Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Recife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Recife 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 Recife 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: Recife or Cusco?
Recife
One of the largest cities on Brazil's northeast coast, Recife is also the capital of the state of Pernambuco. The city gets its name from the Portuguese word for "reef," as it was built around a landscape of natural reef beaches. Many people visit to enjoy these beaches, experience the culture, and explore the history of this important Brazilian city.
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 Wildlife Tours to Brazil, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
-
Recife Prices
Brazil PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRecife $224Cusco $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Recife is $224, 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 Recife and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRecife $91Cusco $25
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRecife $182Cusco $50
Compare Hotels in Recife and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Recife 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: Recife Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Recife $8.73Cusco $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Recife
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Recife:
- Private Transfer from Olinda to Recife (REC) Airport: $48
- Departure Transfer from Olinda to Recife Airport: $100
- Private Transfer from Igarassu to Recife (REC) Airport: $106
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cusco
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cusco:
-
Taxi Ride$1.17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- One-Way Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $7.00
- One-Way Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $9.00
- Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $9.50
- Cusco Airport Shared Arrival Transfer: $9.50
- Pickup from Cusco airport and transfer to your hotel in Private vehicle: $9.52
- Private transfer from your hotel in downtown Cusco to the Airport: $11
- Private Airport transfer to centrally located hotels in Cusco: $11
- Private transfer from the airport to central hotels in Cusco: $11
- Private transfer from Cusco Airport to your city-center hotel: $11
- Private transfer from your hotel in downtown Cusco to the Airport: $11
- Cusco Airport to hotel Transfer: Fast, Reliable Drop-Off: $12
- Cusco Airport Private Transfer: $12
Is it cheaper to fly into Recife or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Recife 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 dayRecife $125Cusco $24
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
-
Sandwich$2.33
-
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
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Recife $12Cusco $31
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Cusco are as follows:
-
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
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayRecife -Cusco $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: Cusco Bar Hopping Experience: $22
- Exclusive Pub Crawl with more than 10 Benefits: $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Cusco, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Recife would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Recife 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 Recife Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Recife or Cusco?
Recife has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Recife 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.