Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Berlin?
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 Berlin or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Berlin 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: Berlin or Cusco?
Berlin
Berlin is the capital and largest city in Germany. As such, travelers can expect typical European prices for everything from hotels to food to sights and attractions. While it's possible to experience this city on a cheaper budget, don't expect to get much without paying a decent amount.
With a population of about 4.5 million, Berlin is a very international city that is well known for its high level of tolerance, an eclectic nightlife, an artistic vibe and many historical sights. There are museums, palaces and landmarks spread throughout the city. Despite having a significant amount of damage during the last few years of World War II, Berlin has been rebuilt with an interesting diversity of architecture styles. This is particularly true after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Architecture in the city represents many different historical periods ranging from medieval buildings through modern, glass structures.
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 Adventure Tours to Germany, The Best Cultural Tours in Germany, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Berlin Prices
Germany PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBerlin €175Cusco €58
The average daily cost (per person) in Berlin is €175, while the average daily cost in Cusco is €58. 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 Berlin and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBerlin €64Cusco €22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBerlin €128Cusco €44
Compare Hotels in Berlin and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Berlin 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: Berlin Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Berlin €18Cusco €9.64
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Berlin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Berlin:
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Short Trip Metro Ticket€1.40
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Bahn Ticket€3.00
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Short Taxi Ride€20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Berlin
Also for Berlin, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- BER Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $46
- Transfer from Brandenburg Airport to Berlin City Center: $73
- Berlin to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) - Departure Transfer: $78
- Brandenburg Airport Transfer to Berlin City Center: $79
- Berlin Private Transfer from Berlin Brandenburg Airport to Berlin City centre: $93
- Berlin Departure Private Transfers from Berlin City to Berlin Airport SXF: $95
- Private Transfer from Berlin Train Station to Berlin City by Van: $96
- Berlin City Departure Private Transfer to Berlin Train Station in Luxury Van: $96
- Berlin City Departure Private Transfer to Berlin Train Station in Luxury Car: $96
- Arrival Transfer: Berlin Airport BER to Berlin in Business Car: $107
- Private Transfer: Brandenburg Airport BER to Berlin in Sedan Car: $107
- Berlin Airport (SXF) to Berlin - Arrival Private Transfer: $114
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€1.04
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Direct Private Transfer From Cusco to Puno, English Local Speaking Driver: $281
- Private Transfer from Valle Sagrado to Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport: $163
- Cuzco to Ollantaytambo Train Station - Departure Private Transfer: $103
- Ollantaytambo Train Station to Cuzco - Arrival Private Transfer: $102
- Transfer Cusco - Ollantaytambo train station: $95
- Private Transfer from Cusco Hotel, airport to Sacred Valley: $90
- Airport Cusco Transfer: $80
- Cusco to Puno Scenic Transfer with Sightseeing Stops & Lunch: $72
- Private Transfer to Ollantaytambo Station and Sacred Valley 24 7: $69
- Private Transfer from Cusco Airport to Urubamba: $60
- Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain from Cusco with transfers and lunch: $55
- Private Airport Transfer from Juliaca to Puno: $55
Is it cheaper to fly into Berlin or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Berlin 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 dayBerlin €90Cusco €22
Typical Food Prices in Berlin
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Berlin:
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Sandwich and Coffee To Go€5.00
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Turkish Sandwich€2.00
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Currywurst€2.00
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2 Pho Noodles€9.00
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Restaurant Dinner and Beers (for 2)€60
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Mauer Park (2)€11
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Coffees at Impala€7.80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Berlin
