Which place is cheaper, Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Oaxaca de Juarez?
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 Oaxaca de Juarez or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Oaxaca de Juarez 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: Oaxaca de Juarez or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Oaxaca de Juarez
Officially known as Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca is the capital and largest city in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It's a beautiful colonial city in the foothills of the Sierra Madre. The city has beautiful architecture and a variety of festivals as well as a tree lined square called El Zocalo. Oaxaca's economy is heavily dependent on tourism and it is a wonderful place to see Mexican art and handicrafts. There are many artists and artisans in Oaxaca and the contemporary art scene is on the rise. The artists combine the area's rich indigenous culture and tradition with a modern twist. While you're in the area you should definitely make a point of experiencing the area's wonderful museums, interesting architecture, charming hotels and unique twist on Mexican cuisine.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best Photography Tours in Peru, and The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru.
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Oaxaca de Juarez Prices
Mexico PricesLake Titicaca (Puno) Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOaxaca de Juarez $54Lake Titicaca (Puno) $72
The average daily cost (per person) in Oaxaca de Juarez is $54, while the average daily cost in Lake Titicaca (Puno) is $72. 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 Oaxaca de Juarez and Lake Titicaca (Puno) in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOaxaca de Juarez $19Lake Titicaca (Puno) $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOaxaca de Juarez $38Lake Titicaca (Puno) $56
Compare Hotels in Oaxaca de Juarez and Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Looking for a hotel in Oaxaca de Juarez 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: Oaxaca de Juarez Hotel Prices and Lake Titicaca (Puno) Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Oaxaca de Juarez $12Lake Titicaca (Puno) $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also for Oaxaca de Juarez, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Transfer from Downtown Oaxaca to the Airport: $7.98
- Secure Private Transfer : Downtown Oaxaca Airport (OAX): $21
- Transfer Private Hotel to Oaxaca Airport: $21
- Oaxaca city: Roundtrip Private/Shared Airport Transfer: $27
- Private Transfer Airport Hotel in Oaxaca: $28
- From Oaxaca One way shared transfer to San Jose del Pacifico: $29
- Oaxaca Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca de Juárez - Arrival Transfer: $30
- Oaxaca hotels to Oaxaca Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) - Departure Private Transfer: $30
- Airport transfers Oaxaca and private services: $41
- Private transfer from Oaxaca Airport to Oaxaca City: $50
- Private Airport Transfer in Oaxaca Safe and Reliable Service: $53
- Oaxaca Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $59
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$0.88
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
- Private Transfer From Puno to Chivay, English Speaking Driver: $227
- Private Transfer from Puno to Frontera Kasani: $219
- Private Transfer from Inca Manco Capac (JUL) Airport to Puno: $96
- Private transfer airport-puno-viceverse: $60
- Private Transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno or Viceversa: $52
- Private transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno or Viceversa: $52
- Private Transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno Plaza de Armas: $40
- Private Transfer from Hotel Puno to Puerto de Puno: $23
- Juliaca Airport Shared Transfer to/from Puno: $20
- Puno Arrival Transfer from bus or railway Station: $14
Is it cheaper to fly into Oaxaca de Juarez or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Prices for flights to both Lake Titicaca (Puno) and Oaxaca de Juarez 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 dayOaxaca de Juarez $24Lake Titicaca (Puno) $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Oaxaca de Juarez
For Oaxaca de Juarez, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Food Tour at the Mercado de Abastos: $57
- Taste Oaxaca Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Electric Bike Food Tour in Oaxaca: $59
- Tradicional Oaxacan Dinner on Agronomic Biodiversity_01: $60
- Oaxaca: Vegetarian Cooking Class: $65
- Oaxaca Streets Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $69
- Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu &Local Market Tour: $70
- Oaxacan Vegetarian Cooking Class: $70
- Bike Ride and Street Food Tour in Oaxaca: $71
- Central Oaxaca Food Tour: $71
- Flavors of Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu and Local Market Tour: $75
- Secret Food Tour: Oaxaca de Juárez: $75
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$1.62
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Oaxaca de Juarez $12Lake Titicaca (Puno) $32
Tours and Activities in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Oaxaca de Juarez.
- Oaxaca Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self Guided Tour: $5.24
- Oaxaca: Colonial City Bus Tour: $5.45
- Oaxaca: Legends Tour Mezcalbús: $6.53
- Oaxaca: Monte Alban, Cuilapam, and Artisan Villages Tour: $20
- Oaxaca: Guided Bike Tour to the Largest Tree in the World: $20
- First Day in Oaxaca – Guided Walking Tour: $21
- Oaxaca: Oaxaca City Beyond the Surface Walking Tour: $22
- Monte Alban Only - Half Day Guided Tour - Oaxaca: $24
- Free Tour Oaxaca Essential : History and Tips of a Local Guide: $24
- Private Half Day Teotitlan Del Valle Village Walking Tour: $25
- Half Day Teotitlan Del Valle Village Shared Tour: $25
- Walking tour Mercado de Abastos: $27
Tours and Activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
- 2 Days and 1 Night Tour from Puno to Colca Canyon and Arequipa: $230
- 2 Days and One Night Tour on the Aymara Route and Churches in Juli: $90
- 2-Day Tour Uros Islands with Stay in a Local Family House from Puno: $109
- 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 Uros Floating Islands Tour from Puno: $18
- 3h Boat Tour to Uros Island from Puno: $40
- 4h Tour to Sillustani Inca Tombs from Puno: $28
- Bus Tour of the Puno to Cusco Sun Route with Buffet Lunch: $62
- Chullpas de Sillustani Inca Cemetery Tour by Tourist Bus: $26
- Copacabana and Isla del Sol Tour from Puno (Whole Day): $130
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOaxaca de Juarez $14Lake Titicaca (Puno) $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Oaxaca de Juarez
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Oaxaca de Juarez:
- Oaxaca Pub Crawl with Mezcal Shots and Live Music: $18
- Oaxaca Pub Crawl: $19
- Puerto Escondido Pub Crawl: $21
- Check out Hierve el Agua, Mitla, the Tule Tree, Rugs, and a Mezcal Distillery Tour: $49
- From Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery: $54
- Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Mitla and Mezcal Distillery Tour: $55
- Hierve el Agua and Distillery of Mezcal Tour: $60
- Hierve el Agua and distillery of mezcal tour: $60
- Distillery Tour and Agave Fields by Mal de Amor Mezcal: $71
- Personalized Tour to Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery: $106
- Oaxaca: Mezcal Distillery Tour with Tastings: $125
- Mezcal Distillery Day Trip: $142
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Oaxaca de Juarez and Lake Titicaca (Puno), we can see that Lake Titicaca (Puno) is more expensive. And not only is Oaxaca de Juarez much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Oaxaca de Juarez would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lake Titicaca (Puno) than you might in Oaxaca de Juarez.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Oaxaca de Juarez Expensive? and Is Lake Titicaca (Puno) Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Oaxaca de Juarez or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Oaxaca de Juarez has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Lake Titicaca (Puno). When comparing the sizes of Oaxaca de Juarez 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.