Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Playa del Carmen?
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 Playa del Carmen or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Playa del Carmen or Cusco? 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: Playa del Carmen or Cusco?
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is in Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula. It's a popular resort town and is about seventy kilometers south of Cancun. It has a European atmosphere with many small hotels and a nice relaxed feel. It was originally a small fishing town but tourism began with the introduction of a passenger ferry to Cozumel. The area developed rapidly and there are many luxury hotels, condos, and resorts. There are also American chains and a variety of shopping opportunities nearby.
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 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Playa del Carmen Prices
Mexico PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPlaya del Carmen $88Cusco $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Playa del Carmen is $88, 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 Playa del Carmen and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPlaya del Carmen $35Cusco $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPlaya del Carmen $70Cusco $50
Compare Hotels in Playa del Carmen and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Playa del Carmen 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: Playa del Carmen Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Playa del Carmen $21Cusco $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Playa del Carmen
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Playa del Carmen:
- Private Transfer Cancun Airport: $11
- One way shared transfer to Chiquila: $34
- Playa del Carmen to Cancun private transfer, option to stop: $60
- CUN Airport One-Way/Round-Trip Transfers to Playa del Carmen: $60
- Cancun Airport: Private Transfer to/from Akumal Hotels: $61
- Chetumal Airport (CTM) to Chetumal - Arrival Private Transfer: $62
- One Way Transfer Costa Mujeres ↔ Xcaret Xailing/Ultramar Ferry: $69
- From One way shared transfer to Holbox: $69
- Cancun Airport: Private Transfers: From/to Playa del Carmen: $70
- Round trip Private Transfer Cancun -Costa Mujeres/ Playa Mujeres: $71
- Akumal to Cancun - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $80
- Private Airport Transfer to Playa Del Carmen: $82
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:
- Airport Cusco Transfer: $80
- Assistance & Transfers Included | Hassle-free service in Cusco: $30
- Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $15
- Cusco Airport Arrival or Departure Transfer: $19
- Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $9.50
- Cusco Airport Private Transfer: $12
- Cusco Airport Round-Trip Private Transfer: $30
- Cusco Airport Shared Arrival Transfer: $9.50
- Cusco Airport to hotel Transfer: Fast, Reliable Drop-Off: $12
- Cusco Bus Station Arrival or Departure Transfer: $19
- Cusco Private Airport Transfer Arrival Departure or Round Trip: $15
- Cusco Private One-Way Sacred Valley Airport Transfer by Car: $12
Is it cheaper to fly into Playa del Carmen or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Playa del Carmen 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 dayPlaya del Carmen $36Cusco $24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Playa del Carmen
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Playa del Carmen.
- Cenotes by Bike and Mayan Cooking Class Half-Day Guided Tour: $55
- Playa del Carmen Walking Food Tour and Local Tastes: $57
- Carmen Cocina Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $65
- Playa Plates Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $65
- Flavors of Playa del Carmen, Mexican Food Tour: $67
- Playa Del Carmen Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $75
- Cooking Class in 9 Recipes & Drinks: $77
- Playa del Carmen Walking Food Tour: $78
- Playa del Carmen Food Tour Discover Hidden Mexican Culinary Gems: $80
- Playa del Carmen Food Tour with 8+ Authentic Yucatan Dishes: $81
- Food Tour Through Markets with 7 Tastings: $82
- Playa del Camen Vegan Mexican Food Tour: $84
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.Playa del Carmen $15Cusco $31
Tours and Activities in Playa del Carmen
Here are a few actual costs in Playa del Carmen for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Bus Ticket connecting Cancun Central and Playa del Carmen: $7.20
- Ek Balam Self-Guided Walking Tour with Audio Guide: $8.99
- Tulum Legends: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of the Ancient Mayan City: $8.99
- Tour of Chichén Itzá, 2 cenotes and Valladolid: $17
- 4 ADVENTURES 1 DAY Tulum Coba Cenote and Playa del Carmen: $20
- Riviera Maya: Frida Kahlo Museum Guided Tour 2025: $20
- Akumal Beach : VIP Swimming Tour with Turtles and Corals: $25
- Tulum and 2 Cenotes Half Day Tour from Riviera: $29
- Tulum Cancun ATV Tour Experience: $29
- Tour to visit the archeological site of Tulum, Coba and a Cenote in one day: $30
- Chichen Itza Cenote and Valladolid All Inclusive Tour: $32
- Behind the Scenes – German-language Cultural Tour.: $35
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:
- Half Day Walking Tour of Cusco: $5.00
- Cusco City Walking tour: Historia, Tradition, Culture: $5.00
- Cusco Self Guided Walking Tour Landmarks, Audio and Quiz: $7.98
- Cusco Walking Tour with an Experienced Local Guides: $10
- City Tour - Cusco: $10
- Cultural & Historic Walking Tour with Local Drinks: $10
- Half Day City Tour in Cusco: $10
- Shared City Tour in Cusco & Visit Museum South American Camelid: $10
- Half-Day Cusco City Tour – Explore History, Culture & Inca Ruins: $12
- Cusco City Tour Explore Four Inca Ruins in Half Day: $12
- Explore Cusco Highlights in a Half Day City Tour: $12
- City Tour Cusco: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPlaya del Carmen $19Cusco $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Playa del Carmen
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Playa del Carmen:
- Playa After Dark: 5th Ave Social Pub Crawl, Playa del Carmen: $33
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 we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Playa del Carmen and Cusco, we can see that Playa del Carmen is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Playa del Carmen is in North America 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 Playa del Carmen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Playa del Carmen or Cusco?
Cusco has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Playa del Carmen. When comparing the sizes of Playa del Carmen 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.