Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Puerto Princesa?
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 Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa 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: Puerto Princesa or Cusco?
Puerto Princesa
The island of Palawan is known the Philippines' last frontier and its capital, Puerto Princesa, is considered the greenest city in the Philippines. With plenty of land that has yet to be explored and inundated with tourists, Puerto Princesa, also known as "The City of the Living God," is a nature buff's dream. Whether you want to swim with starfish, walk among the mangrove treetops, or visit the world's largest saltwater crocodile at the Palawan Nature Conservation Center, Puerto Princesa and its surrounding area offers plenty of opportunities to get into the great wide open.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Puerto Princesa Prices
Philippines PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $80Cusco $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $80, 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 Puerto Princesa and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $22Cusco $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $44Cusco $50
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa 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: Puerto Princesa Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $47Cusco $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $7.11
- Transfers to/from Port Barton: $14
- Puerto Princesa:El Nido – Shared Van Transfer: $14
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
- Shared Transfer Puerto Princesa/Port Barton: $17
- Transfer to/from Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $17
- Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $18
- Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $21
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $23
- Puerto Princesa City Van Transfers: $23
- Honda Bay Island: Island Tour with Lunch & Transfer: $52
- Van Transfers to/from Sabang or Astoria: $116
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$1.18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Transfers in Cusco secure and punctual service: $15
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo to/from Urubamba: $41
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Sacred Valley: $30
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to Sacred Valley hotels: $34
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to Ollantaytambo Station: $41
- Transfer From Cusco Airport: $15
- Transfer From Airport to Cusco Center Hotels: $23
- Transfer Cusco to Poroy: $20
- Transfer Cusco Airport to Hotel in Cusco Round Trip: $22
- Transfer Cusco - Ollantaytambo train station: $95
- Tourist Transfer from Cusco to Hydroelectric: $60
- Tour in the Sacred Valley of the Incas with Transfer to Ollantaytambo: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Puerto Princesa 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 dayPuerto Princesa $31Cusco $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Firefly Watching Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $27
- Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $32
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $34
- Firefly Watching with Dinner: $39
- Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $53
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $59
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $80
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $87
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $116
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.37
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Mango$0.59
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- Cusco Tunupa Restaurant Folk Show with Dinner: $32
- Cooking Class: Lomo Saltado, Papa Huancaina, Pisco Sour in Cusco: $48
- Cusco Cooking Class by ChocoMuseo in Cusco: $54
- High-End Peruvian Cooking Class, Pisco Sour & San Pedro Market: $57
- Short Immersion Cooking Class: $60
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco: $63
- Cooking Class in Ollantaytambo: $68
- Cooking Class Peruvian Culinary Experience with Local Chefs: $70
- Dinner Show at SUYU a Peruvian Gastronomic and Experience: $77
- Cusco Tour at Night: Planetarium, Dinner & Pisco Sour: $79
- Cusco Food Tour: Andean Cuisine & City Tour: $79
- Curious Monkey Cusco- Market and Streets, Walking Food Tour: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.30Cusco $32
Tours and Activities in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Puerto Princesa; Half day City tour: $13
- PPS CITY TOUR: $13
- Puerto Princesa City Tour with Snacks: $14
- Cathedral and Baker's Hill Tour: $14
- Half-Day City Tour with Optional Massage: $14
- Half Day City Tour with Butterfly Garden: $14
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines: $20
- 2in1 City tour + museum & transportation from cruise port /hotel: $25
- Puerto Princesa Half Day City Tour (shared tour): $27
- Shared Half City Tour with SPA: $30
- Half Day City Joiners Tour | Puerto Princesa: $34
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$2.96
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- 1 Day Ausangate 7 Lakes Hiking Tour & Hot Springs: $48
- 1 Day Palcoyo 7-Color Mountain Hiking Tour: $45
- 1 Day Rainbow Mountain Walking Tour: $35
- 1 Day Sacred Valley VIP Tour from Cusco: $100
- 1 Day Tour to Palccoyo (Alternative Rainbow Mtn) from Cusco, Peru: $154
- 1-Day Humantay Lake Tour From Cusco: $60
- 1-Day Tour Rainbow Mountain from Cusco: $190
- 2 Day Machu Picchu Tour by Car: $150
- 2 Day Tour to Machupicchu by Minivan: $145
- 2 days 1 night - Machupicchu by bus tour: $220
- 2-Day Group Tour: Cusco City Tour & Sacred Valley of the Incas: $46
- 2-Day Machu Picchu Tour by Minivan from Budget Adventure: $203
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $13Cusco $10
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: $18
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Cusco, we can see that Puerto Princesa is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Princesa is in Asia 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 Puerto Princesa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Cusco?
Cusco has a larger population, and is about 99% larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa 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.