Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Guayaquil?
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 Guayaquil or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Guayaquil or Cusco, 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: Guayaquil or Cusco?
Guayaquil
Guayaquil is Ecuador's largest city and seaport. From a tourist perspective, the city acts primarily as a transportation gateway to the country and the Galapagos Islands. While the city can be skipped altogether, should you have a free day to spend here, there are a few noteworthy things to do, as well as some terrific dining and nightlife options. Guayaquil’s main tourist attraction is Las Penas, a hill with old, colorfully painted buildings at the north end of the Malecon, where you can walk the 400 steps to the lighthouse at the top for good views of the city. The neighborhood is filled with cafes, bars, restaurants, and art galleries and is relatively safe. Other important sights include the Malecon 2000, a massive urban development project that has brought new life to the riverside in the city center and the Parque Seminario, filled with fountains, trees and iguanas, located at 10 de Agosto Ave and Chile Ave.
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 G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Guayaquil Prices
Ecuador PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGuayaquil $116Cusco $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Guayaquil is $116, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $66. 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 Guayaquil and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGuayaquil $32Cusco $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGuayaquil $64Cusco $50
Compare Hotels in Guayaquil and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Guayaquil 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: Guayaquil Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Guayaquil $15Cusco $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guayaquil
Also for Guayaquil, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Guayaquil Airport to Hotel or vice versa: $13
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $17
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $18
- Guayaquil Airport (GYE) to Guayaquil hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $19
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $20
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport.: $20
- Guayaquil Airport (GYE) to Guayaquil hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $38
- Shared transfer from Hotel to Airport in Guayaquil: $43
- Private Transfer Guayaquil Airport GYE to Guayaquil by Car or Van: $48
- Departure Private Transfer: Guayaquil City to Guayaquil Airport: $48
- Private Transfer from Guayaquil to Cuenca: $104
- Private Transfer from Guayaquil city hotels to Manta Cruise Port: $231
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$1.18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cusco HTL-APT (CUZ): $18
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo to/from Urubamba: $41
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo from Cusco: $75
- Transfer from hotel in Cusco to Airport Velasco Astete.: $12
- Transfer from Cusco to Ollantaytambo: $40
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Sacred Valley: $30
- Transfer From Cusco Airport: $15
- Transfer Cusco to Urubamba: $40
- Transfer Cusco to Sacred Valley of the Incas: $36
- Transfer Cusco to Poroy: $20
- Transfer Cusco Airport to Hotel in Cusco Round Trip: $22
- Transfer Cusco Airport to Hotel in Cusco (Round trip): $20
Is it cheaper to fly into Guayaquil or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Guayaquil 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 dayGuayaquil $50Cusco $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guayaquil
For Guayaquil, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Half Day of Cooking and Chocolate at Cocoa Farm from Guayaquil: $175
- Gastronomic workshop tour, live cooking, Learn about the Ecuadorian culinary art: $180
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.35
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Mango$0.59
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- Short Peruvian Cooking Class by Pete: $30
- Cusco Tunupa Restaurant Folk Show with Dinner: $32
- Bilingual Cooking Class with Pisco Cocktail in Cusco: $40
- Cusco Billingual Cooking Class at 6pm: $40
- Cooking Class: Lomo Saltado, Papa Huancaina & Pisco Sour in Cusco: $51
- Market-to-Table Peruvian Cooking Class and Cocktail in Cusco: $52
- Cusco Cooking Class by ChocoMuseo in Cusco: $54
- Cooking Class in Sacred Valley 8 Recipes and Drinks: $55
- Cusco Cooking Class Adventure: $55
- Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class and Market Tour in Cusco: $57
- Cusco Food Tour: Andean Cuisine & City Tour: $63
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco: $65
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Guayaquil $21Cusco $32
Tours and Activities in Guayaquil
For Guayaquil, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Guayaquil City Tour Including the Light House of Cerro Santa Ana: $70
- Guayaquil to Cuenca one-way tour with Cajas Park and a Cacao Farm visit: $74
- Private Guayaquil City Tour: $77
- Half Day Guayaquil Historical Tour and Cocoa Culinary Experience: $85
- Guayaquil Cocktail Tasting Tour: $95
- Private Guayaquil City Tour and Parque Historico: $95
- Guayaquil Experience - Premium City Tour: $95
- Choco-Culture City Tour & Cacao Museum: $99
- Half Day Walking Tour of Guayaquil Pearl of the Pacific: $100
- Guayaquil´s Night Tour with Drinks at FrutaBar: $105
- Guayaquil Layover Sightseeing Tour with Round-Trip Airport Transport: $120
- Half Day Guayaquil City and Cacao Farm Tour: $135
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$2.94
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- 1 Day Ausangate 7 Lagoons Hiking Tour & Hot Springs: $59
- 1 Day Palcoyo 7-Color Mountain Hiking Tour: $45
- 1 Day Rainbow Mountain Tour From Cusco: $60
- 1 Day Sacred Valley Tour with Moray from Cusco: $61
- 1 Day Sacred Valley VIP Tour from Cusco: $100
- 1 Day Tour to Palccoyo (Alternative Rainbow Mtn) from Cusco, Peru: $154
- 1-Day Tour Rainbow Mountain from Cusco: $190
- 1-Day Tour Sacred Valley From Cusco: $120
- 2 Day Machu Picchu Tour by Car: $150
- 2 Days Machu Picchu Tour by Car: $169
- 2 days 1 night - Machupicchu by bus tour: $220
- 2-Day Group Tour: Cusco City Tour & Sacred Valley of the Incas: $129
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGuayaquil $17Cusco $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Guayaquil
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Guayaquil:
- Wine Tasting Experience with Tasting Menu: $65
Sample the Local Flavors in Cusco
Also in Cusco, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Discover Cusco Nightlife with Bar Crawl Cusco: $16
- Cusco Pub Crawl: Cusco Bar Hopping Experience: $22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guayaquil and Cusco, we can see that Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Guayaquil or Cusco?
Guayaquil has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Guayaquil 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.