A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Oslo vs. Cusco for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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.


Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Oslo?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Oslo is $161, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $66. 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
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Oslo $79
    Cusco $25
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Oslo $158
    Cusco $50
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.

Hotels in Oslo


Hotels in Cusco


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Oslo $23
    Cusco $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Oslo

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Oslo are as follows:


  • Tram Ticket
    $7.78

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oslo

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Oslo:

  • Oslo Airport Transfers City Transfers and Disposal Services: $52
  • Oslo hotels to Oslo Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $70
  • Private Transfer from Oslo hotels to Oslo Cruise Port: $70
  • Oslo Cruise Port to Oslo hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $70
  • Private Direct Transfer From Oslo to Drammen: $89
  • Departure Private Transfer from Oslo to Oslo Airport OSL by Business Car: $127
  • Oslo Cruise Port to Oslo Airport (OSL) - Departure Private Transfer: $134
  • Oslo Cruise Port to Oslo hotels- Round-Trip Private Transfer: $140
  • Private Transfer from Olso Airport to Olso Hotels: $140
  • Airport & City Transfers in Trondheim: $140
  • Private Transfer From Oslo To Drammen With a 2 Hour Stop: $152
  • Private Transfer from Oslo City Centre to Oslo Airport: $152

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cusco

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cusco:


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:

  • One-Way Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $7.00
  • Cusco Airport Shared Arrival Transfer: $9.50
  • Pickup from Cusco airport and transfer to your hotel in Private vehicle: $9.52
  • Transfer Cusco Airport to your Hotel in Cusco: $10
  • Peru Cusco Airport (CUZ) Private Transfer to Cusco City: $10
  • Private Transfer from Cusco Hotel to Airport: $11
  • Private Transfer from Cusco Airport to Hotels: $11
  • Transfer Airport Round Trip Cusco to Hotel in Cusco: $11
  • Private Shuttle Transfer from Cusco Airport (CUZ) to Hotels in Cusco: $11
  • Cusco Airport to hotel Transfer: Fast, Reliable Drop-Off: $12
  • Transfer from hotel in Cusco to Airport Velasco Astete.: $12
  • One-way transfer from the Airport to the Hotel - Cusco: $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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Oslo $56
    Cusco $25

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Oslo

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Oslo.

  • Private Chef Forest Dinner: Authentic Norwegian Food Tour in Oslo: $126
  • Oslo fjord 3-Course Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $158
  • Oslo Guided Food Tour with 5 Food Tastings and a Secret Dish: $163
  • Skinnerbakken Oslo Cooking Experience: $169
  • Norwegian Food Tour & Hidden Gems City Walk: $186

Typical Food Prices in Cusco

Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:


  • Sandwich
    $2.35
  • Mango
    $0.59

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.

  • Short Peruvian Cooking Class by Pete: $30
  • Bilingual Cooking Class with Pisco Cocktail in Cusco: $40
  • Market-to-Table Peruvian Cooking Class and Cocktail in Cusco: $52
  • Cusco Cooking Class by ChocoMuseo in Cusco: $54
  • Cusco Cooking Class Adventure: $55
  • Cooking Class in Sacred Valley 8 Recipes and Drinks: $55
  • Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class and Market Tour in Cusco: $57
  • Short Immersion Cooking Class: $60
  • Cusco Food Tour: Andean Cuisine & City Tour: $63
  • Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco: $65
  • Cusco Cooking Classes and San Pedro Market Tour: $65
  • Cusco Street Food Tour and Pisco Tasting Experience: $69

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Oslo $16
    Cusco $32

Tours and Activities in Oslo

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Oslo are as follows:

  • A Self-Guided Tour of Oslo's Waterfront: $7.99
  • Oslo Viking Quest: Exploration Game and Tour: $8.15
  • Digging up the Past in Røros: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $8.99
  • Oslo Walking Tour with Audio Guide on Your Smartphone: $12
  • Central Oslo Guided Walking Tour with Local Guide: $16
  • The Fram Museum Admission Ticket: $19
  • The Best of Tour + Local Secrets Guide: $20
  • Oslo City Walking Tour with Local Guide: $24
  • Best of Oslo Guided Walking Tour: $37
  • Oslo Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $39
  • The Grand Oslo Ride: E-bike Experience: $45
  • Oslo Shore Excursion: City Sightseeing Oslo Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $45

Typical Entertainment Prices in Cusco

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Cusco are as follows:


  • Salsa Class
    $2.94

Tours and Activities in Cusco

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:

  • Half Day Walking Tour of Cusco: $5.00
  • Free Walking tour in Cusco: $5.00
  • Half Day City Tour in Cusco: $9.60
  • City Tour - Cusco: $10
  • Cusco Walking tour and Koricancha Temple of the inkas tour: $10
  • City Tour - Lugares destacado en Cusco + Experiencia Fotográfica: $12
  • Half-Day Cusco City Tour – Explore History, Culture & Inca Ruins: $12
  • City Tour Cusco: $12
  • City Tour in Cusco with visit South American camelids: $12
  • Tour Valle Sur Typon, Pikillacta and Andahuaylillas: $13
  • City tour in Cusco.: $14
  • Half-Day City Tour with Sacsayhuaman and Qenqo: $15

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Oslo $9.81
    Cusco $10

Sample the Local Flavors in Oslo

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Oslo:

  • Three Hour Pub Crawl in Oslo with Local Guide: $37

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, Drinks And Club with no waiting lines: $23


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.