Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Montevideo?
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 Montevideo or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Montevideo and Cusco can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Montevideo or Cusco?
Montevideo
As the morning sun tinges the calm waters of the Rio de la Plata with a golden hue, the Rambla and its city awakens to life with new adventures for those near and far. From tanning on the luxurious beaches to peering into Uruguayan history at local museums, one can be far from bored while staying in Montevideo. Combining the quaintness of the countryside with the excitement of urban life, this city holds a unique trait that cannot easily be replicated.
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 Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Montevideo Prices
Uruguay PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontevideo $70Cusco $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Montevideo is $70, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $65. 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 Montevideo and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontevideo $38Cusco $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontevideo $76Cusco $50
Compare Hotels in Montevideo and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Montevideo 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: Montevideo Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Montevideo $7.04Cusco $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montevideo
Also for Montevideo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Hotel in Montevideo to the Airport: $22
- Private transfer from Carrasco Airport to Montevideo: $24
- Private transfer Montevideo Airport to Hotel: $25
- Montevideo to Carrasco Airport (MVD) - Departure Private Transfer: $35
- Montevideo to Carrasco Airport (MVD) - Departure Private Transfer: $39
- Private Transfer from Montevideo Port to Carrasco Airport (MVD): $40
- Private Transfer from Montevideo Cruise Port to Montevideo city: $40
- Private Transfer from Montevideo city to Montevideo Cruise Port: $40
- Private Transfer from or to Carrasco Airport in Montevideo: $40
- Airport-Hotel or Hotel-Airport Transfers: $41
- Private 1-Way or Round Trip MVD Airport Transfer: $45
- Transfer from Montevideo to Carrasco Airport: $45
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$1.17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Direct Private Transfer From Cusco to Puno, English Local Speaking Driver: $281
- Private Transfer from Valle Sagrado to Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport: $163
- Cuzco to Ollantaytambo Train Station - Departure Private Transfer: $103
- Ollantaytambo Train Station to Cuzco - Arrival Private Transfer: $102
- Transfer Cusco - Ollantaytambo train station: $95
- Private Transfer from Cusco Hotel, airport to Sacred Valley: $90
- Airport Cusco Transfer: $80
- Cusco to Puno Scenic Transfer with Sightseeing Stops & Lunch: $72
- Private Transfer to Ollantaytambo Station and Sacred Valley 24 7: $69
- Private Transfer from Cusco Airport to Urubamba: $60
- Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain from Cusco with transfers and lunch: $55
- Private Airport Transfer from Juliaca to Puno: $55
Is it cheaper to fly into Montevideo or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Montevideo 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 dayMontevideo $22Cusco $24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montevideo
For Montevideo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Best Montevideo Street Food Tour With 5 tastings: $63
- Private Uruguayan Cooking Class with Local Chef: $85
- Uruguayan Wine Pairing Dinner at City Winery Uruguay: $90
- Show + Dinner - El Milongon (No Transport): $93
- The best Montevideo Dinner Show. Tango and Candombe. El Milongon.: $98
- Dinner and Tango Show at Primuseum Restaurant: $100
- Dinner and Tango Show at the Historic Bar Fun Fun, Established in 1895: $100
- Montevideo Dinner and Tango Show since 1895: $105
- Traditional Dinner & Tango Show at Primuseum: $110
- Authentic Montevideo Food Tour: $190
- Food Tour with Asado, Chivito, and Mate: $221
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.33
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Mango$0.58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- Cooking Class in Sacred Valley 8 Recipes and Drinks: $29
- Multi-Course Dinner with Live Folk Show Performance: $35
- Bilingual Cooking Class with Pisco Cocktail in Cusco: $40
- Cusco Billingual Cooking Class at 6pm: $40
- Market tour & Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $54
- Cusco Cooking Class by ChocoMuseo in Cusco: $54
- High-End Peruvian Cooking Class, Pisco Sour & San Pedro Market: $57
- Short Immersion Cooking Class: $60
- Cooking classes A tour through the flavors in Cusco: $60
- Cusco Cooking Class Experience: $61
- Cusco Collective Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $65
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco: $65
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montevideo $20Cusco $31
Tours and Activities in Montevideo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Montevideo.
- El Juguetero Museum Entry Ticket: $7.00
- Museo Andes 1972 / Crash Memorial Admission Ticket: $8.00
- Guided Tour of the National Hat Factory: $10
- Palacio Salvo Official Ticket with Guided Tour: $13
- Complete Half-Day Tour with Guide and 6 Stops: $20
- Experience the Local Magic at a Bohemian Nightclub with a Live Show: $20
- Historical and Cultural Tour of Montevideo Discover Old Town: $20
- Half-Day City Tour with Live Guide: $25
- Montevideo Jogging Tour: $25
- Tourist Bus Discover Montevideo: $25
- Half-day Regular City Tour at Montevideo: $25
- Bodegas Carrau Winery Tour with Tastings: $25
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$2.91
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- "Waqrapukara" Great Canyon Full Day Tour: $100
- 1 Day Ausangate 7 Lagoons Hiking Tour & Hot Springs: $59
- 1 Day Palcoyo 7-Color Mountain Hiking Tour: $45
- 1 Day Rainbow Mountain Tour From Cusco: $60
- 1 Day Sacred Valley Tour with Moray from Cusco: $75
- 1 Day Sacred Valley VIP Tour from Cusco: $100
- 1 Day Tour to Palccoyo (Alternative Rainbow Mtn) from Cusco, Peru: $154
- 1-Day Tour Rainbow Mountain from Cusco: $190
- 1-Day Tour Sacred Valley From Cusco: $120
- 2 Day Machu Picchu Adventure from Cusco by Minivan: $193
- 2 Day Machu Picchu by Car Tour Scenic Hike and Exploration: $104
- 2 Days Machu Picchu Tour by Car: $169
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontevideo -Cusco $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Montevideo
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Montevideo:
- Bodega Pizzorno wine tasting in Montevideo: $45
- Wine tasting of 4 wines from 4 wineries & empanadas in Montevideo: $50
- Wine tour - Lunch & Tasting with Wine Explorers: $198
- Private Wine Tours by Wine Explorers Uruguay: $205
- Wine Tasting & Countryside Lunch Experience: $220
- Wine Tasting Tour for Cruise Passengers: $450
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
- Exclusive Pub Crawl with more than 10 Benefits: $25
When comparing the travel costs between Montevideo and Cusco, we can see that Montevideo 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 Montevideo Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Montevideo or Cusco?
Montevideo has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Montevideo 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.