A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Banos vs. Cusco for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Banos or Cusco?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Banos and Cusco. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Banos or Cusco?

Banos

Banos (de Agua Santa) is a small city in the Andean highlands of Ecuador under volcano Tungurahua. Its name, which is Spanish for "Baths (of sacred water)," comes from the famous hydrothermal springs in the area. It's equally popular with foreigners as with Ecuadorians, and is known as the adventure capital of Ecuador. The streets are lined with hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, and tour agencies. Although it is very touristy, lots of people love it, more for the activities and surroundings than for the city itself. It is an important hub for outdoor sports and jungle tours.

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 Ecuador, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Ecuador, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Peru, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Banos?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Banos is $46, 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 Banos and Cusco in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Banos $16
    Cusco $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Banos $32
    Cusco $44
Compare Hotels in Banos and Cusco

Looking for a hotel in Banos 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.

Hotels in Banos


Hotels in Cusco


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: Banos Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Banos $10
    Cusco $9.80

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cusco

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cusco:


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.06

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:

  • Arrival Transfer & Cusco City Tour (Private Service): $80
  • Cusco Airport Arrival or Departure Transfer : $13
  • Cusco Airport Pickup and Transfer: $9.00
  • Cusco Airport Private Departure Transfer: $18
  • Cusco Airport Private Transfer with large Van: $45
  • Cusco Airport: Private 1-Way Transfer: $15
  • Cusco Bus Station Arrival or Departure Transfer: $13
  • Cusco Private Transfer to Poroy Railway Station: $15
  • Cusco to Ollantaytambo: One-Way Private Transfer: $55
  • Alpaca and Llama Farm Tour w/ Transfer & Weaving Demo: $34
  • Full-Day Trip to Machu Picchu with Hotel Transfers: $335
  • One-Way Airport Transfer to Hotel: $12

Is it cheaper to fly into Banos or Cusco?

Prices for flights to both Cusco and Banos 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 day
    Banos $15
    Cusco $13
Typical Food Prices in Banos

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Banos:


  • Dinner
    $13
  • Ice cream
    $1.50
  • Coffee
    $2.50

Typical Food Prices in Cusco

Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:


  • Sandwich
    $2.11
  • 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
  • 3-Hour Peruvian Cooking Class: $49
  • CUSCO COOKING CLASS DINNER - Short & Immersive Cooking Class: $53
  • Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails, Market Tour in Cusco: $55
  • Cooking Class and market tour with a local chef: $56
  • Peruvian Cooking Class and Local Market in Cusco: $59
  • Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco and Market Tour : $65
  • Peruvian Cooking Class & Market Tour: $65
  • Peruvian Cooking Class, Cocktails & Local Market Tour: $65
  • Curious Monkey Cusco- Eat the Streets, Walking Food Tour: $70

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Banos $19
    Cusco $29
Typical Entertainment Prices in Banos

Here are a few typical costs in Banos for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Two Rented Bikes for the Day
    $10
  • Cost to see Waterfall
    $2.00
  • Day at the Spa
    $45
  • 2 Bike Rentals (1 Day)
    $10
  • Entrance to Waterfall
    $2.00

Tours and Activities in Banos

Here are a few actual costs in Banos for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Adventure Circuit 4 activities in 1. All within an impressive cascade: $25
  • Canopy Ziplining in Puntzan Adventure Park: $26
  • 2 Hours Small-Group Horseback Riding Experience in Banos: $30
  • Canyoning Adventure Tour in the Ravine: $30
  • Full Day Amazon Jungle Tour: $32
  • Puyo Jungle Tour in 1 Day: $35
  • 1 day jungle tour: $35
  • Pailón del Diablo | Waterfall Route | Tour for 3 hours: $35
  • Adventure and Fun River Rafting in Baños Ecuador: $35
  • Small-Group Canyoning Experience in Baños de Agua Santa: $39
  • One day tour in the jungle. all inclusive.: $39
  • 3 Hours Small-Group Horseback Riding Experience in Baños: $40

Typical Entertainment Prices in Cusco

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Cusco are as follows:


  • Salsa Class
    $2.64

Tours and Activities in Cusco

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:

  • Cusco Inkas Walking City Tour: $2.00
  • Free Walking Tour of Cusco: $2.00
  • Around Free Walking Tour Cusco Historic Center: $2.00
  • Cusco Walking tour in English : $5.00
  • Cusco : Half Day City Tour: $9.00
  • Cusco City Half-Day Tour: $12
  • Mirabus tour of the city | Panoramic view: $12
  • Sightseeing Tour of the City on an Open-Top Bus: $12
  • Open-Top Bus City Tour: $12
  • Explore Cuzco with a sightseeing tour by open top bus.: $12
  • Cusco's Street and San Pedro Market Walking Adventure: $13
  • Historical Tour with Pisco Sours and Local Music: $13

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Banos $9.74
    Cusco $9.30
Typical Alcohol Prices in Banos

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Banos from other travelers:


  • Beer
    $4.00

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
  • Cusco Pub Crawl - Bar Tour Cusco : $19
  • Pub Crawl with Skip-the-Line Access and Drinks: $27


When comparing the travel costs between Banos 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 Banos Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Banos or Cusco?

Cusco has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Banos. When comparing the sizes of Banos 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.