Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Kuala Lumpur?
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 Kuala Lumpur 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 Kuala Lumpur 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: Kuala Lumpur or Cusco?
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur, often referred to as KL, is the cosmopolitan capital of Malaysia. It is also the largest city in the country, having grown out of a small Chinese mining village. Today Kuala Lumpur is a microcosm of the country of Malaysia. The population is split between the Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures which you can see reflected in the city's neighborhoods, cuisine, and entertainment. It's also an incredibly affordable city, even if you're looking for the comforts of a five star hotel or a luxury restaurant. Prices are almost always a fraction of what you would pay in Europe or the United States.
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 Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, The Best G Adventures Tours to Malaysia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Kuala Lumpur Prices
Malaysia PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKuala Lumpur $83Cusco $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Kuala Lumpur is $83, 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 Kuala Lumpur and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKuala Lumpur $41Cusco $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKuala Lumpur $82Cusco $48
Compare Hotels in Kuala Lumpur and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Kuala Lumpur 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: Kuala Lumpur Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kuala Lumpur $7.21Cusco $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$3.57
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Metro Ride (for Two)$0.76
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Short Taxi Ride$3.57
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Taxi From Airport$21
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Bus from Airport$1.90
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Train & Boat to Pulau Ketam$2.85
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kuala Lumpur
Also for Kuala Lumpur, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport Departure Transfer KLIA1/KLIA2: $13
- Departure Transfer : Kuala Lumpur City to Kuala Lumpur International Airport: $13
- Private Kuala Lumpur Airport Departure Transfer: $17
- Private Kuala Lumpur Airport Arrival Transfer: $17
- Kuala Lumpur Hotels to Sunway Lagoon Theme Park Transfer: $17
- Private: Kuala Lumpur Departure Transfer: $17
- Sunway Lagoon Theme Park to Kuala Lumpur Hotels Transfer: $17
- PVT Arrival Transfer<>KLIA 1/2 to Kuala Lumpur: $17
- PVT Departure Transfer <> Kuala Lumpur to KLIA 1/2: $17
- Kuala Lumpur Airport Arrival Transfer: $17
- Kuala Lumpur Hotels to Sunway Lagoon Theme Park Transfer (1-way): $17
- Sunway Lagoon Theme Park to Kuala Lumpur Hotels Transfer (1-way): $17
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:
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo to/from Urubamba: $32
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo from Cusco: $51
- Transfer to Cusco Airport: $15
- Transfer from Cusco to Ollantaytambo: $40
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Sacred Valley: $30
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to Your Hotel: $25
- Transfer From Cusco Airport: $15
- Transfer Cusco_Ollantaytambo or vice versa with city tour and Pisac: $140
- Transfer Cusco Airport to Hotel in Cusco (Round trip): $20
- Transfer Cusco Airport - Hotel or vice versa.: $20
- Soraypampa Transfer from Cusco with Breakfast: $26
- Scenic Journey from Cusco to Puno by Bus Including Hotel Transfers: $128
Is it cheaper to fly into Kuala Lumpur or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Kuala Lumpur 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 dayKuala Lumpur $29Cusco $24
Typical Food Prices in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner at Ding Tai Fung$9.51
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Roti Bread$0.24
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Food Court Lunch$3.42
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Dinner at Indian Restaurant (for Two)$5.11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Night Tour Batu Caves and South Indian Dinner: $20
- From Batu Caves Night Tour + Indian Set Dinner: $28
- Authentic Malaysian Street Food Tour in Kampung Baru: $39
- Nightlife Street Food Tour with 6 Tastings: $41
- Sambal Streets Kuala Lumpur Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Laksa Lanes Kuala Lumpur Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $49
- Sambal Street Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $52
- Glowing Firefly Private Tour With Dinner: $59
- Kuala Lumpur Food Tour: $60
- Spiritual Healing and Authentic Cooking with Local Host: $61
- Kuala Selangor Fireflies and Blue Tears Tour with Dinner (SIC): $62
- Malaysian Hands-On Cooking Class : Masala Medley : $63
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.Kuala Lumpur $15Cusco $31
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Kuala Lumpur's activities, tours, and tickets:
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KL Tower Admission (for Two)$11
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Canopy Walk at FRIM Forest Reserve$1.19
Tours and Activities in Kuala Lumpur
For Kuala Lumpur, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Genting Highlands: Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park Entry Ticket: $6.37
- Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Pass: $7.41
- KL Tower Admission E-Ticket with Options: $8.65
- Malaysia: KL Tower Admission E-Ticket with Options: $8.75
- Malaysia Genting Highlands Hoverland Entry Ticket : $9.15
- REXPERIENCE: Immersive Art Gallery at REXKL: $9.75
- Museum Of Illusions Standard Admission Ticket: $9.88
- Malaysia Cruise Tasik Putrajaya: $9.99
- KL Tower Observatory & Sky Terrace tickets | Malaysia : $9.99
- Kuala Lumpur Half Day Guided City Tour (SIC/Shared Tour): $10
- Selangor: Zoo Negara E-Ticket: $11
- Aquaria KLCC Entry Ticket: $11
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:
- 1 Day Rainbow Mountain Tour From Cusco: $45
- Cusco Plaza De Armas Tour: $45
- Cusco city wolking tour : $35
- Day Tour to Maras Moray and Salt Flats from Cusco: $59
- Full Day Tour of Laguna Humantay: $45
- Half-Day Private Tour to Maras and Moray: $111
- Official Ticket- Machu Picchu Lost Citadel: $77
- Private Service - Cusco City Tour: $69
- Private Tour to Sacred Valley Full Day from Cusco: $120
- Rainbow Mountain 1 day Tour : $34
- Salineras Tour of Maras, Moray and Sacred Valley of the Incas: $52
- Ticket To Machu Picchu + Machu Picchu Mountain : $89
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKuala Lumpur $6.58Cusco $10
Typical Alcohol Prices in Kuala Lumpur
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$11
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 Kuala Lumpur and Cusco, we can see that Kuala Lumpur is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kuala Lumpur is in Asia and Cusco 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 Cusco would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cusco 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 Kuala Lumpur would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kuala Lumpur than you might in Cusco.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kuala Lumpur Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kuala Lumpur or Cusco?
Kuala Lumpur has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Kuala Lumpur 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.