Should you visit Copacabana or Machu Picchu?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Copacabana and Machu Picchu. 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. So, let's dig into it.
Copacabana
Copacabana, Bolivia, is a small, bright and enchanting town located on the Bolivian shore of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake. Situated relatively close to the capital of La Paz, it is a popular resort mostly destination for foreign travellers, meaning that you may feel like there are more Argentinians and Americans than locals. Copacabana is the perfect jump-off point for visiting Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna and makes a pleasant stopover between La Paz and Puno or Cusco. Featuring beautiful nature walks, ancient sites, stunning sunsets and quaint little restaurants, Copacabana is a travelers' favorite destination to soak in the panoramic views, savor freshly caught trucha, and explore what the Incas believed to be the birthplace of their empire.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a site of ancient Inca ruins located about 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Cuzco, Peru, in the Cordillera de Vilcabamba of the Andes Mountains. It is perched above the Urubamba River valley in a narrow saddle between two sharp peaks, Machu Picchu ("Old Peak") and Huayna Picchu ("New Peak"), at an elevation of 7,710 feet (2,350 metres). One of the few major pre-Columbian ruins found nearly intact, Machu Picchu was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. Thus, Machu Picchu is not only an impressive remnant of the Inca civilization, it is also one of the world's most important archaeological sites. A stop at Machu Picchu is an essential part of any traveler's itinerary in Peru, as it is one of the seven wonders of the world.
Which city is cheaper, Machu Picchu or Copacabana?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Copacabana is $34, while the average daily cost in Machu Picchu is $82. 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 Copacabana and Machu Picchu in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $18 for a double occupancy room in Copacabana.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $64 in Machu Picchu For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The price of a meal in Copacabana can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $14 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $5.60 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
While meal prices in Machu Picchu can vary, the average travelers spends about $20 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Machu Picchu should cost around $8.00 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Machu Picchu is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Copacabana $14
Machu Picchu $20
Typical Food prices in Copacabana
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Copacabana:
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Lunch
$3.63
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Sandwich
$1.16
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Copacabana is $11 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 Machu Picchu, the average visitor spends $23 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.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Copacabana
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Copacabana:
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Private Transfer from La Paz to Uyuni.:
$249
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Machu Picchu
Also for Machu Picchu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Aguas Calientes: Bus Transfer to Machu Picchu Citadel:
$16
Is it cheaper to fly into Copacabana or Machu Picchu?
Prices for flights to both Machu Picchu and Copacabana 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.
Entertainment
Copacabana's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $15 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 Machu Picchu, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $58 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Copacabana
Here are a few actual costs in Copacabana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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2-Day Moon & Sun Island Tour from La Paz:
$147
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2-Day Private Tour from La Paz: Lake Titicaca, Copacabana and Sun Island:
$553
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La Paz City Tour - Fullday (FD):
$163
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La Paz and Moon Valley Half-Day Tour:
$55
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Private Tour: La Paz City Sightseeing and Moon Valley:
$66
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Private Tour: Lake Titicaca, Copacabana and Sun Island from La Paz:
$311
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Titicaca Touristic Bus from Copacabana to La Paz_Everyday_1:00 pm:
$12
Typical Entertainment prices in Machu Picchu
For Machu Picchu, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in Machu Picchu
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Machu Picchu.
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From Aguas Calientes: Machu Picchu Guided Tour:
$27
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Machu Picchu Admission Ticket:
$31
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Machu Picchu official entrance ticket:
$40
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Huaynapicchu mountain hike + Machu Picchu entrance ticket:
$40
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Private Guided Tour from Aguas Calientes:
$45
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Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu Admission Ticket:
$53
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Admission Ticket to Machu Picchu Ruin and Mountain:
$53
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Machu Picchu Ticket: Official Entrance Ticket:
$63
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Machu Picchu Official Ticket:
$68
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Machu Picchu Official Entrance Ticket:
$68
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Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu Entrance Ticket:
$85
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Machu Picchu And Huayna Picchu Morning Entrance Ticket:
$88
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Copacabana may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $9.36 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Machu Picchu, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $5.25.
Typical Alcohol prices in Copacabana
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Copacabana from other travelers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Copacabana and Machu Picchu, we can see that Machu Picchu is more expensive. And not only is Copacabana much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Copacabana would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Copacabana 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 Machu Picchu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Machu Picchu than you might in Copacabana.
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