Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Puerto Iguazu?
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 Puerto Iguazu or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Cusco? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Puerto Iguazu or Cusco?
Puerto Iguazu
Puerto Iguazu is located in the northeastern part of Argentina at the border with Paraguay and Brazil. It is a tourist city and travel destination because of its close proximity to Iguazu Falls, which is only 18 kilometers away. Much of the city's infrastructure has grown to maintain the tourist crowds that come to see the falls. The town itself has a population of slightly over 80,000.
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 Argentina, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Puerto Iguazu Prices
Argentina PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $57Cusco $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $57, 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 Puerto Iguazu and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $41Cusco $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $82Cusco $48
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu 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: Puerto Iguazu Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $3.07Cusco $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $11
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $17
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $22
- Puerto Iguazu Airport (IGR) Private Transfer to Puerto Iguazu: $27
- Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $78
- Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In Transfer: $79
- Transfers IGR from the (ARG) to IGU (BRA) with PasseioTur: $80
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $100
- Brazilian Waterfalls Tour and Bird Park with Transfer: $102
- Private Transfers Full Day Iguazú Falls: $130
- Transfer In + Transfer Out IGR Airport Puerto Iguazú Hotels Selva de Iryapu: $145
- Iguazu Falls 2-Day Tour with Airport Transfer: $348
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 Puerto Iguazu or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Puerto Iguazu 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 dayPuerto Iguazu $6.30Cusco $24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Madero Tango Iguazú - Premium Dinner (Foz do Iguaçu/Puerto Iguazú): $30
- Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner in Iguazu: $36
- El Quincho Del Tio Querido - Dinner And Show from Foz do Iguaçu: $44
- Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $65
- Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $65
- Iguazu: The Argentine Experience Dinner with Wine Pairing: $69
- Puerto Iguazú: Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner: $98
- Churrascaria Rafain - Show and Dinner : $117
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $120
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusive: $155
- Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $157
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.Puerto Iguazu $33Cusco $31
Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Iguazu Falls Argentinian Side Full-Day Tour: $18
- Hito Tres Fronters and La Aripuca City Tour: $31
- Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $32
- Iguazu Falls Tour on Brazil Side: $37
- Foz do Iguaçu: Brazil/Argentina Sides Iguazu Falls Day Tour: $40
- From San Ignacio Ruins and Wanda Mines Tour: $46
- Iguaza Falls Brazilian Side & Bird Park Tour: $46
- Half-Day Iguazú Forest Adventure: $48
- Cataract: The complete experience of both sides in one day.: $48
- Full-Day Tour to Iguazu Falls : $49
- Iguazu Falls Brazilian Side Tour: $49
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $49
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 dayPuerto Iguazu $7.86Cusco $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 comparing the travel costs between Puerto Iguazu and Cusco, we can see that Cusco is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Iguazu Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Cusco?
Cusco has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu 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.