Which place is cheaper, Portland or Cusco?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Cusco or Portland?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Cusco or Portland, 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 Portland?
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.
Portland
Referred to as "The City of Roses", Portland is the largest city in Oregon. It sits on the banks of the Columbia River and offers breathtaking views of Mount Hood when the weather allows. Portland is famous for its alternative vibe, live music scene, and popular microbreweries. It's also a mecca for environmentally conscious urban planning. The downtown area is quite compact and walkable. While the city itself may be smaller than you expect, it is still the largest metropolitan area between San Francisco and Seattle.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America, and The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America.
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Cusco Prices
Peru PricesPortland Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCusco $64Portland $211
The average daily cost (per person) in Cusco is $64, while the average daily cost in Portland is $211. 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 Portland in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCusco $24Portland $97
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCusco $48Portland $194
Compare Hotels in Cusco and Portland
Looking for a hotel in Cusco or Portland? 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 and Portland Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cusco $11Portland $28
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$1.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo to/from Urubamba: $32
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo from Cusco: $51
- Transfer to Cusco Airport: $15
- Transfer from Cusco to Ollantaytambo: $40
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Sacred Valley: $30
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to Your Hotel: $25
- Transfer From Cusco Airport: $15
- Transfer Cusco_Ollantaytambo or vice versa with city tour and Pisac: $140
- Transfer Cusco Airport to Hotel in Cusco (Round trip): $20
- Transfer Cusco Airport - Hotel or vice versa.: $20
- Soraypampa Transfer from Cusco with Breakfast: $26
- Scenic Journey from Cusco to Puno by Bus Including Hotel Transfers: $128
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Portland
Also for Portland, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Arrival Transfer from Portland Airport PDX: $40
- Private Departure Transfer to Portland Airport (PDX): $40
- Portland Airport (PDX) to Beaverton hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- Beaverton hotel to Portland Airport (PDX) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Portland Airport (PDX) to Tigard hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- Tigard hotel or address to Portland Airport (PDX) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Portland Airport (PDX) to Lake Oswego - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- Lake Oswego to Portland Airport (PDX) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Portland Airport (PDX) to Portland downtown - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $91
- Portland Airport (PDX) to Beaverton hotel - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $91
- Portland Airport (PDX) to Tigard hotel or address - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $91
- Portland Airport (PDX) to Lake Oswego - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $91
Is it cheaper to fly into Cusco or Portland?
Prices for flights to both Portland 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 $24Portland $74
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.29
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Mango$0.57
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- Cooking Class Lomo Saltado Pisco Sour y Papa a la Huancaina: $40
- Pete's Peruvian Cooking Class: $52
- Cusco Cooking Classes and San Pedro Market Tour: $55
- Hands-on High End Peruvian Cooking Class & San Pedro Market Visit: $57
- Peruvian Cooking Class in Sacred Valley: $59
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market in Cusco: $59
- Peruvian Cooking Class and Local Market in Cusco: $59
- Cooking Class in Ollantaytambo: $68
- Best Cusco walking tour: dinner street food tasting: $74
- Curious Monkey Cusco- Market and Streets, Walking Food Tour: $75
- The 10 Tastings of Cusco With Locals: Private Food Tour : $90
- Cusco Cooking Class with San Pedro Market Tour: $92
Typical Food Prices in Portland
For Portland, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Afternoon Drinks (for 2)$9.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Portland
For Portland, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Walking Food Tour – Warm Donuts & History: $57
- Walking Pizza Tour: $75
- Pasta Making Cooking Class at a Local Brewery: $75
- Westside Food Tour Like a Local: $90
- Secret Food Tour with Local Guide: $102
- Portland Downtown Food Tour: 6 Tastings of Local & Global Flavors: $109
- Alphabet District Food Tour: $119
- 2.5-hour Dinner Cruise on Willamette River: $127
- Willamette River 2.5-hour Dinner Cruise: $127
- All-Inclusive Downtown Portland Food Tour: $128
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cusco $31Portland $25
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$2.87
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- 1 Day Rainbow Mountain Tour From Cusco: $45
- Cusco Plaza De Armas Tour: $45
- Cusco city wolking tour : $35
- Day Tour to Maras Moray and Salt Flats from Cusco: $59
- Full Day Tour of Laguna Humantay: $45
- Half-Day Private Tour to Maras and Moray: $111
- Official Ticket- Machu Picchu Lost Citadel: $77
- Private Service - Cusco City Tour: $69
- Private Tour to Sacred Valley Full Day from Cusco: $120
- Rainbow Mountain 1 day Tour : $34
- Salineras Tour of Maras, Moray and Sacred Valley of the Incas: $52
- Ticket To Machu Picchu + Machu Picchu Mountain : $89
Tours and Activities in Portland
For Portland, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Downtown Portland's Outdoor Sculptures: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
- Portland (Downtown) Scavenger Hunt & Self-Guided Tour: $7.69
- Portland Oregon Ghost Tour Paranormal Portland Ghost Tour: $15
- Lan Su Chinese Garden General Admission Ticket: $16
- Mount Hood Loop Scenic Drive Self Guided Audio Tour: $17
- Hopscotch Portland Immersive Art Experience: $24
- Portland Ghost Tours: Punishment, Penance & Poltergeists: $24
- Portland Party Bike Tours: The Classic Crawl - Public: $25
- Intro to Portland Small Group Walking Tour: $29
- Portland, Oregon: Soul of the City Walking Tour: $29
- Ultimate Dead of Night Walking Ghost Tour: $30
- Phantoms, Penance, and Poltergeists: Portland Ghost Tour: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCusco $10Portland $17
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: Cusco Bar Hopping Experience : $19
- Cusco Pub Crawl: Bar Tour, Drinks And Club with no waiting lines: $19
Sample the Local Flavors in Portland
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Portland:
- Power Through Portland Bar Crawl: $12
- Private or Shared Party Bike Pub Crawl: $25
- Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $30
- Oregon Priority Wine Tasting Pass: $40
- Haunted Underground Shanghai Tunnel Tour with Brewery Tastings: $48
- Guided Bike Tour with Brewery Visits: $65
- Fun Pasta Making Class at a Local Brewery in Portland: $75
- Fun Sushi Making Class at a Local Brewery in Portland: $75
- Sushi Making Class at a Local Brewery: $75
- Portland, Maine: Old Port Brewery & Pub Walking Tour: $99
- Portland, Maine: Local Brewery & Spirits Bus Tour: $99
- Urban Wine Tasting Tour: $139
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cusco and Portland, we can see that Portland is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cusco is in South America and Portland is in North 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 Portland would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Portland 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 Portland Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cusco or Portland?
Portland has a larger population, and is about 73% larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Cusco and Portland, 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.