Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Budapest?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Budapest or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Budapest and Cusco can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Budapest or Cusco?
Budapest
Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. It has been called the "Paris of the East" because of its impressive architecture and general beauty. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 because of its cultural importance, its location on the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrassy Avenue. In addition to its rich history, Budapest still has a young vibe with a lot of energy. There's an active night life, an impressive music scene, and a good reputation with European youth.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Budapest, The Best 10-Day Tours from Budapest, 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 dayBudapest $93Cusco $49
The average daily cost (per person) in Budapest is $93, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $49. 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 Budapest and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBudapest $51Cusco $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBudapest $102Cusco $44
Compare Hotels in Budapest and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Budapest 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: Budapest Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Budapest $11Cusco $9.76
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Budapest
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Budapest:
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Short Taxi Ride$7.18
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Metro Pass$3.94
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Budapest
Also for Budapest, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Airport Shuttle Bus Transfer: $13
- Budapest Airport Private Departure Transfer : City to Airport: $16
- Budapest Private Arrival Transfer: Railway station to hotels: $17
- Premier Outlet Shopping Transfer from City Center: $17
- Budapest Private transfer Airport or Hotel to or from Cruise Port: $27
- One way private transfer from Budapest hotels to Budapest cruise ports: $27
- One way private transfer from Budapest cruise port to Budapest hotels: $27
- Budapest Private Departure Transfer: From hotels to Railway station: $27
- Private Airport Transfer Budapest: $28
- Budapest City - Budapest Airport Transfer: $32
- Budapest Airport - Budapest City Transfer: $36
- Hotel to Liszt Ferenc Airport departure Transfer: $39
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$1.05
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Private Transfer between Cusco and Puno: $335
- Full-Day Trip to Machu Picchu with Hotel Transfers: $333
- Private Transfer from Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport to Ollantaytambo: $146
- Private Transfer from Ollantaytambo to Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport: $143
- Ollantaytambo train station to Cuzco city or airport- Roundtrip Private Transfer: $140
- Transfer Cusco_Ollantaytambo or vice versa with city tour and Pisac: $140
- Transfer Cusco - Ollantaytambo train station : $95
- Arrival Transfer & Cusco City Tour (Private Service): $80
- Cuzco to Ollantaytambo Train Station - Departure Private Transfer: $78
- Temple of the Moon Horseback Riding Tour with Transfer: $75
- Ollantaytambo train station to Cuzco city or airport - Arrival Private Transfer: $70
- Airport Cusco Transfers: $69
Is it cheaper to fly into Budapest or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Budapest 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 dayBudapest $24Cusco $13
Typical Food Prices in Budapest
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Budapest:
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Lunch$3.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Guided Tipsy Food Tour with Drinks Included in Budapest: $43
- Food Tour with Wine tasting By Foodapest 2024: $44
- Pizza & Beer Downtown Budapest Cruise: $44
- Downtown Budapest Cruise with Pizza and Beer: $46
- Vegan Hungarian Food Tour (full meals): $53
- Medieval Dinner Show with Drinks: $54
- Guided Food Tour with Wine, Beer, and Shots: $54
- Bistro Boat Cruise with Dinner: $55
- Budapest Tipsy Food Tour with Drinks and Food Included: $55
- Guided Tipsy Food Tour with Drinks Included in Budapest: $55
- Private Street Food Tour: $61
- Budapest Tipsy Food Tour with Drinks: $65
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 Ceviche Cooking Experience: $25
- Small-Group Virtual Peruvian Cooking Experience: $25
- Folkloric Andean Show & 3-Course Dinner at Tunupa: $35
- Pachapapa Restaurant Lunch or Dinner: $41
- Andean Bread Baby Cooking Class with Hotel Pickup: $49
- 3-Hour Peruvian Cooking Class: $49
- Pete's Peruvian Cooking Class: $52
- Market Tour & Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $54
- Cusco Cooking Class by ChocoMuseo in Cusco: $54
- Fully hands-on High End Peruvian Cooking Class & San Pedro Market Guided Visit: $55
- Cooking Class and market tour with a local chef: $56
- Authentic Peruvian Flavors Cusco Food Tour and San Pedro Market : $59
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Budapest $22Cusco $28
Typical Entertainment Prices in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Entrance to the Baths for Two$7.04
Tours and Activities in Budapest
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Budapest.
- Gems of the Budapest Castle District: Free Walking Tour!: $0.11
- Jewish Quarter of Budapest Walking Tour: $2.22
- Mika Tivadar Secret Museum Entry Ticket: $2.77
- Castle District Walking Tour: $3.32
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.32
- Welcome to Budapest Walking Tour: $3.32
- Free Walking Tour Budapest incl. the Shoes on the Danube Bank: $3.38
- Self Guided Tour In Budapest With 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.38
- Past and Present of Budapest Jewish District Tour: $3.39
- Welcome to Budapest Walking Tour: $3.39
- Free walking tour in the Buda Castle incl. Fisherman's Bastion: $3.39
- Guided Tour in Budapest Castle District: $3.39
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$2.63
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- 1 Day Rainbow Mountain Tour From Cusco: $45
- 2 Day Pisac Ollantaytambo Salt flats Moray Sacred Valley Tour: $297
- Colorful mountain adventure with a slightly steep hike: $48
- Cusco City Tour I Half-Day: $28
- Cusco city wolking tour churches and streets : $35
- Half- Day City Tour Cusco : $150
- Official Machupicchu Ticket: $99
- Official Ticket- Machu Picchu Lost Citadel: $72
- Private Tour to Sacred Valley Full Day from Cusco: $205
- Rainbow Mountain Full-Day | Group Tour |: $26
- Ticket To Machu Picchu + Machu Picchu Mountain : $89
- Tour a la montaña de 7 colores vinicunca 1 dia: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBudapest $19Cusco $9.27
Sample the Local Flavors in Budapest
Also in Budapest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- 5-Hour Pub Crawl through Ruin Bars: $22
- The Original Budapest Pub Crawl - One Hour Open Bar + Free Shots: $23
- Guided Bar Crawl through the Party District: $23
- Budapest Pub Crawl +6 free Shots +VIP Access +Drinking Games : $25
- Bingo Bar Crawl: $26
- Bingo Bar Crawl: $26
- Ruin Bar Pub Crawl with Entry Tickets: $27
- Private, Personalized Pub Crawl, 5 drinks included: $28
- Hungarian pálinka distillery visit and tasting: $34
- Pub Crawl Budapest - with challanges and games: $38
- Pub Crawl - Bar Pass: $39
- Detective Pub Crawl Game by App: $39
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
- Pub Crawl with Skip-the-Line Access and Drinks: $19
- Cusco Pub Crawl - Bar Tour Cusco : $19
- Pisco and wine tour in the Majes Valley: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Budapest and Cusco, we can see that Budapest is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Budapest 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 Budapest would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Budapest 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 Budapest Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Budapest or Cusco?
Budapest has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Budapest 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.