A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Copacabana vs. Machu Picchu for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

South America / Comparisons /
Jump to  down-arrow

Should you visit Copacabana or Machu Picchu?

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 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, schedule, and interests. 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 $33, while the average daily cost in Machu Picchu is $79. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Copacabana and Machu Picchu in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Copacabana $8.79
    Machu Picchu $33
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Copacabana $18
    Machu Picchu $66

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Copacabana $11
    Machu Picchu $23

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Copacabana

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Copacabana:

  • 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:

  • 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Copacabana $14
    Machu Picchu $15
Typical Food prices in Copacabana

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


  • Lunch
    $3.61
  • Sandwich
    $1.15

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Copacabana $15
    Machu Picchu $58

Tours and Activities in Copacabana

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

  • 2-Day Moon & Sun Island Tour from La Paz: $147
  • 2-Day Private Tour from La Paz: Lake Titicaca, Copacabana and Sun Island: $553
  • La Paz City Tour - Fullday (FD): $163
  • La Paz and Moon Valley Half-Day Tour: $55
  • Private Tour: La Paz City Sightseeing and Moon Valley: $66
  • Private Tour: Lake Titicaca, Copacabana and Sun Island from La Paz: $311
  • 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:


  • Gardens of Mandor
    $2.64

Tours and Activities in Machu Picchu

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Machu Picchu.

  • From Aguas Calientes: Machu Picchu Guided Tour: $27
  • Machu Picchu Admission Ticket: $31
  • Huaynapicchu mountain hike + Machu Picchu entrance ticket: $40
  • Machu Picchu official entrance ticket: $40
  • Private Guided Tour from Aguas Calientes: $45
  • Admission Ticket to Machu Picchu Ruin and Mountain: $53
  • Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu Admission Ticket: $53
  • Machu Picchu Ticket: Official Entrance Ticket: $63
  • Machu Picchu Lost Citadel Official Ticket: $65
  • Machu Picchu Official Ticket: $68
  • Machu Picchu Official Entrance Ticket: $68
  • Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu Entrance Ticket: $85

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Copacabana $9.29
    Machu Picchu $5.37
Typical Alcohol prices in Copacabana

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Copacabana from other travelers:


  • Wine
    $2.88

About these numbers

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.

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
Sign Up

More City Comparisons
Recife vs. Copacabana
Recife vs. Machu Picchu
Fortaleza vs. Copacabana
Fortaleza vs. Machu Picchu
Puerto Iguazu vs. Copacabana
Puerto Iguazu vs. Machu Picchu
Mar del Plata vs. Copacabana
Mar del Plata vs. Machu Picchu
La Plata vs. Copacabana
La Plata vs. Machu Picchu
Buenos Aires, Argentina vs. Copacabana
Buenos Aires, Argentina vs. Machu Picchu
Asuncion vs. Copacabana
Asuncion vs. Machu Picchu
Salto vs. Copacabana
Salto vs. Machu Picchu
Punta del Este vs. Copacabana
Punta del Este vs. Machu Picchu
Piriapolis vs. Copacabana
Piriapolis vs. Machu Picchu
Montevideo vs. Copacabana
Montevideo vs. Machu Picchu
Colonia del Sacramento vs. Copacabana
Colonia del Sacramento vs. Machu Picchu
Sao Paulo vs. Copacabana
Sao Paulo vs. Machu Picchu
Salvador vs. Copacabana
Salvador vs. Machu Picchu
Share This Page
Pin This Page
Copacabana vs. Machu Picchu Travel Comparison

Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.