Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Riga?
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 Riga or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Riga 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: Riga or Cusco?
Riga
Riga is the vibrant capital city of Latvia. It continues to gain popularity as a tourist destination in part because it is the base for the airline Air Baltic. This affordable airline offers discount flights around Europe and most of these flights pass through Riga with a forced overnight layover. This encourages travelers to visit this fascinating city for at least a night or two.
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 from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Riga Prices
Latvia PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRiga €122Cusco €57
The average daily cost (per person) in Riga is €122, while the average daily cost in Cusco is €57. 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 Riga and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRiga €52Cusco €22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRiga €104Cusco €44
Compare Hotels in Riga and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Riga 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: Riga Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Riga €9.63Cusco €9.55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:
- Transfer from Riga Airport RIX to Riga City Center: $34
- Riga Airport Transfer: $35
- Private Transfer from Riga International Airport RIX to Riga City: $38
- Riga Airport: Bus Transfer to/from Klaipeda: $43
- Riga Airport to Hotel Transfer: $45
- Departure Private Transfer Riga City to Riga Airport RIX by Minivan: $52
- Transfer from Riga Airport to Riga Old city: $53
- Transfer from Riga center to Airport: $53
- Riga City to Riga Airport - Private Transfer: $57
- Riga Airport to Riga City - Private Transfer: $57
- Private Transfer to anywhere in Riga Center: $58
- Private Transfer from Riga Cruise Port to Riga Airport (RIX): $58
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€1.03
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- One-Way Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $7.00
- One-Way Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $7.00
- Cusco Airport Pickup and Transfer: $9.00
- Private Transfer: Airport - Hotel in Cusco/Sacred Valley or VV: $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
- 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
- Private Transfer from your Hotel in Cusco to the Airport: $11
Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Riga 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 dayRiga €57Cusco €21
Typical Food Prices in Riga
Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:
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Fast Food Lunch€5.77
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Riga.
- Central Market Traditional Food Tour in a Small Group: $41
- Central Market Latvian Food Tour: $53
- Khinkali and Pelmeni Cooking Master Class: $70
- Riga Medieval Dinner: $126
- Riga Medieval Dinner: $127
- Latvian Art Museum, Dinner, and Black Balsam Tasting: $210
- Traditional Latvian Dinner with Private Folk Show: $252
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich€2.06
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Mango€0.52
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
- Cusco Tunupa Restaurant Folk Show with Dinner: $32
- Market-to-Table Peruvian Cooking Class and Cocktail in Cusco: $52
- Cusco Cooking Class by ChocoMuseo in Cusco: $54
- 3hr Cooking Class in Cusco with 7 traditional recipes & drinks: $55
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco: $65
- Cusco Cooking Classes and San Pedro Market Tour: $65
- Local Market and Peruvian Cooking Class with Pisco Sour in Cusco: $65
- Cooking Class in Ollantaytambo: $68
- Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $69
- Cusco Street Food Tour and Pisco Tasting Experience: $69
- Best Cusco walking tour: dinner street food tasting: $74
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Riga €14Cusco €28
Tours and Activities in Riga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:
- Old Riga E-Bus Tour with Audio Guide, 45 min: $7.34
- Historic Canal Boat Tour with Audio Guide: $8.16
- Entrance Ticket - House of the Black Heads: $8.21
- Canal Boat Tour with Welcome Drink & Audio Guide: $8.21
- Old Town Electrobus Tour + Audio Guide & Drink: $9.38
- Panorama Riga Observation Deck Ticket: $9.38
- Evening or Sunset Boat Tour with Welcome Drink: $10
- Rowing boats and Pedal boat rental - River Cruises Latvia: $11
- Riga Panorama trip – Golden Autumn | River Cruises Latvia: $11
- Riga Golden Autumn Canal & River Cruise | River Cruises LV: $11
- Audio Tour of Riga Old Town: $12
- Old Riga Walking Tour: Legends & Hidden Gems, 1 hour: $12
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€2.58
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 Walking tour and Koricancha Temple of the inkas tour: $10
- Cochahuasi Animal Sanctuary® Admission Ticket: $10
- City tour in Cusco.: $11
- Cusco City Tour: Four Ruins in Half Day: $12
- Half-Day Cusco City Tour – Explore History, Culture & Inca Ruins: $12
- Half Day City Tour in Cusco: $12
- City Tour in Cusco: $13
- Cusco Open Bus Tour: $14
- Open Bus Cusco City Tour: $14
- Half-Day City Tour with Sacsayhuaman and Qenqo: $14
- Half Day Tour to the South Valley from Cusco: $14
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRiga €20Cusco €9.07
Sample the Local Flavors in Riga
Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Old town pub & bar crawl, hidden gems, and local party: $21
- Pub Crawl with Local Guide: $29
- Riga Pub Crawl Nightlife Experience: $30
- Pub Crawl- Your best night out in Riga with our local guide!: $41
- Riga Pub Crawl: $41
- Latvian Brewery Visit & 5 Beer tasting: $47
- Riga Evening Adventure: Pub Crawl & Games Night: $50
- Game Night & Pub Crawl: $52
- Prosecco Bike & Pub Crawl: $65
- Riga Brewery Tour: $75
- Riga's Old Town Beer Bike Tour & Guided Pub Crawl: $94
- Riga Sip and Paint Experience with Latvian Wine Tasting: $99
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Riga and Cusco, we can see that Riga is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Riga 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 Riga would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Riga 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 Riga Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Riga or Cusco?
Riga has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Riga 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.