Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Luang Prabang?
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 Luang Prabang or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Luang Prabang 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: Luang Prabang or Cusco?
Luang Prabang
Southeast Asia is a region full of mystical wonders and cultural charm, but nowhere is as charming as the city of Luang Prabang. As the former capital of Laos, Luang Prabang was reopened to tourism in 1989. With that move the city experienced an upswing in revenue and was able to restore and rebuild the beautiful colonial mansions to serve as guesthouses and hotels for the new swarm of tourists.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Laos, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Laos, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Luang Prabang Prices
Laos PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLuang Prabang $18Cusco $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Luang Prabang is $18, 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 Luang Prabang and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLuang Prabang $5.53Cusco $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLuang Prabang $11Cusco $50
Compare Hotels in Luang Prabang and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Luang Prabang 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: Luang Prabang Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Luang Prabang $2.04Cusco $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Luang Prabang
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Luang Prabang are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$2.28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Luang Prabang
Also for Luang Prabang, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Luang Prabang Private Airport transfers: $9.00
- Luang Prabang Private Transfers: Hotel -Railway Station - Airport: $9.60
- LPQ Airport: Private Transfer to/from Luang Prabang City: $20
- 2D Transfer to Huay Xai by Slow Boat: $60
- Luang Prabang 2 Day Slow Boat Transfer to Houay Xay: $70
- Luang Prabang 2 Days Private Tour with Airport Transfers: $165
- 2-Day Private Tour with Airport Transfers: $165
- Luang Prang 1 Day with Laos Railway Private Transfer: $180
- From 3-Day Oudomxay Town Trip with Transfers: $580
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:
- Ollantaytambo train station to Cuzco RoundTrip Private Transfer: $212
- Private Transfer from Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport to Valle Sagrado: $172
- Private Transfer from Valle Sagrado to Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport: $169
- Cuzco to Ollantaytambo Train Station - Departure Private Transfer: $106
- Ollantaytambo Train Station to Cuzco - Arrival Private Transfer: $106
- Transfer Cusco - Ollantaytambo train station: $95
- Private Transfer from Cusco Hotel, airport to Sacred Valley: $90
- Airport Cusco Transfers: $69
- Lake Humantay Full Day Trip with Transfers, Breakfast and Lunch: $42
- Cuzco city or airport to Ollantaytambo train station -Departure Private Transfer: $41
- Ollantaytambo train station to Cusco city - Arrival Transfer: $41
- Transfer Cusco to Urubamba: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Luang Prabang or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Luang Prabang 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 dayLuang Prabang $9.14Cusco $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Luang Prabang
For Luang Prabang, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Luang Prabang Local Market and Morning Food Tour with Drinks: $39
- The Namkhan - Kids Cooking Class: $40
- Day-time Bamboo weaving & Cooking Classes join-in: $44
- Bamboo Weaving Workshop & Cooking Class: $44
- Luangprabang: Dinner with Lao Traditional Dance Performance: $45
- Cooking Class at the Former Royal Palace: $45
- Mekong Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $45
- Prabang Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $45
- Laos: Prabang Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $46
- Mekong Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $46
- Mekong Sunset Cruise & Lao Tasting Dinner: $49
- Evening Cooking Class & Local Baci Ceremony: $51
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
- Bilingual Cooking Class with Pisco Cocktail in Cusco: $40
- Cusco Billingual Cooking Class at 6pm: $40
- Market-to-Table Peruvian Cooking Class and Cocktail in Cusco: $52
- Cusco Cooking Class by ChocoMuseo in Cusco: $54
- Cusco Cooking Class Adventure: $55
- Cooking Class in Sacred Valley 8 Recipes and Drinks: $55
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco: $65
- Cooking Class in Ollantaytambo: $68
- Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $69
- Cooking Class Peruvian Culinary Experience with Local Chefs: $70
- Best Cusco walking tour: dinner street food tasting: $74
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Luang Prabang $2.63Cusco $32
Tours and Activities in Luang Prabang
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Luang Prabang.
- Luang Prabang to Train Station Shared Minivan Ticket Or Private: $5.00
- Luang Prabang to Kuang Si Waterfalls Shared Minivan Ticket: $7.00
- Farm Tour and Buffalo Buffet Adventure: $9.00
- Laos Buffalo Dairy Tours Interact, Learn and Taste Fresh Flavors: $14
- Audio-Guided City Tour in Electric Car: $14
- Laos–China Railway: Easy Train Tickets, No Queues, No Worries: $28
- Natural Soap Making Experience - Luang Prabang: $28
- Luang Prabang Half Day Tour with Mekong River Sunset Cruise: $29
- Laos Railway: Train Tickets Easily - Skip the Lines - No worries: $30
- Small Group Half Day Luang Prabang city tour: $30
- Morning Alms Giving Ceremony and Local Market Experience: $31
- Afternoon Kuang Si Waterfalls & Sunset Cruise: $35
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 Rainbow Mountain Tour From Cusco: $60
- 1 Day Rainbow Mountain Walking Tour: $35
- 1 Day Sacred Valley Tour with Moray from Cusco: $61
- 1-Day Humantay Lake Tour From Cusco: $60
- 1-Day Tour Sacred Valley From Cusco: $120
- 2 Day Machu Picchu Tour by Car: $150
- 2 Day Machu Picchu by Car Tour Scenic Hike and Exploration: $130
- 2-Day Machu Picchu by Car Tour: $239
- 2-Day Private Tour Humantay Lake and Salkantay Pass: $199
- 2-Day Rainbow Mountain Tour with Hotel Stay: $185
- 2-Day Tour to Floating Islands and Puno From Cusco: $238
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLuang Prabang $1.76Cusco $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: $22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Luang Prabang and Cusco, we can see that Cusco is more expensive. And not only is Luang Prabang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Luang Prabang is in Asia 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 Luang Prabang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Luang Prabang 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 Cusco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cusco than you might in Luang Prabang.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Luang Prabang Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Luang Prabang or Cusco?
Cusco has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Luang Prabang. When comparing the sizes of Luang Prabang 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.