Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Antalya?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Antalya or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Antalya 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: Antalya or Cusco?
Antalya
Antalya is the largest city along Turkey's Mediterranean coast and the eighth largest city in the country with over one million people in the metropolitan area. The city dates back to about 200 BC when it was settled by the Attalid Dynasty of Pergamon and soon conquered by the Romans. The city was ruled by several different groups and most recently was transferred to Italian suzerainty following World War I. It became part of Turkey following the War of Independence. The city has seen an influx of development in recent years and it has grown into a tourism mecca with more than 12 million visitors in 2014.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Antalya, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Turkey, 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 dayAntalya $139Cusco $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Antalya is $139, 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 Antalya and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAntalya $52Cusco $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAntalya $104Cusco $44
Compare Hotels in Antalya and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Antalya 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: Antalya Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Antalya $104Cusco $9.89
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Antalya
Also for Antalya, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Side: Whitewater Rafting Adventure with Lunch and Transfer: $10
- Antalya Ariport (AYT) to Antalya hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $17
- Antalya Land of Legend Night Show Transfer w/Boat Parade Show: $17
- The Land of Legends Night Show Transfer From Antalya: $17
- Belek Antalya Pirate Boat Trip ,Lunch, Drinks & Transfer: $18
- Antalya Family Rafting Adventure w/ Free Hotel Transfer: $20
- Suluada Boat Tour From Antalya (Maldives of Turkey) with Lunch & Hotel Transfer: $20
- Private Departure Transfer: Kundu / Lara Region Hotels to Antalya Airport: $21
- Private Departure Transfer: Old City,Antalya,Konyaalti Hotels to Antalya Airport: $21
- Antalya Ariport (AYT) to Kemer hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $22
- Antalya Ariport (AYT) to Side hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $22
- Antalya Pirate Boat Tour with Lunch and Roundtrip Transfer: $25
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
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo to/from Urubamba: $32
- Transfer from Cusco city to the airport: $15
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Sacred Valley: $30
- Transfer From Airport to Cusco Center Hotels: $25
- Transfer Cusco_Ollantaytambo or vice versa with city tour and Pisac: $140
- Transfer Cusco to Urubamba: $38
- Transfer Cusco to Ollantaytambo: $34
- Transfer Cusco Airport to Hotel in Cusco (Round trip): $20
- Transfer & Assistance from Airport of Cusco: $28
- Temple of the Moon Horseback Riding Tour with Transfer: $75
- Taxi Transfer ROUNDTRIPS MINIVAN-SACRED VALLEY-CUSCO APTO: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Antalya or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Antalya 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 dayAntalya $24Cusco $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antalya
For Antalya, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Suluada Island Cruise with Dinner and Sunset: $70
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.13
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Mango$0.53
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- 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
- Cusco Tunupa Restaurant Folk Show with Dinner : $49
- Andean Bread Baby Cooking Class with Hotel Pickup: $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
- Fully hands-on High End Peruvian Cooking Class & San Pedro Market Guided Visit: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Antalya $44Cusco $29
Tours and Activities in Antalya
For Antalya, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Antalya Scavenger Hunt And Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.17
- Antalya Sightseeing City Tour with Cable Car and Boat Trip: $5.00
- Antalya City Tour Full-Day Boat Tour Cable Car and Waterfall Peerless&Excellent: $7.80
- City Tour, Waterfalls, and Boat Tour with Lunch: $9.18
- Antalya Full Day City Tour - With Waterfalls and Cable Car: $11
- Antalya/Kemer: Suluada Island Boat Tour with Lunch: $13
- City Tour with Waterfall, Lunch and Optional Extras: $16
- Sightseeing Cruise from Old Town Harbor: $17
- White Water Rafting Tour from Antalya: $17
- Full Day Antalya City Tour with Waterfall and Cable Car: $17
- From Side Land of Legends Night Shows Tour With Boat Parade: $17
- From Full-Day Boat Tour with Lunch and Foam Party: $18
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$2.67
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
- Colorful mountain adventure with a slightly steep hike: $48
- Cusco City Tour I Half-Day: $26
- Half-Day Private Tour to Maras and Moray: $106
- Humantay Lake Tour From Cusco: $63
- Mountain View Picnic & Salt Mines Tour with Private Service: $180
- Official Machupicchu Ticket: $99
- Official Ticket- Machu Picchu Lost Citadel: $72
- Rainbow Mountain Full-Day | Group Tour |: $26
- Ticket To Machu Picchu + Machu Picchu Mountain : $89
- Tour a la montaña de 7 colores vinicunca 1 dia: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAntalya $19Cusco $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:
- Pub Crawl with Skip-the-Line Access and Drinks: $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 Antalya and Cusco, we can see that Antalya is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Antalya 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 Antalya would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Antalya 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 Antalya Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Antalya or Cusco?
Antalya has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Antalya 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.