A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cologne vs. Cusco for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Cologne or Cusco?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Cologne 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: Cologne or Cusco?

Cologne

Spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city of Cologne dates back 2,000 years, once existing as the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire in medieval times. Today, it is the region's cultural hub - a center of museums, galleries, and towering Gothic cathedrals.

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 Luxury Tours to Germany, The Best Budget Tours to Germany, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.


Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Cologne?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Cologne is €161, while the average daily cost in Cusco is €47. 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 Cologne and Cusco in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cologne 91
    Cusco 21
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cologne 182
    Cusco 42
Compare Hotels in Cologne and Cusco

Looking for a hotel in Cologne 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.

Hotels in Cologne


Hotels in Cusco


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: Cologne Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cologne 19
    Cusco 9.25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:

  • Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
  • Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
  • Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
  • Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $83
  • Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $98
  • Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cusco

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cusco:


  • Taxi Ride
    1.00

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:

  • Cusco – Puno Direct Transfers: $24
  • Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $15
  • Cusco Airport Arrival or Departure Transfer : $13
  • Cusco Airport Pickup and Private Transfer: $15
  • 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
  • Abode of the Gods ATV Tour with Transfer: $30
  • Alpaca and Llama Farm Tour w/ Transfer & Weaving Demo: $34
  • Full-Day Trip to Machu Picchu with Hotel Transfers: $290
  • One-Way Airport Transfer to Hotel: $9.50

Is it cheaper to fly into Cologne or Cusco?

Prices for flights to both Cusco and Cologne 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Cologne 50
    Cusco 12
Typical Food Prices in Cologne

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cologne:


  • Dinner
    14
  • Donner Kebab
    4.00

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cologne

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cologne.

  • Hard Rock Café with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
  • Hard Rock Cafe Cologne With Set Lunch or Dinner: $29
  • Köln Südstadt kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
  • 3-Hour Südstadt Food Tour: $484

Typical Food Prices in Cusco

Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:


  • Sandwich
    2.00
  • Mango
    0.50

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
  • Folkloric Andean Show & 3-Course Dinner at Tunupa: $35
  • CUSCO COOKING CLASS LUNCH - Quick Culinary Dive: $37
  • 3-Hour Peruvian Cooking Class: $49
  • Market Tour & Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $53
  • Cooking Class and market tour with a local chef: $56
  • Peruvian Cooking Class and Local Market in Cusco: $59
  • Dinner at Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba Hotel: $65
  • Peruvian Market Tour And Cooking Class in Cusco: $65
  • Peruvian Cooking Class, Cocktails & Local Market Tour: $65
  • Peruvian Cooking Class & Market Tour: $65
  • Awamaki Cooking Class: $68

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cologne 20
    Cusco 27

Tours and Activities in Cologne

Here are a few actual costs in Cologne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Cologne Walking Tour: The essential and unmissable one: $3.22
  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
  • Original funky-fun Free Tour of Cologne: $3.23
  • Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.31
  • Smartphone Scavenger Hunt Sightseeing Tour: $5.92
  • City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
  • Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
  • Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.00
  • Horrors of World War II Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.52
  • Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
  • Cologne Self Guided Walking Tour Discovering the Horrors of WWII: $7.63
  • Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07

Typical Entertainment Prices in Cusco

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Cusco are as follows:


  • Salsa Class
    2.49

Tours and Activities in Cusco

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:

  • Free Walking Tour of Cusco: $2.00
  • Cusco : Half Day City Tour: $9.00
  • Walking Tour Cusco: $10
  • Cochahuasi Animal Sanctuary Admission Ticket: $10
  • CUSCO CITY TOUR 2024 Half Day Tour in Cuzco: $10
  • Cusco City Half-Day Tour: $12
  • Open Bus Tour of the City’s Wonder’s: $12
  • Sightseeing Tour of the City on an Open-Top Bus: $12
  • City Tour Cusco / Tour in the City: $12
  • Open-Top Bus City Tour: $12
  • Mirabus Cusco city tour | Panoramic view |: $12
  • Historic Walking Tour with Pisco Sour and Music Show: $13

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cologne 23
    Cusco 8.78

Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:

  • Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
  • Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $18
  • Guided tour of the old town with a visit to the brewery in Cologne: $19
  • Old Town Walking Tour inkl Brewery Visit: $24
  • Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including local beer: $27
  • South Cologne Walking Tour with brewery visit: $27
  • Pub Crawl Cologne Including Admission Fee for Bars and Shots: $27
  • Brewery Tour with 3 Kölsch Beer Tastings: $30
  • Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
  • The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
  • The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
  • Cologne-Nippes: Gourmet wine tasting with cheese platter: $64

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 - Bar Tour Cusco : $18
  • Cusco Pub Crawl: Cusco Bar Hopping Experience : $18
  • Exclusive Pub Crawl with 10+ benefits: $18
  • Pub Crawl with Skip-the-Line Access and Drinks: $18
  • Exclusive Pub Crawl with more than 10 Benefits: $25


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cologne and Cusco, we can see that Cologne is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cologne 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 Cologne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cologne 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 Cologne Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cologne or Cusco?

Cologne has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Cologne 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.