Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Amsterdam?
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 Amsterdam or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Amsterdam or Cusco, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Amsterdam or Cusco?
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital and most popular tourist destination in the Netherlands. Amsterdam is most famous for its canals that cross and weave around the city, but it also has a rich history, interesting culture, and liberal vibe that appeal to all types of travelers. The historical architecture, scenic bridges, and energetic cycling culture help this metropolitan area maintain its small town vibe, despite being the largest city in the country as well as the financial center.
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 10-Day Tours from Amsterdam, The Best 2-Week Tours from Amsterdam, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Amsterdam Prices
Netherlands PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAmsterdam €211Cusco €54
The average daily cost (per person) in Amsterdam is €211, while the average daily cost in Cusco is €54. 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 Amsterdam and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAmsterdam €102Cusco €21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAmsterdam €204Cusco €42
Compare Hotels in Amsterdam and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Amsterdam 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: Amsterdam Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Amsterdam €20Cusco €9.05
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Amsterdam
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Amsterdam:
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Ride on Tram€3.20
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Renting a Bike€15
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One Hour Canal Cruise€10
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Single Day Transit Pass€2.60
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Transit Pass to Amsterdam Airport€3.40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Amsterdam
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Amsterdam:
- Train Transfer Amsterdam from/to Leiden: $15
- Private Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Transfer Service: $40
- Transfer: Amsterdam City Center to Airport Schiphol (AMS): $41
- From Keukenhof Gardens Ticket and Transfer: $41
- Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) Departure transfer from Amsterdam City: $42
- Private Amsterdam Local Transfer to/from any Location: $49
- Amsterdam Airport & Non-Airport Private Transfer to City Center: $58
- Keukenhof Gardens with Windmill Cruise & Transfer from Amsterdam: $66
- Amsterdam City to Schiphol Airport Transfer: $73
- Amsterdam Private Local Transfer: $76
- Private Transfer from Amsterdam Hotels to Amsterdam Cruise Port : $77
- Amsterdam Cruise Port to Amsterdam hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $77
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€0.98
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 Amsterdam or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Amsterdam 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 dayAmsterdam €80Cusco €20
Typical Food Prices in Amsterdam
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Amsterdam:
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Afternoon Tea€6.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Amsterdam
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Amsterdam.
- Amsterdam Self-Guided Food Tour in De Pijp Neighbourhood : $11
- Stroopwafel & Secrets: Amsterdam Street Food Tour de Pijp : $42
- Bike Rental and Dinner or Lunch: $52
- Amsterdam Nightlife Ticket & VIP Dinner at Hard Rock Café: $61
- 3-course Dinner in the Dark Amsterdam: $63
- 3-course dinner party at a secret pop-up restaurant: $72
- Bens Local Food Tour - 8 Tastings: $78
- Amsterdam Music Tour with Dinner: $86
- Small-Group Guided Sunset Canoe Tour in Waterland with Dinner: $94
- Dutch Food Tour with local guide: $94
- Amsterdam-West Food Tour with local guide: $102
- Dinner Canal Cruise 4-Courses Including Drinks: $107
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich€1.95
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Mango€0.49
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.Amsterdam €37Cusco €26
Typical Entertainment Prices in Amsterdam
Here are a few typical costs in Amsterdam for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Two tickets to the Houseboat Museum€6.00
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Entry for two to the Anne Frank House€17
Tours and Activities in Amsterdam
Here are a few actual costs in Amsterdam for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- The Anne Frank Tour Amsterdam: $3.59
- The Classic Walking Tour of Amsterdam | 2 Hours with a Local: $3.59
- Bill's Bike Tour - Rent a Flower Bike in Amsterdam: $5.00
- Amsterdam Tour through its most famous Icons: $6.01
- Amsterdam Center Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self Guided Tour: $6.45
- Amsterdam (Museum Quarter) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $6.45
- Red Light District Amsterdam Tour with Audioguide: $8.40
- Amsterdam Interactive City Tour: $8.42
- WW2 Jewish & Anne Frank Amsterdam Smartphone Guided Walking Tour: $9.75
- Amsterdam's Red Light District: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
- Old A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
- Volendam Marken Express Boat Cruise: $12
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€2.44
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 dayAmsterdam €24Cusco €8.59
Sample the Local Flavors in Amsterdam
Also in Amsterdam, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Original Amsterdam Pub Crawl: $29
- City Centre Bar Crawl and Nightlife Experience: $30
- Amsterdam Craft Beer Brewery Tour by Bus with Tastings : $78
- New Year's Eve Pub Crawl With Optional Club Entrance: $84
- Dutch Wine Tasting Experience: $141
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 Amsterdam and Cusco, we can see that Amsterdam is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Amsterdam is in Europe 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 Amsterdam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Amsterdam 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 Amsterdam Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Amsterdam or Cusco?
Amsterdam has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Amsterdam 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.