Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Isla Mujeres?
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 Isla Mujeres or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Isla Mujeres and Cusco. 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Isla Mujeres or Cusco?
Isla Mujeres
About eight miles from the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Isla Mujeres is an island in the Mexican Caribbean Sea. The town, of the same name, has a population of about 13,000. Tourism has grown in the area since the 1970s and today it is a significant part of the island's economy. As such, there are plenty of amenities that cater specifically to visitors. The island's proximity to Cuba make it a common transit point for Cubans in route to the United States.
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 Historical Tours in Mexico, The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Isla Mujeres Prices
Mexico PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIsla Mujeres $164Cusco $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Isla Mujeres is $164, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $64. 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 Isla Mujeres and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIsla Mujeres $71Cusco $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIsla Mujeres $142Cusco $48
Compare Hotels in Isla Mujeres and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Isla Mujeres 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: Isla Mujeres Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Isla Mujeres $32Cusco $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Isla Mujeres
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Isla Mujeres:
- Punta Sam / Isla Blanca to Cancún Airport (CUN)- Departure Private Transfer: $63
- Cancun–Ferry Round-Trip + Hotel Transfer: $75
- Private Transfer: Playa Mujeres to Cancun Airport CUN in SUV: $136
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:
- One-Way Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $7.00
- One-Way Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $7.00
- One-Way Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $9.00
- Cusco Airport Pickup and Transfer: $9.00
- Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $9.18
- Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $9.50
- Pickup from Cusco airport and transfer to your hotel in Private vehicle: $9.52
- Private transfers from Cuzco Airport to Hotels and Sacred Valley: $10
- Private Shuttle Transfer from Cusco Airport (CUZ) to Hotels in Cusco: $10
- Peru Cusco Airport (CUZ) Private Transfer to Cusco City: $10
- Private Transfer from Airport to Hotel in the City of Cusco: $12
- One-way transfer from the Airport to the Hotel - Cusco: $13
Is it cheaper to fly into Isla Mujeres or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Isla Mujeres 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 dayIsla Mujeres $72Cusco $24
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Isla Mujeres $19Cusco $31
Tours and Activities in Isla Mujeres
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Isla Mujeres are as follows:
- Chill at -18°C Isla Mujeres Ice Bar (tickets): $25
- Excursion Crystal Boat Tour at the Caribbean: $29
- Tour Isla Mujeres excursion in Collective Transparent Boat: $38
- Crystal Boat Tour to Isla Mujeres and Reefs: $39
- Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Adventure at the Underwater Museum: $52
- Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Tour Adventure: $53
- Snorkel Tour at Musa and Manchones Reef: $55
- Transparent Boat Tour from Isla Mujeres: $60
- UNDER WATER MUSEUM CANCUN SNORKEL ISLA MUJERES - Experience with Ticket: $65
- Airboat Adventure: $80
- Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Tour: $84
- 3 Hours VIP Semiprivate Tour Isla Mujeres Full Snorkeling Experience : $84
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:
- Cultural & Historic Walking Tour with Local Drinks: $10
- Cusco Walking tour and Koricancha Temple of the inkas tour: $10
- City Tour Cusco: $12
- City Tour - Lugares destacado en Cusco + Experiencia Fotográfica: $12
- City tour in Cusco.: $14
- From City Tour Including Sacsayhuamán and Tambomachay: $14
- City Tour Half Day Templo of the Sun, Sacsayhuaman y Qenqo: $14
- City Tour Half Day Tour with Sacsayhuaman and Q’enqo: $15
- Half-Day City Tour with Sacsayhuaman and Qenqo: $15
- From Half Day City Tour : $15
- City Tour Cusco in Panoramic Bus Daily Departures: $15
- Half-Day City Tour of Cusco Including Tambomachay: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIsla Mujeres $23Cusco $10
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Isla Mujeres and Cusco, we can see that Isla Mujeres is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Isla Mujeres is in North America and Cusco is in South 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 Isla Mujeres would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Isla Mujeres 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 Isla Mujeres Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Isla Mujeres or Cusco?
Cusco has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Isla Mujeres. When comparing the sizes of Isla Mujeres 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.