Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Bordeaux?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Bordeaux or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Bordeaux 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: Bordeaux or Cusco?
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is the place to go for fine wines. It's a very mellow, cultural city where you can enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of a quaint cafe or restaurant without being rushed. The city is the capital of Gironde, and the entire metropolitan area has over one million residents. The city also has a rather large and vibrant university and the population is known to be very tolerant and liberal. There is a very strong artistic vibe in the city and, due to it's history of English rule, there is an English flair to the area. The large student population means that there is no shortage of opportunities to see shows, hear music, or visit a museum.
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 10-Day Tours from Paris, The Best 2-Week Tours from Paris, 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 dayBordeaux €118Cusco €46
The average daily cost (per person) in Bordeaux is €118, while the average daily cost in Cusco is €46. 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 Bordeaux and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBordeaux €63Cusco €21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBordeaux €126Cusco €42
Compare Hotels in Bordeaux and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Bordeaux 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: Bordeaux Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bordeaux €15Cusco €9.03
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bordeaux
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bordeaux:
- Private Transfer Bordeaux Airport BOD to Bordeaux City by Car: $51
- Private Transfer Bordeaux City to Bordeaux Airport BOD by Car: $51
- Arrival Private Transfer Bordeaux Airport BOD to Bordeaux by Van: $75
- Transfer Airport, Hotel, Station and others places: $78
- Private Transfer from Bordeaux Airport to City of Bordeaux: $88
- Private Transfer from Bordeaux to Bordeaux Airport: $89
- Arrival Private Transfers : Bordeaux Airport BOD to Bordeaux in Business Car: $104
- Bordeaux Airport Transfers: Bordeaux to Bordeaux Airport BOD in Business Car: $104
- Bordeaux Airport Transfers: Bordeaux Airport BOD to Bordeaux in Business Car: $104
- Private Transfer Service: $109
- Bordeaux to Airport Private Transfer in Business Sedan: $109
- Bordeaux Airport Transfers: Bordeaux to Bordeaux Airport BOD in Luxury Van: $109
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€0.97
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Arrival Transfer & Cusco City Tour (Private Service): $80
- Cusco Airport Arrival or Departure Transfer : $13
- Cusco Airport Pickup and Transfer: $9.00
- Cusco Airport Private Departure Transfer: $18
- Cusco Airport Private Transfer with large Van: $45
- Cusco Airport: Private 1-Way Transfer: $15
- Cusco Bus Station Arrival or Departure Transfer: $13
- Cusco Private Transfer to Poroy Railway Station: $15
- Cusco to Ollantaytambo: One-Way Private Transfer: $55
- Alpaca and Llama Farm Tour w/ Transfer & Weaving Demo: $34
- Full-Day Trip to Machu Picchu with Hotel Transfers: $335
- One-Way Airport Transfer to Hotel: $12
Is it cheaper to fly into Bordeaux or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Bordeaux 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 dayBordeaux €45Cusco €12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bordeaux
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bordeaux.
- Bordeaux - sweet food tour of the old city: $60
- No Diet Club : Bordeaux Food Tour in Les Chartrons !: $64
- Bordeaux Organic Food Tour - French Apéro Style: $65
- NO DIET CLUB - Unique food tour in Bordeaux !: $65
- Bakeries, Chocolate and Pastries Food Tour: $70
- 2-Hour River Dinner Cruise: $75
- 4h Night Food Tour of Bordeaux: $94
- Bordeaux : Dinner Food Tour: $108
- Food Tour in the Historic District: $108
- 3.5-Hour Old Town and Market Food Tour: $109
- Bordeaux Traditional Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience: $109
- Bordeaux Food Tour in the Wine District : Discover what makes Bordeaux so famous: $109
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich€1.95
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Mango€0.49
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.Bordeaux €7.89Cusco €26
Tours and Activities in Bordeaux
Here are a few actual costs in Bordeaux for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Secrets of Bordeaux Self Guided Tour: $1.08
- Bordeaux : Discovery Stroll and Reading Walking Tour: $2.17
- Free Walking City Tour (English): $2.18
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.26
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.52
- Bordeaux Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.63
- The Best of Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- City Highlights Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Old Town Port of The Moon Quest Experience: $7.06
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $7.07
- City Highlights & Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt Tour: $7.07
- Bordeaux Old Town: Port of the Moon Quest Experience: $7.17
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€2.43
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- Cusco Inkas Walking City Tour: $2.00
- Free Walking Tour of Cusco: $2.00
- Around Free Walking Tour Cusco Historic Center: $2.00
- Cusco Walking tour in English : $5.00
- Cusco : Half Day City Tour: $9.00
- Cusco City Half-Day Tour: $12
- Mirabus tour of the city | Panoramic view: $12
- Sightseeing Tour of the City on an Open-Top Bus: $12
- Open-Top Bus City Tour: $12
- Explore Cuzco with a sightseeing tour by open top bus.: $12
- Cusco's Street and San Pedro Market Walking Adventure: $13
- Historical Tour with Pisco Sours and Local Music: $13
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBordeaux €26Cusco €8.57
Sample the Local Flavors in Bordeaux
Also in Bordeaux, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wine and Trade Museum Entry Ticket & Wine Tasting: $11
- Bordeaux Wine and Trade Museum Admission Ticket with Wine Tasting: $11
- Distillery Tour in Bordeaux with Spirits Tasting: $17
- Wine Tasting Cruise: $23
- Cité du Vin Direct Ticket and Wine Tasting: $24
- Taillan-Médoc: Château Visit and Wine Tasting in Bordeaux: $27
- Wine Tour and Tasting: $30
- Unusual Wine Tasting Experience - Wood & Wine: $30
- Discover Bordeaux vineyard : special wine tasting with two cellar men brothers: $32
- Wine Tasting with a Certified Sommelier: $44
- Bordeaux Cheese and Wine Tasting: $52
- Blind wine tasting to discover wine differently: $54
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 we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bordeaux and Cusco, we can see that Bordeaux is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bordeaux 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 Bordeaux would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bordeaux 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 Bordeaux Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bordeaux or Cusco?
Cusco has a larger population, and is about 4% larger than the population of Bordeaux. When comparing the sizes of Bordeaux 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.