Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Bogota?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Bogota or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Bogota 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: Bogota or Cusco?
Bogota
Sprawling across a high altitude in the Columbian Andes region, Bogota is the capital city of Columbia. It is a mix of the old and new with century-old plazas and churches shadowed by towering skyscrapers, museums representing the history, art, and culture of the region, as well as a mix of distinct neighborhoods from quaint and historic to trendy and contemporary.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Peru, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBogota $49Cusco $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Bogota is $49, 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 Bogota and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBogota $25Cusco $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBogota $50Cusco $44
Compare Hotels in Bogota and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Bogota 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: Bogota Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bogota $8.21Cusco $9.80
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Bogota
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Bogota are as follows:
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Taxi from Airport$7.07
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Taxi Ride$0.37
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2 Bus Passes$0.83
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bogota
Also for Bogota, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer-shared vehicle from El Dorado Airport - Calle 26, Bogota: $8.70
- Private Transfer from the Airport to Hotels in Bogota: $12
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from El Dorado Airport (BOG) - Bogota City: $13
- Transfer in private vehicle from Bogota City - El Dorado Airport (BOG): $13
- Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: El Dorado Airport (One Way): $13
- Premium Private Transfer from Bogota Hotels to El Dorado Airport: $17
- Transfer in private SUV from Bogota City - Bogota Airport (BOG): $18
- Private Transfer El Dorado Airport to Hotels in Bogotá: $20
- Private Bogota airport pick up transfer service: $20
- Premium Private Transfer from El Dorado Airport to Bogota Hotels: $21
- Transfer Aeropuerto El Dorado - Hotel or Accomodation Private : $28
- Private Bogota airport pick up transfer service one way: $28
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$1.06
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cusco HTL-APT (CUZ): $18
- Transfers in Cusco: $6.00
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo to/from Urubamba: $36
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo Cusco Peru: $80
- Transfer from Cusco to Ollantaytambo: $40
- Transfer from Cusco city to the airport: $10
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Sacred Valley: $30
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Hotel (Cusco): $20
- Transfer Hotel to Airport in Cusco | Private Service |: $10
- Transfer From Cusco Airport: $10
- Transfer From Airport to Cusco Center Hotels: $25
- Transfer Cusco_Ollantaytambo or vice versa with city tour and Pisac: $140
Is it cheaper to fly into Bogota or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Bogota 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 dayBogota $13Cusco $13
Typical Food Prices in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$1.47
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Hot Dog$0.86
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour in Bogotá with Tastings: $45
- Viejo Bogota Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $49
- PALOQUEMAO MARKET FOOD TOUR. EXOTIC FRUIT. LOCAL SNACKS. /Min 2 pax: $55
- Bogota Food Tour • Private Car • Fruits Cacao Lunch Coffee Beer: $59
- Bogotá Food Tour - La Candelaria: $61
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.11
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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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bogota $12Cusco $29
Typical Entertainment Prices in Bogota
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Bogota's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Beer$1.23
Tours and Activities in Bogota
For Bogota, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Theatron Party-Tour, 19 Clubs, Map, cocktail, bottle, After-party: $5.00
- Colonial Bogotá: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of La Candelaria: $5.99
- Traditional Bogotá: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Bogotá: La Macarena to Parque Nacional Walking Audio Tour: $5.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - El Dorado Expedition, Part I : $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - El Dorado Expedition, Part II: $6.99
- Graffiti Tour in La Candelaria Bogotá: $13
- Shared Tour of the Historic Candelaria in Bogotá: $13
- Tour of the Colombian Armed Conflict: war, drug trafficking and peace: $13
- Walking Tour in La Candelaria Bogotá: $14
- Walking Tour through Candelaria: $14
- Full Day Tour to the Colonial Town of Villa de Leyva: $15
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$2.64
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- 2 Day Pisac Ollantaytambo Salt flats Moray Sacred Valley Tour: $297
- Cusco City Tour I Half-Day: $28
- Cusco city wolking tour churches and streets : $35
- Half- Day City Tour Cusco : $150
- Humantay Lake Tour From Cusco: $63
- Moray saltmines ATV (Cuatrimotos) Tour: $70
- Official Machupicchu Ticket: $89
- Official Ticket Football Day tour In Cusco with Tourism Guide: $100
- Official Ticket- Machu Picchu Lost Citadel: $72
- Private Tour to Sacred Valley Full Day from Cusco: $205
- Rainbow Mountain Full-Day | Group Tour |: $26
- Sacred Valley Tour in Cusco : $47
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBogota $13Cusco $9.30
Sample the Local Flavors in Bogota
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Bogota:
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Bogotá, Colombia: $25
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Bogotá, Colombia: $25
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 Bogota 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 Bogota Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bogota or Cusco?
Bogota has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Bogota 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.