Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Nairobi?
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 Nairobi 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 Nairobi 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: Nairobi or Cusco?
Nairobi
Nairobi is Kenya's capital as well as the country's largest city. With a population of about 3 million, it is also one of the largest cities in Africa. It is a prominent city both politically and financially within the region. There are many international companies that are located in Nairobi and the Nairobi Securities and Exchange is one of the largest in Africa.
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 Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Nairobi Prices
Kenya PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $67Cusco $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $67, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $64. 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 Nairobi and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Cusco $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Cusco $48
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi 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: Nairobi Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Cusco $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nairobi
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Nairobi:
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Taxi from Airport$9.24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- NBO Airport Private Transfer to/from Nairobi City Center: $8.85
- Safe and Private Airport transfer in Nairobi: $20
- Private Airport Transfers To or From Nairobi Airports.: $25
- Airport transfer; NBO to nairobi hotels: $27
- Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Private Transfer: $27
- Mwashi Airport Transfer & Taxi: $27
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $28
- Private One-Way Nairobi Airport Transfer: $29
- Wilson Airport Private Transfer to Nairobi hotels or Airport: $30
- Professional Airport Transfer Service in Nairobi: $33
- From JKIA Airport Nairobi Private Transfer in a Car 3 Pax Max: $35
- Nairobi Airport Transfers to Wilson Airport and Hotels: $40
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$1.16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cusco HTL-APT (CUZ): $25
- Transfers in Cusco secure and punctual service: $15
- Transfer from hotel in Cusco to Airport Velasco Astete.: $15
- Transfer from Ollantaytambo to Cusco: $54
- Transfer from Cusco city to the airport: $15
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Sacred Valley: $30
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to Your Hotel: $25
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to Ollantaytambo Station: $50
- Transfer From Cusco Airport: $15
- Transfer Cusco to Sacred Valley of the Incas: $36
- Transfer Cusco airport: $12
- Transfer Cusco Airport to Hotel in Cusco Round Trip: $22
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Nairobi 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 dayNairobi $13Cusco $24
Typical Food Prices in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner for Two$5.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Carnivore Restaurant: Lunch or Dinner Experience in Nairobi: $21
- Kenyan Cooking Class & Authentic Dining Experience with a Local: $40
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour: $55
- Popular Kenyan Food Cooking Class and Local Market Experience: $60
- Carnivore restaurant Dinner or lunch from Nairobi: $65
- Private Interactive Cooking Class and Market Tour in Kinoo: $65
- Carnivore Resturant Dinner Experience: $68
- Dinner Experience with Cat Show at Safari Park Hotel: $90
- Safari Park Dinner with Safari Cats Dance Show: $97
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class in Nairobi with a Local: $98
- Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $100
- Traditional Kikuyu Cooking Class In My Village: $100
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.31
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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.
- Multi-Course Dinner with Live Folk Show Performance: $32
- Cusco Billingual Cooking Class at 6pm: $40
- Cooking Class: Lomo Saltado, PapaHuancaina, Pisco Sour, Picarones: $50
- Market tour & Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $54
- Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class and Market Tour in Cusco: $57
- Short Immersion Cooking Class: $60
- Cusco Cooking Class Experience: $61
- Cusco Collective Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $65
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco: $65
- Local Market and Peruvian Cooking Class with Pisco Sour in Cusco: $65
- Cooking Class in Ollantaytambo: $68
- Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $69
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46Cusco $31
Typical Entertainment Prices in Nairobi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Nairobi's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Village Visit$15
Tours and Activities in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Fashion African Fabric & Souvenir Market Tour: $12
- Nairobi Matatu Culture Experience: $18
- Nairobi City Tour +Pickup: $19
- Nairobi Walking City Tour +pick-up: $20
- Nairobi’s ultimate Walking City Tour with Hotel pickup: $20
- Kibera Chocolate City Tour: $22
- Nairobi City Walk Tour +pickup: $22
- Nairobi Green Bus City Sightseeing Tour 4 Hours: $23
- Nairobi City Tour: $25
- Giraffe Center Karen Blixen and Kobe Beads Day Tour: $25
- Discover Nairobi City with Student Led Walking Tour: $25
- Mathare Community Slum Tour: $26
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$2.89
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 Walking Tour: $35
- 1 Day Sacred Valley Tour from Cusco: $35
- 1 Day Sacred Valley Tour with Moray from Cusco: $61
- 1 Day Sacred Valley VIP Tour from Cusco: $100
- 1-Day Humantay Lake Tour From Cusco: $60
- 1-Day Tour Rainbow Mountain from Cusco: $190
- 1-Day Tour Sacred Valley From Cusco: $120
- 2 Day Machu Picchu by Car Tour Scenic Hike and Exploration: $130
- 2 Day Tour to Machupicchu by Minivan: $145
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Cusco $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Nairobi
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Nairobi:
- Food and Wine Tasting Experience at Five Senses Restaurant: $155
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: $17
- Cusco Pub Crawl: Bar Tour, Drinks And Club with no waiting lines: $23
When comparing the travel costs between Nairobi and Cusco, we can see that Nairobi 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. Even though Nairobi is in Africa and Cusco is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Nairobi Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Cusco?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi 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.