Should you visit Cuenca or Manaus?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Cuenca and Manaus. 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.
Cuenca
Cuenca is a vibrant colonial city in southern Ecuador, the third largest in the country, and the capital of Azuay Province. Cuenca is considered as Ecuador's most important and beautiful colonial city after Quito. Dating from the 16th century, Cuenca's historic center, a Unesco World Heritage Site with its trademark skyline of massive rotundas and soaring steeples, is a magical sight in which you will feel like you are moving back in time. Cuenca is the center of many craft traditions, including ceramics, metalwork and the internationally famous panama hat. The nearby villages also offer many other handicrafts. Tourists enjoy wandering the ancient streets discovering picturesque alleys and hidden corners, where nuns march along cobblestone streets and kids in Catholic-school uniforms skip past historic churches. Fascinating historic monuments and fabulous views are found at every turn. Cuenca also has outstanding art museums and festivals. For a rewarding cultural experience, visit during Easter to attend the Festival of Religious Music.
Manaus
Manaus is a Brazilian city, capital of the state of Amazonas, and is located on the Rio Negro a few miles before it meets the Rio Solimões to form the Amazon River. The city is a major departure point for those visiting the Amazon Rainforest, though there are a few sights worth seeing within the city itself as well.
Which city is cheaper, Manaus or Cuenca?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cuenca is $34, while the average daily cost in Manaus is $46. 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 Cuenca and Manaus in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $20 for a double occupancy room in Cuenca.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $66 in Manaus For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Food in Cuenca costs travelers about $12 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
Food in Manaus costs travelers about $9.72 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Cuenca $12
Manaus $9.72
Typical Food prices in Cuenca
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cuenca:
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Lunch
$10
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Snacks
$5.00
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Empanada
$1.50
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Hot Dog
$1.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cuenca
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cuenca.
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Cooking Class & Market Tour in Cuenca:
$55
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Cuenca City Tour & Cooking Class (PRIVATE Tour):
$95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manaus
For Manaus, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Folklore Themed Dinner - Jantar Folclórico Temático:
$42
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Cuenca is $8.60 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.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Manaus than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $6.22 on transportation in Manaus on average per day.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Cuenca
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cuenca:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cuenca
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cuenca:
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Transfer In Cuenca Airport - Hotel:
$25
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Private Transfer from Cuenca to Guayaquil.:
$83
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Private Transfer from Cuenca City Center to Madrid City Center:
$147
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Departure Private Transfer: Cuenca City to Cuenca Airport CUE by Minivan:
$74
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Cuenca to Guayaquil Transfer in Fantasy Bus:
$25
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Cuenca to Alausi Transfer in Fantasy Bus:
$25
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Cuenca Departure Transfer:
$15
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Cuenca Arrival Transfer:
$15
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Cuenca Airport Shuttle Transfer:
$19
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Arrival Private Transfer: Cuenca Airport CUE to Cuenca City by Minivan:
$74
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manaus
Also for Manaus, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Manaus Airport: 1-Hour Shared Transfer to Manaus Hotels:
$76
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Manaus Transfer/Sightseeing with an English Speaking Tour Guide:
$25
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Manaus Transfers:
$16
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Private Transfers in Manaus Amazon:
$30
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Shared Round-Trip Transfer: Eduardo Gomes International Airport:
$115
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Shared Transfer from Airport to hotels in Manaus:
$26
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Shared Transfer from hotels to Manaus airport:
$26
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Transfers from the airport to any place in Manaus City:
$40
Entertainment
Cuenca's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $13 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.
Tours and Activities in Cuenca
Here are a few actual costs in Cuenca for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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4-Day Magic Tour Cuenca, Alausi town, Baños, Quilotoa, Cotopaxi and Quito:
$675
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5-Day Rock Climbing Tour in Cojitambo, Paute, Girón, Cajas and Sayausi:
$400
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5-Day Trekking Rock, Climbing, Canyoning and Paragliding Tour:
$474
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BIKE TOUR "Descent of The Andes":
$59
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Baños Private Guided 4-day tour from Cuenca:
$691
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Biking Cuenca City Tour:
$45
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Biking and Walking City Tour Cuenca:
$30
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Birdwatching Tour in Cajas National Park from Cuenca:
$100
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Birdwatching Tour in Cajas National Park from Cuenca:
$100
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Birdwatching Tour in Giron and Yunguilla Jocotoco Reserve from Cuenca:
$129
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Birdwatching Tour in Tamarindo Tropical Forest area from Cuenca:
$130
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Birdwatching Tour in Via Sigsig,Chiguinda from Cuenca:
$130
Tours and Activities in Manaus
For Manaus, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Amazon Theater Tickets Delivered to Your Manaus Hotel:
$12
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Manaus walking tour:
$15
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Manaus Historic City Center Half-Day Walking Tour:
$20
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Like a Local Customized Guided Welcome Tour:
$30
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Like a Local Customized Guided Welcome Tour:
$31
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Amazon River Stand Up Paddling Tour:
$34
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Manaus City Tour:
$40
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Historical City Tour:
$40
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Botanical City Tour:
$50
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City Tour - The Best of Manaus:
$50
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Full-Day Tour on the Amazon River:
$55
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Amazon Negro River Half-Day Expedition Tour:
$55
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Cuenca may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $11 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typically, people visiting Manaus spend on average $2.22 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cuenca and Manaus, we can see that Manaus is more expensive. And not only is Cuenca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cuenca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cuenca 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 Manaus would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Manaus than you might in Cuenca.
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