A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Manchester vs. Cusco for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Manchester or Cusco?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Manchester and Cusco can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Manchester or Cusco?

Manchester

Located in the heart of Northern England, Manchester is the unofficial Capital of the North. Though it dates back as a Roman city, the city boomed in growth during the Industrial Revolution in textiles, and is today one of the most-visited cities in England by overseas travelers.

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 2-Week Tours from Edinburgh, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United Kingdom, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.


Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Manchester?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Manchester is £184, while the average daily cost in Cusco is £40. 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 Manchester and Cusco in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Manchester £71
    Cusco £18
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Manchester £142
    Cusco £36
Compare Hotels in Manchester and Cusco

Looking for a hotel in Manchester 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.

Hotels in Manchester


Hotels in Cusco


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: Manchester Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Manchester £19
    Cusco £7.90
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Manchester

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Manchester are as follows:


  • Rail to Airport
    £11
  • Parking in Manchester
    £3.00

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manchester

Also for Manchester, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • 1-Wsy Airport Bus Transfer to/from Leeds: $6.89
  • Manchester Airport: BUS Transfer to/from London: $8.16
  • Southampton Airport: BUS Transfer to/from Manchester: $8.16
  • Manchester Airport to Lake District Ski Club - Arrival Transfer: $44
  • Private Transfer from Manchester Airport (MAN) to Alderley Edge: $52
  • Private Transfer from Manchester Airport (MAN) to Stockport: $52
  • Private Transfer from Manchester Airport (MAN) to Adlington (Macclesfield): $52
  • Private Transfer from Manchester Airport (MAN) to Eccles: $57
  • Private Transfer from Partington to Manchester Airport (MAN): $57
  • Private Transfer from Cadishead to Manchester Airport (MAN): $58
  • Private Transfer from Salford to Manchester Airport (MAN): $58
  • Private Transfer from Salford Quays to Manchester Airport (MAN): $58

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cusco

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cusco:


  • Taxi Ride
    £0.85

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
  • Direct Private Transfer From Cusco to Puno, English Local Speaking Driver: $205
  • Private Transfer from Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport to Valle Sagrado : $159
  • Ollantaytambo train station to Cuzco RoundTrip Private Transfer: $151
  • Transfer Cusco_Ollantaytambo or vice versa with city tour and Pisac: $140
  • 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
  • Cuzco to Ollantaytambo Train Station - Departure Private Transfer: $75
  • Cuzco city or airport to Ollantaytambo train station -Departure Private Transfer: $68

Is it cheaper to fly into Manchester or Cusco?

Prices for flights to both Cusco and Manchester 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Manchester £55
    Cusco £10

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manchester

For Manchester, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $30
  • Pistachio LOVERS Italian Dinner Experience: $44
  • Manchester Food Tour with a Local Guide: $94
  • Half-Day Manchester Food Tour with Lunch: $95
  • 3-Hour Guided Manchester Food Tour with Lunch : $95
  • Private Food Tour with Local Guide: $199

Typical Food Prices in Cusco

Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:


  • Sandwich
    £1.70
  • Mango
    £0.43

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
  • Folkloric Andean Show & 3-Course Dinner at Tunupa: $35
  • CUSCO COOKING CLASS LUNCH - Quick Culinary Dive: $37
  • 3-Hour Peruvian Cooking Class: $49
  • Market Tour & Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $53
  • Cooking Class and market tour with a local chef: $56
  • Peruvian Cooking Class and Local Market in Cusco: $59
  • Dinner at Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba Hotel: $65
  • Peruvian Market Tour And Cooking Class in Cusco: $65
  • Peruvian Cooking Class, Cocktails & Local Market Tour: $65
  • Peruvian Cooking Class & Market Tour: $65
  • Awamaki Cooking Class: $68

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Manchester £30
    Cusco £23

Tours and Activities in Manchester

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Manchester.

  • Manchester Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $4.37
  • Manchester City Exploration Game and Tour: $5.38
  • Manchester’s Rebirth and Renewal: A Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • England's First Industrial City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
  • Manchester Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $11
  • Private Manchester Self-Guided Tour: $11
  • Self-Guided City Sightseeing Treasure Hunt: $13
  • Salford Quays Guided Walking Tour: $13
  • Canal & River Cruise: $15
  • City River Tour: $15
  • LGBT+ Manchester Walking Tour: $17

Typical Entertainment Prices in Cusco

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Cusco are as follows:


  • Salsa Class
    £2.13

Tours and Activities in Cusco

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:

  • 2 Day Pisac Ollantaytambo Salt flats Moray Sacred Valley Tour: $297
  • City Tour Cusco / Tour in the City: $12
  • City tour of Cusco by E-BIKE: $131
  • Colorful mountain adventure with a slightly steep hike: $48
  • Half- Day City Tour Cusco : $150
  • Moray saltmines ATV (Cuatrimotos) Tour: $68
  • 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
  • Private Tour to Sacred Valley Full Day from Cusco: $130
  • Sacred Valley Tour in Cusco : $47

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Manchester £9.90
    Cusco £7.50

Sample the Local Flavors in Manchester

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Manchester:

  • Bar Maid-led Pub Crawl for Special Events: $48
  • Four hour walking wine tasting tour of Manchester's best bars: $102

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 Manchester and Cusco, we can see that Manchester is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Manchester is in Europe 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 Manchester would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Manchester 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 Manchester Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Manchester or Cusco?

Manchester has a larger population, and is about 27% larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Manchester 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.