Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Oslo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Oslo or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Oslo or Cusco, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Oslo or Cusco?
Oslo
Oslo is not only the largest city in Norway, and also its capital. It also holds the title as the most expensive city in the world. Oslo is a unique capital city in that its boundaries include much forest and wildlife. The city itself is nestled in an amphitheater type setting. The city's core is in the bottom by the fjord, and the residential areas stretch uphill away from the downtown area.
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 Polar Tours & Cruises in Norway, The Best Northern Lights Tours in Norway, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOslo $137Cusco $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Oslo is $137, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $50. 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 Oslo and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOslo $81Cusco $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOslo $162Cusco $46
Compare Hotels in Oslo and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Oslo 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: Oslo Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Oslo $23Cusco $9.96
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Oslo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Oslo are as follows:
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Tram Ticket$6.61
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oslo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Oslo:
- Trondheim Vaernes Airport (TRD) to Trondheim - Arrival Transfer : $41
- Oslo hotels to Oslo Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Trondheim Vaernes Airport (TRD) to Trondheim- Round-Trip Transfer: $81
- Private Transfer from Olso Airport to Olso Hotels: $82
- Private One-way Airport Transfer (Oslo Airport To/From Oslo): $89
- Oslo Cruise Port to Oslo Airport (OSL) - Departure Private Transfer: $90
- Private Transfer from Oslo Airport to Oslo Cruise Port: $90
- Oslo City Center to Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL) - Departure Private Transfer: $91
- Oslo Cruise Port to Oslo hotels- Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
- Olso: Private Transfer from the City Center to Oslo Airport: $108
- Departure Private Transfer from Oslo to Oslo Airport OSL by Business Car: $114
- Arrival Private Transfer Oslo OSL Airport to Oslo by Business Car: $115
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$1.07
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- One-Way Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $5.40
- Transfers in Cusco: $6.00
- One-Way Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $7.00
- One-Way Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $9.00
- Private 1-Way Transfer to Velasco Astete Airport: $9.00
- One-Way Airport Transfer to Hotel: $9.50
- Transfer Hotel to Airport in Cusco | Private Service |: $10
- Private transfers from Cuzco Airport to Hotels and Sacred Valley: $10
- Transfer From Cusco Airport: $10
- Transfer Cusco Airport - Hotel or Train Station: $12
- Cusco Bus Station Arrival or Departure Transfer: $13
- Cusco Airport Arrival or Departure Transfer : $13
Is it cheaper to fly into Oslo or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Oslo 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 dayOslo $30Cusco $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Oslo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Oslo.
- Oslofjord Cruise with Seafood Dinner: $59
- Oslo Alternative Culture and Street Food Tour: $73
- Christmas Street Food Tour with Akevitt and Christmas beer : $111
- 3-course Dinner Cruise in the Oslofjord: $119
- Oslo Fjord 3 Course Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $119
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.15
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Mango$0.54
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Oslo $19Cusco $29
Tours and Activities in Oslo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Oslo are as follows:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Explore Oslo with Passionate Tour Guides: $3.23
- Guided Walking Tour in Central Oslo: $4.45
- Digging up the Past in Røros: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $6.99
- Tour a Pie en Oslo en Español: $7.41
- Downtown Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- An Oslo Waterfront Stroll: Self-paced Audio Tour: $7.99
- A Self-Guided Tour of Akershus to Kongen Marina Waterfront: $7.99
- Oslo Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and City Tour: $8.07
- Discover Oslo's Heart: Audio Tour Through Time and Beauty: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- The Fram Museum Admission Ticket: $13
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$2.69
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- Free Walking Tour of Cusco: $2.00
- Cusco : Half Day City Tour: $9.00
- Walking Tour Cusco: $10
- Cochahuasi Animal Sanctuary Admission Ticket: $10
- CUSCO CITY TOUR 2024 Half Day Tour in Cuzco: $10
- Cusco City Half-Day Tour: $12
- Open Bus Tour of the City’s Wonder’s: $12
- Sightseeing Tour of the City on an Open-Top Bus: $12
- City Tour Cusco / Tour in the City: $12
- Open-Top Bus City Tour: $12
- Mirabus Cusco city tour | Panoramic view |: $12
- Historic Walking Tour with Pisco Sour and Music Show: $13
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOslo $11Cusco $9.46
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 Oslo and Cusco, we can see that Oslo is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Oslo 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 Oslo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Oslo 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 Oslo Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Oslo or Cusco?
Oslo has a larger population, and is about 86% larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Oslo 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.