Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Bern?
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 Bern or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Bern 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: Bern or Cusco?
Bern
The capital city of Switzerland, Bern, is a surprisingly small city with a population of only about 130,000. It's located on a peninsula that is created by the turns of the River Aare. The city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it has a wonderfully preserved old town area. There are about four miles worth of quaint walkways that are lined with clock towers and fountains.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Switzerland, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Switzerland, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Bern Prices
Switzerland PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBern $311Cusco $61
The average daily cost (per person) in Bern is $311, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $61. 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 Bern and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBern $171Cusco $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBern $342Cusco $46
Compare Hotels in Bern and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Bern 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: Bern Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bern $35Cusco $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bern
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bern:
- Private Transfer Service from Bern to Bern Airport: $134
- Private transfer from Bern to Basel with a 2 hour stop in Olten: $226
- Private Direct Transfer From Bern to Basel: $243
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$1.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- One-Way Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $9.00
- One-Way Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $9.00
- Cusco Airport Pickup and Private Transfer: $9.00
- Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $9.18
- Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $9.67
- Transfer to the land terminal: $10
- Peru Cusco Airport (CUZ) Private Transfer to Cusco City: $10
- Private Transfer from Airport to Hotel in the City of Cusco: $12
- One-Way Airport Transfer to Hotel: $12
- Transfer to Cusco airport.: $13
- Private transfers from or to Cusco Airport: $14
- Cusco Private Transfer to Poroy Railway Station: $15
Is it cheaper to fly into Bern or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Bern 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 dayBern $110Cusco $23
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.17
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Mango$0.54
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
- Small-Group Virtual Ceviche Cooking Experience: $25
- Dinner at Café del Museo Larco restaurant: $28
- Folkloric Andean Show & 3-Course Dinner at Tunupa: $37
- Cusco street food tour: $39
- Cusco Cooking Class - Bilingual 12:00 -1:30 pm: $40
- Lunch or Dinner at the Pachapapa Restaurant: $41
- 3-Hour Peruvian Cooking Class: $49
- Cusco Tunupa Restaurant Folk Show with Dinner : $49
- 3-hour Peruvian cooking class: $49
- Fully hands-on High End Peruvian Cooking Class & San Pedro Market Guided Visit: $55
- Cusco Cooking Classes and San Pedro Market Tour: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bern $36Cusco $29
Tours and Activities in Bern
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bern are as follows:
- Self-Guided Reading City Tour in Bern: $6.11
- Self-Guided Reading City Tour in Bern: $6.26
- Bern Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $8.08
- Self-Guided Tour of Bern's Fountains, Clocktowers, and Legends: $12
- Self-Guided Audio City Tour in Bern: $12
- Self-Guided Audio City Tour in Bern: $13
- Thun Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $18
- Fribourg Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $18
- Bern Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $18
- Zytglogge - Tour through the Clock Tower: $24
- Historical & Cultural Walking Tour in Bern: $35
- Guided Walking Tour in Bern: $36
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$2.71
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- Cochahuasi Animal Sanctuary Admission Ticket: $10
- City Tour - Cusco: $10
- extreme adventure in cusco warachicuy adventure park: $11
- Cusco Historical Walking Tour official: $11
- Cusco City Half-Day Tour: $12
- Cultural & Historic Walking Tour with Local Drinks: $12
- Sightseeing Tour of the City on an Open-Top Bus: $12
- Open-Top Bus City Tour: $12
- Half Day|| City Tour in Cusco: $13
- CUSCO CITY TOUR 2025 Half Day Tour in Cuzco: $13
- City Tour Cusco Qoricancha Sacsayhuaman y Tambomachay: $14
- City Tour with Qoricancha, Sacsayhuaman, and More: $14
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBern $28Cusco $9.56
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
- Pisco and wine tour in the Majes Valley: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bern and Cusco, we can see that Bern is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bern 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 Bern would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bern 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 Bern Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bern or Cusco?
Cusco has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Bern 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.