A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Banos vs. Lake Titicaca (Puno) for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Banos or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?

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 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, schedule, and interests. 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 $43. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Banos and Lake Titicaca (Puno) in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Banos $12
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $20
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Banos $24
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $40

Local Transportation
  • 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):


  • Taxi
    $0.79

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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Banos $12
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $12
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 Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Some typical examples of dining costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:


  • Tamales
    $1.45

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Banos $15
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $23
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:

  • Baños's Top Attractions Pass (Save 10% on tickets): $65
  • Fishing Tour & Local Life in Baños: $90
  • Chimborazo Volcano from Baños private day Tour: $102
  • Adventure in Baños 3 Days 2 Nights: $335

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Banos $7.79
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $10
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

About these numbers

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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Banos vs. Lake Titicaca (Puno) Travel Comparison

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