Which place is cheaper, Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Mexico City?
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 Mexico City or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Mexico City or Lake Titicaca (Puno)? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Mexico City or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Photography Tours in Peru, and The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru.
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Mexico City Prices
Mexico PricesLake Titicaca (Puno) Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMexico City $215Lake Titicaca (Puno) $71
The average daily cost (per person) in Mexico City is $215, while the average daily cost in Lake Titicaca (Puno) is $71. 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 Mexico City and Lake Titicaca (Puno) in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMexico City $39Lake Titicaca (Puno) $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMexico City $78Lake Titicaca (Puno) $56
Compare Hotels in Mexico City and Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Looking for a hotel in Mexico City or Lake Titicaca (Puno)? 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: Mexico City Hotel Prices and Lake Titicaca (Puno) Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mexico City $12Lake Titicaca (Puno) $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
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Metro$1.10
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Uber Ride$3.85
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- MEX Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $15
- Private Transfer to Mexico City Airport (MEX): $17
- Private Transfer from Mexico City Airport (MEX): $17
- Transfer Mexico city Airport - Mexico city Downtown hotels: $18
- Mexico to Mexico City Airport (MEX) Departure Arrival Transfer: $30
- Transfer Airport Hotel Airport Mexico City: $30
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Mexico City Airport (MEX): $34
- Mexico City Private Airport Transfer: $36
- Mexico City Airport Transfer to Estadio Azteca and City: $36
- Private Transfer from Airport to Hotel in Mexico City: $38
- Private One Way Transfer from Mexico City to Mexico Airport: $40
- Private Electric Transfer Hotel Airport 3 Passengers: $43
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$0.87
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
- Private transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno or Viceversa: $52
- Private Transfer from Puno to Desaguadero: $203
- Private Transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno or Viceversa: $52
- Private Transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno Plaza de Armas: $40
- Private Transfer from Inca Manco Capac (JUL) Airport to Puno: $93
- Private Transfer From Puno to Chivay, English Speaking Driver: $219
- Inca Manco Capac Airport to Puno or Titicaca Small-Group Transfer: $20
Is it cheaper to fly into Mexico City or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Prices for flights to both Lake Titicaca (Puno) and Mexico City 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 dayMexico City $44Lake Titicaca (Puno) $28
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$12
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Coffee and Snacks$4.29
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Dinner for 2$25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Mexico City Coyoacan Food Tour & Optional Frida Kahlo Museum: $20
- Private Street Food Tour Mexico City - Best rated: $35
- Cable Car, Cultural Spaces, and Traditional Food Tour: $40
- Polanco Food Tour: 5 Tastings, Tacos, Mezcal & Churros: $49
- San Juan Market Food Tour Exotic Bites & Flavors: $52
- Coyoacan Market Food Tour Urban Eats & Local Legends: $52
- Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
- Mexico : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $58
- 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $62
- Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $63
- 3h Cooking Class in 8 Recipes & Drinks: $68
- Tamales Cooking Class in Mumu’un Baj: $68
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$1.59
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno).
- Midday Food Tour in Puno: $68
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mexico City $14Lake Titicaca (Puno) $31
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Mexico City Self-Guided Tour: Historic Center & Beyond: $1.12
- MUCHO Museum of Chocolate Entrance Ticket: $4.65
- Mexico City Coyoacán, Frida Kahlo Exploration Game and Tour: $4.82
- Self Guided Audio Walking Tour of Mexico City Historic Center: $5.00
- Mexico City Coyoacan Self-Guided Walking Tour: $5.00
- Mexico City Historic Self-Guided Walking Tour: $5.00
- A Tour through the Guadalupe Basilica Grounds: $5.67
- Mexico City Self-Guided Audio Experience: $6.00
- Hidden Gems of Exploration Game and Tour: $6.43
- Puebla Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h and 26 Audio Comments: $6.75
- Mexico City Walking Tour 2h40 and 24 audio reviews: $6.87
- Mexico City Jewish History Smartphone Guided Audio Walking Tour: $7.75
Tours and Activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
- 1 Day Tour in Uros and Taquile from Puno: $55
- 2 Day Lake Titicaca Tour From Puno: $150
- 2 Day Tour to Uros, Amantani and Taquile from Puno: $79
- 2 Days All Inclusive Puno Tour From Puno: $270
- 2 Days and 1 Night Tour from Puno to Colca Canyon and Arequipa: $240
- 2 Days and One Night Tour on the Aymara Route and Churches in Juli: $90
- 2-Hour Crop Circles Private Tour on Lake Titicaca from Puno: $119
- 2-day Tour: Puno To Chivay And Canyon Of Colca: $255
- 3 Days Tour to Ruta del Sol in Puno: $120
- 3 Hour Guided Kayaking Tour in Lake Titicaca: $50
- 3-Hour Small Group Uros Floating Islands Tour: $8.00
- 3h Boat Tour to Uros Island from Puno: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMexico City $19Lake Titicaca (Puno) $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- CDMX Pub Crawl: Guided Pub Crawl with Party Games: $24
- Mexico City Pub Crawl: $25
- The Mexico City Pub Crawl: A real chilango night: $33
- THE MEXICO CITY PUB CRAWL: A real chilango night: $35
- Make Your Own Tequila or Mezcal with Distillery and Cocktails: $91
- Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $100
- Distillery Tour and Lucha Libre Spirits and Showdown: $122
- Mexican Wine Tasting with Food Pairing: $126
- Private Cheese and Wine Tour to Queretaro: $511
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mexico City and Lake Titicaca (Puno), we can see that Mexico City is more expensive. And not only is Lake Titicaca (Puno) much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mexico City is in North America and Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City than you might in Lake Titicaca (Puno).
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mexico City Expensive? and Is Lake Titicaca (Puno) Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mexico City or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 100 times larger than the population of Lake Titicaca (Puno). When comparing the sizes of Mexico City and Lake Titicaca (Puno), 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.