A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Riga vs. Lake Titicaca (Puno) for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Riga or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Riga or Lake Titicaca (Puno)? 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno)?

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.

Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Lake Titicaca, which directly translates to "puma stone" in Quechua, is located high in the Andes Mountains straddling Peru and Bolivia, with about 60% of the lake in Peru and 40% in Bolivia. Among the lake are three main islands, the most popular of which are the Uros Islands, also known as the floating islands, where the Uros people live on totora reeds that grow in the lake.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Photography Tours in Peru, and The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Riga?

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

  • Riga Prices
    Latvia Prices
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) Prices
    Peru Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Riga €122
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) €63

The average daily cost (per person) in Riga is €122, while the average daily cost in Lake Titicaca (Puno) is €63. 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Riga €52
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) €25
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Riga €104
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) €50
Compare Hotels in Riga and Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Looking for a hotel in Riga or Lake Titicaca (Puno)? 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 Riga


Hotels in Lake Titicaca (Puno)


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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Riga €9.63
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) €9.96

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:

  • Canal and River Cruise with Old Town Transfer: $20
  • Transfer from Riga City Center to Riga Airport RIX: $33
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Riga Airport RIX to Riga by Sedan: $37
  • Riga Airport to Hotel Transfer: $44
  • Private Transfer Riga International Airport RIX to Jurmala City: $51
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Riga Airport RIX to Riga City by Minivan: $51
  • Transfer from Riga Airport to Riga Old city: $52
  • Transfer from Riga center to Airport: $52
  • Private Transfer from Riga Airport to Hotel with English speaking driver: $56
  • Private Transfer from Hotel to Riga Airport with English speaking driver: $56
  • Riga City to Riga Airport - Private Transfer: $56
  • Riga Airport to Riga City - Private Transfer: $56

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno):


  • Taxi
    €0.77

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno):

  • Puno Arrival Transfer from bus or railway Station: $14
  • Inca Manco Capac Airport to Puno or Titicaca Small-Group Transfer: $20
  • Private Transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno Plaza de Armas: $40
  • Private Transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno or Viceversa: $52
  • Private transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno or Viceversa: $52
  • Private Transfer from Inca Manco Capac (JUL) Airport to Puno: $93
  • Private Transfer from Puno to Desaguadero: $203
  • Private Transfer From Puno to Chivay, English Speaking Driver: $219

Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?

Prices for flights to both Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Riga €57
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) €25
Typical Food Prices in Riga

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


  • 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.

  • Riga Central Market Food Tour with Guide & Tastings ENG, DE: $26
  • Central Market Latvian Food Tour with 20 taste samples: $52
  • Khinkali and Pelmeni Cooking Master Class: $69
  • Latvian Cooking Class in a Local Home: $114
  • Riga Medieval Dinner: $125
  • Pizza Making Master Class in Riga: $240
  • Traditional Latvian Dinner with Private Folk Show: $248

Typical Food Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Some typical examples of dining costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:


  • Tamales
    €1.41

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno).

  • Midday Food Tour in Puno: $68

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Riga €14
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) €28

Tours and Activities in Riga

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

  • Historic Canal Boat Tour with Audio Guide: $8.01
  • Panorama Riga Observation Deck Ticket: $9.22
  • Historic Canal Boat Tour with Audio Guide: $10
  • Audio Tour of Riga Old Town: $12
  • Old Town Walking Tour with a Local Guide: $12
  • Old Town E-Bus Tour with Audio Guide: $12
  • Entrance Ticket - House of the Black Heads: $12
  • Old Riga Walking Tour: Stories and Legends ENG/DE/ESP: $12
  • Top Panorama Cruise With Bar,WiFi and audioguide: $13
  • Riga Sightseeing by Canal Boat with Audio Guide: $14
  • Riga Old Town Walking Tour: Stories and Legends ENG/DE/ESP: $14
  • Top City Panorama Cruise With Bar & WiFi by boat Jelgava/Liepaja: $14

Tours and Activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:

  • 3-Hour Small Group Uros Floating Islands Tour: $8.00
  • Half Day Tour Floating Islands of Uros Puno: $10
  • Uros Floating Island Tour: $10
  • Half-Day Tour to the Floating Islands of Uros: $14
  • Chullpas Tour of Sillustani Inca Cemetery: $18
  • Uros Floating Islands Half-Day Tour from Puno: $22
  • Sillustani Tour from Puno with Lake Umayo: $24
  • Morning: Uros Floating Islands Tour from Puno: $25
  • Sillustani Tours: $26
  • Sillustani Tombs Half Day Tour from Puno: $28
  • Sillustani Half Day Tour: $29
  • 3h Boat Tour to Uros Island from Puno: $30

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Riga €20
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) €12

Sample the Local Flavors in Riga

Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Pub Crawl with Local Guide: $29
  • Old town pub & bar crawl, hidden gems, and local party: $29
  • Brewery Tour with Beer and Riga Balsam Tasting: $32
  • Brewery Tour and Beer Tasting in Riga: $33
  • Riga Pub Crawl Nightlife Experience: $37
  • Combo Brewery Tour + Canal Boat tour: $39
  • Pub Crawl- Your best night out in Riga with our local guide!: $40
  • Private - Riga Pub Crawl: $40
  • 2 in 1 - Old Town Walking Tour & Pub Crawl: $40
  • Riga 2 in 1 Tour: Art Nouveau Tour & Pub Crawl: $45
  • Riga Evening Adventure: Pub Crawl & Games Night: $50
  • Authentic Latvian Brewery Beer Tasting & Riga Highlight Tour: $51


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Riga and Lake Titicaca (Puno), we can see that Riga is more expensive. And not only is Lake Titicaca (Puno) much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Riga is in Europe and Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno).

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Riga Expensive? and Is Lake Titicaca (Puno) Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Riga or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?

Riga has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Lake Titicaca (Puno). When comparing the sizes of Riga and Lake Titicaca (Puno), 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.