Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Acapulco de Juarez?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Acapulco de Juarez or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Acapulco de Juarez 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: Acapulco de Juarez or Cusco?
Acapulco de Juarez
Located on the southwestern Pacific Coast of Mexico is the beautiful beach city of Acapulco de Juarez. Acapulco is one of the original travel and resort destinations in Mexico, and it's still considered a popular spring break destination for Americans. Known as simply "Acapulco" to many travelers, this region is a popular spot for cruise lines to stop and timeshares to grow. Thanks to those cruise lines and timeshares, tourist activities like water parks and jet skis have experienced considerable growth.
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 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAcapulco de Juarez $68Cusco $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Acapulco de Juarez is $68, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $50. 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 Acapulco de Juarez and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAcapulco de Juarez $33Cusco $22
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAcapulco de Juarez $66Cusco $44
Compare Hotels in Acapulco de Juarez and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Acapulco de Juarez 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: Acapulco de Juarez Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Acapulco de Juarez $14Cusco $9.89
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Acapulco de Juarez
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Acapulco de Juarez:
- Shared transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA) - Acapulco: $11
- Acapulco hotels to Acapulco Airport (ACA) – Departure Private Transfer : $20
- Acapulco Airport (ACA) to Acapulco hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $20
- Transfer in private minivan from Bahía de Acapulco -Acapulco Airport (ACA): $31
- Acapulco Airport (ACA) to Acapulco hotels - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $40
- Acapulco Airport Roundtrip Transfers: $60
- Private Airport Transfer &on 2nd Day 4Hr TourAll AttractionsCombo: $90
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cusco
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cusco:
-
Taxi Ride$1.07
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Airport Cusco Transfers: $69
- Arrival Transfer & Cusco City Tour (Private Service): $80
- Convenient Transfer Service in Cusco: $41
- Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $9.67
- Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $18
- Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $9.67
- Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $15
- Cusco Airport Pickup and Private Transfer: $9.00
- Cusco Airport Pickup and Transfer: $9.00
- Cusco Airport Private Transfer with large Van: $45
- Cusco to Ollantaytambo: One-Way Private Transfer: $55
- Abode of the Gods ATV Tour with Transfer: $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Acapulco de Juarez or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Acapulco de Juarez 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
-
Food Meals for one dayAcapulco de Juarez $24Cusco $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Acapulco de Juarez
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Acapulco de Juarez.
- Cliff Divers Exhibition 2 Drinks + Tacos al Pastor Dinner & Beer: $55
- Hands On Mexican Cooking Class with Food Tasting & Market Visit: $100
- Off the Beaten Path Mexican Cooking Class Lagoon Boatride &Lunch: $179
- Divers Show and Luxury Dinner in Acapulco: $199
- Super DeLuxe Bella Vista Dinner &1 Drink +2 Drinks at CliffDivers: $253
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
-
Sandwich$2.13
-
Mango$0.53
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- Small-Group Virtual Peruvian Cooking Experience: $25
- Short Peruvian Cooking Class - by Pete: $30
- Folkloric Andean Show & 3-Course Dinner at Tunupa: $35
- Peruvian Cooking Class with Pisco Sour: $40
- Pachapapa Restaurant Lunch or Dinner: $41
- Andean Bread Baby Cooking Class with Hotel Pickup: $49
- Cusco Tunupa Restaurant Folk Show with Dinner : $49
- 3-Hour Peruvian Cooking Class: $49
- Pete's Peruvian Cooking Class: $52
- Market Tour & Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $54
- Cusco Cooking Class by ChocoMuseo in Cusco: $54
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market in Cusco: $55
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Acapulco de Juarez $15Cusco $29
Tours and Activities in Acapulco de Juarez
Here are a few actual costs in Acapulco de Juarez for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Kayaks Tour to El Morro Islet: $25
- Acapulco Shopping tour: $40
- Tour Isla de la Roqueta PADDLE and Ecotour, Acapulco: $47
- Small-Group or Private All Inclusive 4 Hours City Tour & Divers: $49
- Acapulco Malibu, Avenida Kids Tour : $50
- Acapulco Half-Day Orientation City Tour: $53
- Historical City Tour of Acapulco: $53
- Different Faces Of Acapulco Tour: $55
- 4-6Hrs Acapulco City Tour With a Fun Guide. Diver Show, Mex Lunch: $55
- 4hr Fun Guide Tour For Cruisers or Hotels Guests with Divers Show: $58
- Acapulco City Tour: $58
- 4Hrs City Tour Exclusively for Hotels, Divers, Chapel & Mural.: $60
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Cusco are as follows:
-
Salsa Class$2.67
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- From Free Walking Tour of Cusco | San Pedro Market |: $2.00
- Via Ferrata, Skybike, and Rappel Adventure: $5.00
- Combined city tour cusco: $10
- City tour photography experience: $10
- City Tour - Cusco: $10
- Mirabus Cusco city tour of the city | Panoramic view |: $12
- Panoramic bus in Cusco or city tour by bus in Cusco: $12
- Open-Top Bus City Tour: $12
- Mirabus Cusco City Tour: $12
- Sightseeing Tour of the City on an Open-Top Bus: $12
- City Tour in Cusco: $13
- Historic Walking Tour with Pisco Sour and Music Show: $13
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayAcapulco de Juarez $9.16Cusco $9.39
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 : $18
- Pub Crawl with Skip-the-Line Access and Drinks: $19
- Cusco Pub Crawl - Bar Tour Cusco : $19
- Exclusive Pub Crawl with more than 10 Benefits: $25
- Pisco and wine tour in the Majes Valley: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Acapulco de Juarez and Cusco, we can see that Acapulco de Juarez is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Acapulco de Juarez is in North America 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 Acapulco de Juarez would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Acapulco de Juarez 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 Acapulco de Juarez Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Acapulco de Juarez or Cusco?
Acapulco de Juarez has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Acapulco de Juarez 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.