Which place is cheaper, Easter Island or Cusco?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cusco or Easter Island?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Cusco or Easter Island, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Cusco or Easter Island?
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.
Easter Island
Although Easter Island is considered a territory of Chile, it is actually located far out in the Pacific, almost halfway to Tahiti. Easter Island is well known, despite being one of the most isolated islands on Earth, because of the mysterious giant stone busts which date back centuries. There are 887 monumental statues, called moai, that were built by the Rapa Nui people. There remains much mystery around the historic Polynesian culture which created the stones, as well as the specific meaning for them.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCusco $51Easter Island $80
The average daily cost (per person) in Cusco is $51, while the average daily cost in Easter Island is $80. 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 Cusco and Easter Island in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCusco $23Easter Island $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCusco $46Easter Island $88
Compare Hotels in Cusco and Easter Island
Looking for a hotel in Cusco or Easter Island? 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.
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: Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cusco $10Easter Island $2.59
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cusco
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cusco:
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Taxi Ride$1.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Transfers in Cusco: $6.00
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo from Urubamba: $36
- Transfer from Cusco to Ollantaytambo: $40
- Transfer from Cusco city to the airport: $10
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Hotel (Cusco): $17
- Transfer Hotel to Airport in Cusco | Private Service |: $10
- Transfer From Airport to Cusco Center Hotels: $25
- Transfer Cusco to Sacred Valley of the Incas: $36
- Transfer Cusco to Poroy: $20
- Transfer Cusco Airport to your Hotel in Cusco: $10
- Transfer Cusco Airport to Hotel in Cusco (Round trip): $20
- Transfer Between Cusco's Airport and City Hotels: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into Cusco or Easter Island?
Prices for flights to both Easter Island and Cusco 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
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Food Meals for one dayCusco $13Easter Island $25
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.17
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Mango$0.54
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- Folkloric Andean Show & 3-Course Dinner at Tunupa: $15
- Small-Group Virtual Peruvian Cooking Experience: $25
- 3-Hour Peruvian Cooking Class: $49
- Cusco Tunupa Restaurant Folk Show with Dinner : $49
- Cusco Cooking Class by ChocoMuseo in Cusco: $50
- Market Tour & Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $53
- Fully hands-on High End Peruvian Cooking Class & San Pedro Market Guided Visit: $55
- Vegetarian Cooking Class, Local Market Tour in Cusco: $59
- Peruvian Cooking Class and Local Market in Cusco: $59
- Cusco Cooking Classes and San Pedro Market Tour: $59
- Peruvian Cooking Class and Local Market Tour: $63
- Peruvian Cooking Class & Market Tour: $65
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Easter Island
For Easter Island, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner, Show and Traditional Curanto Te Ra'ai Cultural Experience: $120
- Rapa Nui Dinner Show on Easter Island: $153
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cusco $29Easter Island $40
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Cusco are as follows:
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Salsa Class$2.71
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- ATV Tour to Moray, Maras and Salar in the Sacred Valley of the Incas: $42
- City tour of Cusco by E-BIKE: $131
- Cusco City Tour I Half-Day: $28
- Half- Day City Tour Cusco : $150
- Moray salt mines ATV Tours (Cuatrimotos) : $60
- Night Tour in Cusco Private Service: $90
- Official Machupicchu Ticket: $96
- Official Ticket Football Day tour In Cusco with Tourism Guide: $100
- Official Ticket- Machu Picchu Lost Citadel: $72
- Private Tour to Sacred Valley Full Day from Cusco: $130
- Rainbow Mountain Full-Day | Group Tour |: $26
- Ticket To Machu Picchu + Machu Picchu Mountain : $89
Typical Entertainment Prices in Easter Island
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Easter Island's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Bike Rental$8.38
Tours and Activities in Easter Island
For Easter Island, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day Tour in Rapa Nui: $70
- Full Day Hotu Matua Tour from Vaihu to Anakena: $70
- Easter Island Moai Dining Experience: $90
- Orongo, Ahu Vinapu and Rano Kau Half Day Tour: $91
- Easter Island Moai Archaeology Tour: Ahu Akivi, Ahu Tahai and Puna Pauâ Quarry.: $91
- Full Day Tour in Rapa Nui National Park, Easter Island: $97
- Private Sunrise Tour at 15 Moai Tongariki Park: $120
- Full day tour - DREAM: $120
- The Rapa Nui Stargazing Experience : $125
- Private Tour: Tongariki Sunrise Experience: $125
- Tour to the Motus: Boat trip and snorkeling in Rapa Nui: $149
- Rapa Nui: Private Tour "The Legend of the BirdMan": $150
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCusco $9.56Easter Island $5.34
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 Cusco and Easter Island, we can see that Easter Island is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Easter Island would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Easter Island 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 Cusco Expensive? and Is Easter Island Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cusco or Easter Island?
Cusco has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Easter Island. When comparing the sizes of Cusco and Easter Island, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.