Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Brussels?
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 Brussels or Cusco?
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 Brussels and Cusco. 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.
Where Should I go: Brussels or Cusco?
Brussels
Brussels is the capital of Belgium and also the sight of the headquarters of the European Union. Generally speaking, it's an expensive city that sees a good amount of travelers. It is also a highly political city that has an air of importance and power. It's an incredibly international city, with people from all over the world flocking to it due to its political, economical, and cultural significance.
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 Belgium, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Belgium, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Brussels Prices
Belgium PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBrussels €165Cusco €54
The average daily cost (per person) in Brussels is €165, while the average daily cost in Cusco is €54. 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 Brussels and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBrussels €73Cusco €21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBrussels €146Cusco €42
Compare Hotels in Brussels and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Brussels 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: Brussels Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Brussels €17Cusco €9.05
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Brussels
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Brussels are as follows:
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Subway Pass€4.50
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Atomium train ticket (2)€8.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brussels
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Brussels:
- Brussels Airport (BRU) Transfer to Brussels/Ghent/Antwerp/Brugge: $35
- Brussels to Brussels Airport (BRU) - Departure Private Transfer: $76
- Brussels Shuttle Transfer <-> Mons (1 to 8 PLACES): $77
- Transfer Shuttle Brussels South Station <-> Mons (1-8 SEATS): $77
- Shuttle transfer Brussels Gare du Midi <-> Mons (1 to 8 PLACES): $77
- Brussels Private Transfer from Brussels city centre to Brussels Airport (BRU): $81
- Transfer Brussels Midi Station <-> Bruges (1 - 8 PL): $96
- Private Transfer: Brussels to Brussels Airport BRU by Luxury Van: $100
- Airport Transfer: Brussels to Brussels Airport BRU by Luxury Van: $102
- Brussels Airport Transfer (BRU) <-> to or from Brussels (Sedan): $114
- Private transfer from Brussels Airport <-> Brussels: $120
- Shuttle transfer Brussels <-> Lille (1 to 8 PLACES): $122
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€0.98
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Assistance & Transfers Included | Hassle-free service in Cusco: $30
- Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $9.50
- Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $9.18
- Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $15
- Cusco Airport Pickup and Transfer: $9.00
- Cusco Airport Private Departure Transfer: $18
- Cusco Airport Private Transfer with large Van: $45
- Cusco Private Airport Transfer: Fast, Reliable Hotel Drop-Off: $20
- Alpaca and Llama Farm Tour with Transfer & Weaving Demo: $34
- Cuzco to Ollantaytambo Train Station - Departure Private Transfer: $108
- Direct Private Transfer From Cusco to Puno, English Local Speaking Driver: $295
- Ollantaytambo Train Station to Cuzco - Arrival Private Transfer: $108
Is it cheaper to fly into Brussels or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Brussels 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 dayBrussels €66Cusco €20
Typical Food Prices in Brussels
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Brussels:
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Ice Cream & Macaroons€4.60
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Dessert (Turkish Delights)€4.75
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Cheese€5.60
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Olives and Snacks€6.98
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Waffle€3.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brussels
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Brussels.
- Experience Authentic Belgian Cuisine: Cooking Lesson and Meal with a Ghent Local: $99
- Brussels Food Tour with Full Meal & Drinks by Do Eat Better: $119
- Brussels Food Tour: 10 Tastings of Waffles, Beers, Fries & More: $133
- Market Tour and Cooking Lesson with a Belgian Gourmet Meal in a Brussels Home: $179
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.
- Cooking Class Lomo Saltado Pisco Sour y Papa a la Huancaina: $40
- Pete's Peruvian Cooking Class: $52
- Cusco Cooking Classes and San Pedro Market Tour: $55
- Hands-on High End Peruvian Cooking Class & San Pedro Market Visit: $57
- Peruvian Cooking Class in Sacred Valley: $59
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market in Cusco: $59
- Peruvian Cooking Class and Local Market in Cusco: $59
- Cooking Class in Ollantaytambo: $68
- Best Cusco walking tour: dinner street food tasting: $74
- Curious Monkey Cusco- Market and Streets, Walking Food Tour: $75
- The 10 Tastings of Cusco With Locals: Private Food Tour : $90
- Cusco Cooking Class with San Pedro Market Tour: $92
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Brussels €23Cusco €26
Tours and Activities in Brussels
Here are a few actual costs in Brussels for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Brussels Hidden Delights A Self Guided Epicurean Adventure: $1.79
- Brussels Walking Tour with Guide plus PDF: $3.59
- Gastronomic Tour: A Taste of Brussels: $3.59
- The Most Complete Tour Of Brussels: $3.59
- Self Guided Tours Brussels With 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.59
- Free Tour of Brussels in English (with booking fee) : $3.59
- Historical Walking Tour: The Story of Brussels - by Legends: $3.59
- Brussels Old City’s Highlights Walking Tour: $4.81
- Brussels (EU Quarter) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $5.81
- Brussels Land of Comics: Self-Guided Tour and Puzzle Quest: $6.00
- Leuven Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self Guided Tour: $6.45
- Brussels Brain Quest: Exploration Game and Tour: $6.60
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€2.44
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- Cultural & Historic Walking Tour with Local Drinks: $10
- Cusco Walking tour and Koricancha Temple of the inkas tour: $10
- City Tour Cusco: $12
- City Tour - Lugares destacado en Cusco + Experiencia Fotográfica: $12
- City tour in Cusco.: $14
- From City Tour Including Sacsayhuamán and Tambomachay: $14
- City Tour Half Day Templo of the Sun, Sacsayhuaman y Qenqo: $14
- City Tour Half Day Tour with Sacsayhuaman and Q’enqo: $15
- Half-Day City Tour with Sacsayhuaman and Qenqo: $15
- From Half Day City Tour : $15
- City Tour Cusco in Panoramic Bus Daily Departures: $15
- Half-Day City Tour of Cusco Including Tambomachay: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBrussels €13Cusco €8.59
Typical Alcohol Prices in Brussels
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Brussels are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine€10
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Beer€6.00
Sample the Local Flavors in Brussels
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Brussels:
- Discovery of the La Senne Brewery: $31
- Beer & Chocolate Tasting in a Brewery-Distillery: $79
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 : $19
- Cusco Pub Crawl: Bar Tour, Drinks And Club with no waiting lines: $19
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Brussels and Cusco, we can see that Brussels is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Brussels 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 Brussels would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Brussels 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 Brussels Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Brussels or Cusco?
Brussels has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Brussels 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.