Should you visit Banos or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Banos and Lake Titicaca (Puno). 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. So, let's dig into it.
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.
Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Lake Titicaca, which directly translates to "puma stone" in Quechua, is located high in the Andes Mountains straddling Peru and Bolivia, with about 60% of the lake in Peru and 40% in Bolivia. Among the lake are three main islands, the most popular of which are the Uros Islands, also known as the floating islands, where the Uros people live on totora reeds that grow in the lake.
Which city is cheaper, Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Banos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Banos is $37, while the average daily cost in Lake Titicaca (Puno) is $45. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Banos and Lake Titicaca (Puno) in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $24 for a double occupancy room in Banos.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $38 for a double occupancy room in Lake Titicaca (Puno).
Food
Food in Banos costs travelers about $12 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
On average, meal and food prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno) cost around $16 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $6.40.
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Food
Meals for one day
Banos $12
Lake Titicaca (Puno) $16
Typical Food prices in Banos
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Banos:
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Dinner
$13
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Ice cream
$1.50
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Coffee
$2.50
Typical Food prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Banos is $8.27 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
The average price of local transportation around Lake Titicaca (Puno) is $8.20 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
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Local Transportation
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
Banos $8.27
Lake Titicaca (Puno) $8.20
Typical Local Transportation prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
Is it cheaper to fly into Banos or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Prices for flights to both Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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.
Entertainment
Banos's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $15 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Lake Titicaca (Puno)'s costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $22 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Typical Entertainment prices in Banos
Here are a few typical costs in Banos for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Banos
Here are a few actual costs in Banos for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Baños's Top Attractions Pass (Save 10% on tickets):
$65
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Fishing Tour & Local Life in Baños:
$90
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Chimborazo Volcano from Baños private day Tour:
$102
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Adventure in Baños 3 Days 2 Nights:
$335
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Banos may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $7.79 per day on alcoholic beverages.
The average person spends about $9.23 on alcoholic beverages in Lake Titicaca (Puno) per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Banos
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Banos from other travelers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Banos and Lake Titicaca (Puno), we can see that Lake Titicaca (Puno) is more expensive. And not only is Banos much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Banos would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Banos 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lake Titicaca (Puno) than you might in Banos.
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