Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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: Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Cusco?
Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Lake Titicaca, which directly translates to "puma stone" in Quechua, is located high in the Andes Mountains straddling Peru and Bolivia, with about 60% of the lake in Peru and 40% in Bolivia. Among the lake are three main islands, the most popular of which are the Uros Islands, also known as the floating islands, where the Uros people live on totora reeds that grow in the lake.
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 Photography Tours in Peru, The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru, The Best Luxury Tours to Peru, and The Best Budget Tours to Peru.
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Lake Titicaca (Puno) Prices
Peru PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLake Titicaca (Puno) $72Cusco $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Lake Titicaca (Puno) is $72, 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLake Titicaca (Puno) $28Cusco $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLake Titicaca (Puno) $56Cusco $50
Compare Hotels in Lake Titicaca (Puno) and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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: Lake Titicaca (Puno) Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lake Titicaca (Puno) $11Cusco $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
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Taxi$0.88
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
- Puno Arrival Transfer from bus or railway Station: $14
- Juliaca Airport Shared Transfer to/from Puno: $20
- Private Transfer from Hotel Puno to Puerto de Puno: $23
- Private Transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno Plaza de Armas: $40
- Private Transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno or Viceversa: $52
- Private transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno or Viceversa: $52
- Private transfer airport-puno-viceverse: $60
- Private Transfer from Inca Manco Capac (JUL) Airport to Puno: $96
- Private Transfer from Puno to Frontera Kasani: $219
- Private Transfer From Puno to Chivay, English Speaking Driver: $227
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:
- One-Way Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $7.00
- One-Way Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $7.00
- Cusco Airport Pick-Up – Private Transfer to Your Hotel: $7.50
- Private Transfer: Airport - Hotel in Cusco/Sacred Valley or VV: $9.00
- Private Transfer from your Hotel in Cusco to the Airport: $9.46
- Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $9.50
- Pickup from Cusco airport and transfer to your hotel in Private vehicle: $9.52
- Transfer Cusco Airport - Hotel or Train Station: $12
- Transfer from hotel in Cusco to Airport Velasco Astete.: $12
- One-way transfer from the Airport to the Hotel - Cusco: $13
- Private Transfer: Cusco Hotel to Airport: $15
- Cusco Private Airport Transfer Arrival Departure or Round Trip: $15
Is it cheaper to fly into Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 dayLake Titicaca (Puno) $29Cusco $25
Typical Food Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
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Tamales$1.62
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.
- Bilingual Cooking Class with Pisco Cocktail in Cusco: $40
- 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
- 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
- Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $69
- Cusco Street Food Tour and Pisco Tasting Experience: $69
- Cooking Class Peruvian Culinary Experience with Local Chefs: $70
- Cusco Authentic Food Tour with 9 Locals Favorites Tastings: $76
- Cusco Tour at Night: Planetarium, Dinner & Pisco Sour: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lake Titicaca (Puno) $32Cusco $32
Tours and Activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
- Uros Floating Island Tour: $10
- Half Day Tour Floating Islands of Uros Puno: $11
- Half-Day Tour to the Floating Islands of Uros: $14
- 3-Hour Uros Floating Islands Tour from Puno: $18
- Half Day Tour to Sillustani from Puno: $22
- Morning: Uros Floating Islands Tour from Puno: $25
- Lake Titicaca Uros Floating Islands Half-Day Tour: $25
- Sillustani Tours: $26
- Chullpas de Sillustani Inca Cemetery Tour by Tourist Bus: $26
- 4h Tour to Sillustani Inca Tombs from Puno: $28
- Sillustani Tombs Half Day Tour from Puno: $28
- Tour to Uros and Taquile Islands in a Fast Boat: $33
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:
- Half Day Walking Tour of Cusco: $4.00
- City Tour - Cusco: $10
- Cochahuasi Animal Sanctuary® Admission Ticket: $10
- Discover Cusco with Guided Walking Tour: $10
- Half-Day Cusco City Tour – Explore History, Culture & Inca Ruins: $12
- City Tour Cusco: $12
- City Tour - Lugares destacado en Cusco + Experiencia Fotográfica: $12
- City Tour in Cusco with visit South American camelids: $12
- Cusco City Tour in Half Day: $13
- Historic Walking Tour with Pisco Sour and Local Music: $14
- City tour in Cusco.: $14
- Half-Day City Tour of Cusco: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLake Titicaca (Puno) $14Cusco $10
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: Bar Tour, Drinks And Club with no waiting lines: $23
When comparing the travel costs between Lake Titicaca (Puno) and Cusco, we can see that Lake Titicaca (Puno) is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lake Titicaca (Puno) Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Cusco?
Cusco has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Lake Titicaca (Puno). When comparing the sizes of Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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.