Should you visit Cajamarca or Sucre?
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 Cajamarca and Sucre can help you decide which place is right for you.
Cajamarca
Located in the northern highlands of Peru, Cajamarca is a town of about 100,000 people. The city's mild weather and fertile soil is ideal for agriculture, which is a major industry in the area. The city is also well known for its cheeses and dairy products. Cajamarca is the site of the Battle of Cajamarca which led to the execution of the Inca emperor Atahualpa and the end of the infamous Inca empire. Today, the area is appealing to visitors in part because of its lovely churches, nice hot springs, and interesting Inca Baths.
Sucre
Sucre is famous for its gorgeous town center and delightful climate, making it for many Bolivia's most beautiful city. Also considered the symbolic heart of the nation, 'La ciudad blanca' or the white city has preserved stunning whitewashed buildings sheltering pretty patios and other beauties of colonial architecture. The city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991 and is under strict controls on development. It offers many attractions including historic buildings and a renowned theatre, but you can also wander around prehistoric sites and discover indigenous culture in the surrounding towns and countryside. Tourists love Sucre for its relaxed atmosphere. It's definitely on the list of top places to visit in Bolivia.
Which city is cheaper, Sucre or Cajamarca?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cajamarca is $54, while the average daily cost in Sucre is $35. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Cajamarca and Sucre in more detail.
Accommodation
Cajamarca's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $38. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $19.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $18 in Sucre For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The average traveler spends about $22 per day in Cajamarca for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
Sucre food costs typically run travelers around $15 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Cajamarca $22
Sucre $15
Typical Food prices in Sucre
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Sucre:
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Dinner
$4.49
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Juice
$0.87
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Juice
$1.01
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Chocolate
$1.74
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Cappuccino
$4.35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sucre
For Sucre, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Traditional Bolivian cooking class with cocktail making by La Boca del Sapo:
$32
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Cajamarca is $13 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
To get around in Sucre, the average visitor spends $9.48 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Sucre
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Sucre are as follows:
Entertainment
Cajamarca's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $20 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
In Sucre, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $13 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Cajamarca
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cajamarca are as follows:
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3-Day Guided Cultural Tour of Cajamarca with Transportation:
$189
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Cajamarca city tour - Private tour:
$47
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Cumbemayo, the stone forest - Private tour:
$75
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Inca's Bath - Private tour:
$52
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Porcón farm - Private tour:
$76
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Ventanillas de Otuzco - private tour:
$53
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Tour of the Port of Callao and fort Real Felipe:
$60
Tours and Activities in Sucre
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sucre.
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Sucre - Walking City Tour - Half Day - English Speaking guide:
$42
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Sucre walking tour:
$45
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Private Half Day Tour: Sucre Walking Tour with Hotel Pick up:
$67
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Sucre City Tour With Visit to Cretaceous Park:
$123
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Full-Day Tour from Sucre to Potosi and Uyuni:
$227
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The Best of Sucre Walking Tour:
$498
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Romantic tour in Sucre:
$498
Alcohol
The average person spends about $13 on alcoholic beverages in Cajamarca per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Sucre, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $10.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cajamarca and Sucre, we can see that Cajamarca is more expensive. And not only is Sucre much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sucre would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sucre 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 Cajamarca would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cajamarca than you might in Sucre.
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