Cusco walking tour: dinner street food tasting: $74
- Curious Monkey Cusco- Market and Streets, Walking Food Tour: $75
- The 10 Tastings of Cusco With Locals: Private Food Tour : $90
- Cusco Cooking Class with San Pedro Market Tour: $92
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cuenca $16Cusco $31
Tours and Activities in Cuenca
Here are a few actual costs in Cuenca for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cuenca-Ec- Highlights City Tour : $16
- Half-Day Biking and Walking Tour in Cuenca: $30
- Cuenca Half-Day City Tour Including Panama Hat Factory: $35
- Tour of the best of Cuenca walking through its Historic Center: $35
- Half-Day City Tour including Panama Hat Factory: $35
- Cajas National Park Half Day Tour from Cuenca: $39
- El Chorro waterfalls and Busa lake tour from Cuenca: $44
- Cuenca Your Way Exclusive Private City Tour: $45
- City Sightseeing Tour: $45
- Amazing Cajas National Park Tour from Cuenca: $47
- Wonderful Cajas National Park tour from Cuenca: $48
- Cajas National Park Small-Group tour from Cuenca: $48
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Cusco are as follows:
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Salsa Class$2.87
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- Cultural & Historic Walking Tour with Local Drinks: $10
- Cusco Walking tour and Koricancha Temple of the inkas tour: $10
- City Tour Cusco: $12
- City Tour - Lugares destacado en Cusco + Experiencia Fotográfica: $12
- City tour in Cusco.: $14
- From City Tour Including Sacsayhuamán and Tambomachay: $14
- City Tour Half Day Templo of the Sun, Sacsayhuaman y Qenqo: $14
- City Tour Half Day Tour with Sacsayhuaman and Q’enqo: $15
- Half-Day City Tour with Sacsayhuaman and Qenqo: $15
- From Half Day City Tour : $15
- City Tour Cusco in Panoramic Bus Daily Departures: $15
- Half-Day City Tour of Cusco Including Tambomachay: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCuenca $14Cusco $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Cusco
Also in Cusco, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Cusco Pub Crawl: Cusco Bar Hopping Experience : $19
- Cusco Pub Crawl: Bar Tour, Drinks And Club with no waiting lines: $19
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cuenca and Cusco, we can see that Cusco is more expensive. And not only is Cuenca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cuenca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cuenca 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 Cusco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cusco than you might in Cuenca.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cuenca Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cuenca or Cusco?
Cusco has a larger population, and is about 13% larger than the population of Cuenca. When comparing the sizes of Cuenca and Cusco, 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.