Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Fortaleza?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Fortaleza or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Fortaleza and Cusco can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Fortaleza or Cusco?
Fortaleza
A major city on Brazil's northeastern coast and the capital city of Ceara state, Fortaleza is best characterized by its city landscape lined with beaches and palm trees. It also features some great seafood as well as long-standing folk traditions in culture and dance.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Brazil, The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFortaleza $69Cusco $51
The average daily cost (per person) in Fortaleza is $69, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $51. 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 Fortaleza and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFortaleza $30Cusco $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFortaleza $60Cusco $46
Compare Hotels in Fortaleza and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Fortaleza or Cusco? 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: Fortaleza Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Fortaleza $21Cusco $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fortaleza
Also for Fortaleza, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer leaving from the Fortaleza waterfront to Beach Park: $9.03
- Shared Airport Transfer to Fortaleza Hotels: $9.63
- Transfer to Beach Park: $12
- Beach Park Round-Trip Transfer: $13
- Pinto Martins Airport (FOR) to Fortaleza-Arrival Private Transfer: $16
- Fortaleza Airport (FOR) to Fortaleza - Arrival Private Transfer: $16
- Beach Park Transfer from Fortaleza: $16
- Roundtrip transfer from Pinto Martins Airport to Hotels in Fortaleza: $18
- Private Transfer from Fortaleza (FOR) Airport to Fortaleza City: $25
- Private transfer: Fortaleza International Airport (FOR) to Fortaleza: $26
- Transfer from Fortaleza to Jericoacoara: $29
- Fortaleza to/from Jericoacoara Transfer: $29
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:
- From 2-Day Guided Trip to Machu Picchu with Transfers: $350
- Full-Day Trip to Machu Picchu with Hotel Transfers: $290
- Private Transfer From Cusco To Puno With 2 Sightseeing Hours: $249
- Private Transfer from Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport to Valle Sagrado : $159
- Private Transfer from Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport to Ollantaytambo: $141
- Ollantaytambo train station to Cuzco city or airport- Roundtrip Private Transfer: $135
- Puno Bus Transfer with Buffet Lunch: $109
- Private City Tour and Saksaywaman Visit with Transfer: $80
- Ollantaytambo Train Station to Cuzco - Arrival Private Transfer: $75
- Airport Cusco Transfers: $69
- Cuzco city or airport to Ollantaytambo train station -Departure Private Transfer: $68
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo Cusco Peru: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Fortaleza or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Fortaleza 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 dayFortaleza $24Cusco $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Fortaleza
For Fortaleza, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Thematic Show with Rotation of Pizzas in Aquiraz: $28
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.
- Small-Group Virtual Ceviche Cooking Experience: $25
- 3-Hour Peruvian Cooking Class: $49
- Pete's Peruvian Cooking Class: $52
- Market Tour & Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $53
- CUSCO COOKING CLASS DINNER - Short & Immersive Cooking Class: $53
- Cooking Class and market tour with a local chef: $56
- Vegetarian Cooking Class, Local Market Tour in Cusco: $57
- 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
- Curious Monkey Cusco- Market and Streets, Walking Food Tour: $70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Fortaleza $15Cusco $29
Tours and Activities in Fortaleza
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Fortaleza.
- Full Day Tour to Cumbuco From Fortaleza: $11
- Cumbuco Beach Tour: $12
- 3 Beaches in 1 Day Tour Leaving Fortaleza: $13
- Tour 3 beaches in 1 day: $14
- Águas Belas Tour: $15
- Cumbuco Beach with City Tour from Fortaleza: $16
- Lagoinha Beach Tour: $17
- One Day Bus Tour of Fortaleza and Cumbuco Beach: $18
- Canoe Quebrada Full Day Tour - Departure from Fortaleza by Vitorino Turismo: $19
- Canoa Quebrada Beach Tour with Nettour: $20
- The colorful sands of Morro Branco beach - Full Day Tour: $22
- Tour 3 Beaches in 1 day (Morro Branco, Praia das Fontes and Canoa Quebrada): $22
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:
- 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
- Rainbow Mountain Full-Day | Group Tour |: $26
- Rainbow Mountain With ATV's ,Quad Bikes (Afternoon Tour): $85
- Ticket To Machu Picchu + Machu Picchu Mountain : $89
- Tour a la montaña de 7 colores vinicunca 1 dia: $48
- Tour de 1 dià a la montaña de colores : $47
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFortaleza $9.97Cusco $9.56
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 Fortaleza and Cusco, we can see that Fortaleza 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 Fortaleza would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fortaleza 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 Fortaleza Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Fortaleza or Cusco?
Fortaleza has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Fortaleza and Cusco, 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.