For Berlin, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- International Dinner and Drinks Evening in Berlin: $7.07
- English Stand-Up Comedy Show with Free Pizza and Free Shots: $17
- Hard Rock Cafe Berlin with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $33
- Hard Rock Cafe Berlin With Set Lunch or Dinner: $38
- Mitte Culinary Food Tour: $51
- Berlin Mitte Culinary – The Food Tour: $56
- Berlin Food Tour: Taste the Best with a Full Meal & Beer: $67
- Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings: $74
- Wintergarten Variety AHOI - Swing*Dinner*Acrobatics - Show Ticket: $75
- Berlin Food Tour with Full Meal & Drinks by Do Eat Better: $77
- Disco - Acrobatics Dinner and Dance - Variety Theater in Berlin: $78
- Candlelight dinner for two – Italian night in Berlin: $81
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich€2.08
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Mango€0.52
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- Cooking Class in Sacred Valley 8 Recipes and Drinks: $29
- Multi-Course Dinner with Live Folk Show Performance: $35
- Bilingual Cooking Class with Pisco Cocktail in Cusco: $40
- Cusco Billingual Cooking Class at 6pm: $40
- Market tour & Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $54
- Cusco Cooking Class by ChocoMuseo in Cusco: $54
- High-End Peruvian Cooking Class, Pisco Sour & San Pedro Market: $57
- Short Immersion Cooking Class: $60
- Cooking classes A tour through the flavors in Cusco: $60
- Cusco Cooking Class Experience: $61
- Cusco Collective Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $65
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco: $65
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Berlin €22Cusco €28
Typical Entertainment Prices in Berlin
For Berlin, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Berlin Zoo (2)€20
Tours and Activities in Berlin
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Berlin.
- Berlin Third Reich Walking Tour: $1.14
- Berlin 2-Hour Segway Tour: $2.33
- Berlin Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $3.41
- Berlin Highlights History Walking Tour + Optional Food Tastings: $3.42
- Berlin Highlights Walking Tour: $3.42
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Berlin: $4.55
- Berlin Highlights Walking Tour: $4.56
- City's Highlights Walking Tour: $4.65
- Berlin's Museum Island: A Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $5.00
- Podcast Tour Berlin Kreuzberg uncensored Empire and Punk: $5.46
- Podcast Tour Echoes in the Concrete of Berlin's Techno Underground: $5.46
- Podcast Tour Berlin The Architectural Cold War: $5.46
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€2.60
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- "Waqrapukara" Great Canyon Full Day Tour: $100
- 1 Day Ausangate 7 Lagoons Hiking Tour & Hot Springs: $59
- 1 Day Palcoyo 7-Color Mountain Hiking Tour: $45
- 1 Day Rainbow Mountain Tour From Cusco: $60
- 1 Day Sacred Valley Tour with Moray from Cusco: $75
- 1 Day Sacred Valley VIP Tour from Cusco: $100
- 1 Day Tour to Palccoyo (Alternative Rainbow Mtn) from Cusco, Peru: $154
- 1-Day Tour Rainbow Mountain from Cusco: $190
- 1-Day Tour Sacred Valley From Cusco: $120
- 2 Day Machu Picchu Adventure from Cusco by Minivan: $193
- 2 Day Machu Picchu by Car Tour Scenic Hike and Exploration: $104
- 2 Days Machu Picchu Tour by Car: $169
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBerlin €16Cusco €9.16
Typical Alcohol Prices in Berlin
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Berlin from other travelers:
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Drinks at a Show€14
Sample the Local Flavors in Berlin
Also in Berlin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Alternative Pub Crawl, Bars, Beats & Insider Stories: $11
- Pub Crawl & Party with Free Shots & VIP Club Access: $12
- Ludwig's Original Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $17
- Berliner Berg Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting: $19
- Cirque du Burlesque Berlin show ticket: $21
- Pub Crawl with Shots and VIP Club Entry: $22
- Alternative Berlin Pub Crawl: $23
- Vagabund Brauerei Beer Tasting & Guided Brewery Tour: $29
- Sip Up Comedy - Stand Up Comedy with Wine Tasting: $31
- Ludwig's Queer Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $34
- Wine on Canvas - Paint Workshop and Wine Tasting: $47
- Showgirls of Burlesque Show: $76
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: $22
- Exclusive Pub Crawl with more than 10 Benefits: $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Berlin and Cusco, we can see that Berlin is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Berlin 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 Berlin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Berlin 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 Berlin Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Berlin or Cusco?
Berlin has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Berlin 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.