Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Adelaide?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Adelaide or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Adelaide and Cusco can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Adelaide or Cusco?
Adelaide
Adelaide is the often overlooked capital city of the State of South Australia. It's also the fifth largest city in the country. Despite being skipped by most travelers, Adelaide is an interesting city to explore and has a decent amount to offer open minded travelers. It has some fascinating architecture, unique shopping, and wonderful cafes and restaurants. Part of the appeal of Adelaide is its location in the midst of Australia's wine regions, including McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, and Clare Valley. Any of these destinations could be visited as a day trip from Adelaide.
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 G Adventures Tours to Australia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Sydney, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAdelaide $111Cusco $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Adelaide is $111, 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 Adelaide and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAdelaide $66Cusco $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAdelaide $132Cusco $46
Compare Hotels in Adelaide and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Adelaide 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: Adelaide Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Adelaide $19Cusco $9.96
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Adelaide
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Adelaide are as follows:
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Shuttle from the Train Station$3.63
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Adelaide
Also for Adelaide, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Adelaide Airport(ADL)to Adelaide city - Arrival Private Transfer: $38
- Adelaide Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Adelaide: $57
- Arrival Private Transfers: Adelaide Airport ADL to Adelaide in Business Car: $62
- Private Arrival Transfer: Adelaide Airport to Hotel: $66
- Adelaide Airport (ADL) to Adelaide - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $76
- Departure Private Transfers: Adelaide to Adelaide Airport ADL in Luxury Van: $92
- Adelaide Airport Transfers : Adelaide City to Airport ADL in Luxury Car: $106
- Adelaide Private Airport and City Transfer: $109
- ADL Airport Private Transfer to Downtown: $119
- Adelaide Airport (ADL): Private Transfer to Adelaide hotels: $220
- One Day Kangaroo Island Sip & See tour with return ferry transfers from Adelaide: $246
- Adelaide Airport (ADL): Private Transfer to Adelaide Port: $254
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$1.07
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cusco HTL-APT (CUZ): $18
- Transfers in Cusco: $6.00
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo from Urubamba: $36
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo from Cusco: $49
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Sacred Valley: $30
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Hotel (Cusco): $17
- Transfer Hotel to Airport in Cusco | Private Service |: $10
- Transfer From Cusco Airport: $10
- Transfer Cusco_Ollantaytambo or vice versa with city tour and Pisac: $140
- Transfer Cusco to Poroy: $20
- Transfer Cusco Airport - Hotel or vice versa.: $20
- Transfer Cusco Airport - Hotel or Train Station: $12
Is it cheaper to fly into Adelaide or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Adelaide 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 dayAdelaide $31Cusco $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Adelaide
For Adelaide, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- HandleBar Bike Tour with Pub Stops & Dinner Option: $23
- Local Food Tour and Tastings with Guide: $79
- Cooking classes Goolwa: $129
- Small-Group River Murray Dark Sky and Sunset Tour with Dinner: $192
- Pipi Catching and Cooking Experience in Goolwa : $230
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.15
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Mango$0.54
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- Small-Group Virtual Ceviche Cooking Experience: $25
- Folkloric Andean Show & 3-Course Dinner at Tunupa: $35
- CUSCO COOKING CLASS LUNCH - Quick Culinary Dive: $37
- 3-Hour Peruvian Cooking Class: $49
- Market Tour & Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $53
- Cooking Class and market tour with a local chef: $56
- Peruvian Cooking Class and Local Market in Cusco: $59
- Dinner at Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba Hotel: $65
- Peruvian Market Tour And Cooking Class in Cusco: $65
- Peruvian Cooking Class, Cocktails & Local Market Tour: $65
- Peruvian Cooking Class & Market Tour: $65
- Awamaki Cooking Class: $68
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Adelaide $14Cusco $29
Tours and Activities in Adelaide
For Adelaide, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Adelaide Self-Guided Audio Tour: $1.00
- Queer Adelaide History: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
- Torrens River Cruise in Adelaide: $17
- River Torrens Popeye Sightseeing Cruise: $17
- Adelaide Oval Stadium Guided Tour: $19
- Adelaide Oval Stadium Tour: $19
- An exciting, Tree Top Adventure for Our Littlest Adventurers : $23
- River Torrens Popeye Devonshire Tea Cruise: $26
- Adelaide Walking Tour: Hills, Squares and Parklands: $27
- Adelaide Gaol Adults Ghost Tour & Investigation: $28
- City Highlights Walking Tour with Guide: $29
- Private Home Style Indian Dining Experience: $30
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$2.69
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- 2 Day Pisac Ollantaytambo Salt flats Moray Sacred Valley Tour: $297
- City Tour Cusco / Tour in the City: $12
- City tour of Cusco by E-BIKE: $131
- Colorful mountain adventure with a slightly steep hike: $48
- Half- Day City Tour Cusco : $150
- Moray saltmines ATV (Cuatrimotos) Tour: $68
- Night Tour in Cusco Private Service: $90
- Official Machupicchu Ticket: $96
- Official Ticket Football Day tour In Cusco with Tourism Guide: $100
- Official Ticket- Machu Picchu Lost Citadel: $72
- Private Tour to Sacred Valley Full Day from Cusco: $130
- Sacred Valley Tour in Cusco : $47
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAdelaide $23Cusco $9.46
Sample the Local Flavors in Adelaide
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Adelaide:
- Private Pinot Noir Wine Tasting & Platter in Adelaide Hills: $30
- River Torrens Desserts And Wine Tour: $43
- McLaren Vale and Glenelg Wine Tasting and Sightseeing (Half-day Afternoon): $52
- McLaren Vale and Glenelg Wine Tasting Tour: $52
- Adelaide Highlights, Hahndorf & McLaren Vale Wine Tasting and Sightseeing Tour: $79
- Highlights, Hahndorf, & McLaren Vale Wine Tastings: $79
- Barossa Valley Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour: $112
- From Barossa Valley Food and Wine Tour: $112
- The Barossa Valley Premium Wine Tour with Lunch: $112
- Barossa Small Group Wine Tours - Local Guide: $131
- Barossa Valley Food and Wine Tour: $131
- Adelaide Hills Full Day Wine Tour: $131
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 - Bar Tour Cusco : $18
- Cusco Pub Crawl: Cusco Bar Hopping Experience : $18
- Exclusive Pub Crawl with 10+ benefits: $18
- Pub Crawl with Skip-the-Line Access and Drinks: $18
- Exclusive Pub Crawl with more than 10 Benefits: $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Adelaide and Cusco, we can see that Adelaide is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Adelaide is in Pacific 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 Adelaide would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Adelaide 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 Adelaide Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Adelaide or Cusco?
Adelaide has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Adelaide 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.