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

Should you visit Rio de Janeiro or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Rio de Janeiro and Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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: Rio de Janeiro or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.

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 Luxury Tours to Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Brazil, The Best Photography Tours in Peru, and The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Rio de Janeiro?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Rio de Janeiro is $108, while the average daily cost in Lake Titicaca (Puno) is $55. 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 Rio de Janeiro and Lake Titicaca (Puno) in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Rio de Janeiro $68
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Rio de Janeiro $136
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $52
Compare Hotels in Rio de Janeiro and Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Looking for a hotel in Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro


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: Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices and Lake Titicaca (Puno) Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Rio de Janeiro $8.15
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:


  • Taxi Ride
    $3.00

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:

  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Rio de Janeiro City center - Airport (GIG): $13
  • Rio Santos Dumont (SDU): Shuttle Transfer to/from Hotels: $16
  • Rio Galeão Airport (GIG): Shuttle Transfer to/from Hotels: $16
  • Private transfer Economico GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 3 pax to Zona Sul: $18
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from Rio de Janeiro City Center -Airport (SDU): $19
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Rio de Janeiro Airport (SDU) - Rio City Center: $19
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Rio de Janeiro City center - Airport (SDU): $19
  • Shared Transfer From or To Airport: $19
  • Transfer service from / to Porto Maravilha - Zona Sul: $19
  • One Way Shared Transfer from Airport to hotels in Rio de Janeiro: $20
  • Private Transfer: Rio de Janeiro to Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont Airport (SDU): $22
  • Private Transfer: Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) to Rio de Janeiro: $22

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

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


  • Taxi
    $0.82

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

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

  • Direct Private Transfer From Puno to Cusco, English Local Speaking Driver: $207
  • Private Transfer From Puno to Cusco With 2 Stops: $251
  • Private Transfer From Puno to Oruro with English Speaking Driver: $243
  • Private Transfer from Hotel Puno to Puerto de Puno: $21
  • Private Transfer from Puno to Desaguadero: $195
  • Private Transfer from Puno to Frontera Kasani: $204
  • Private transfer airport-puno-viceverse: $60
  • Puno Airport Shared Transfer: $20

Is it cheaper to fly into Rio de Janeiro or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?

Prices for flights to both Lake Titicaca (Puno) and Rio de Janeiro 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
    Rio de Janeiro $21
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $15
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:


  • Popcorn
    $0.60
  • Corn on the Cob
    $0.80
  • Hamburger
    $1.00

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.

  • Waterfront Dinner & Live Music Experience: $47
  • Barra da Tijuca Food Tour with Drinks: $74
  • 9-Recipes Boozy Brazilian Cooking Class with Market Tour: $85
  • Dinner & Rio Scenarium Nightclub Admission with Transfer: $85
  • 9-Recipe Boozy Brazilian Cooking Class: $85
  • Copacabana Local Street Bars Food Tour: $93
  • Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local - All Included: $99
  • Rio Scenarium Entrance, Dinner, and Open Bar: $107
  • Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local: $114
  • Brazilian Cooking Class: $129
  • Samba Show Admission & Transfer with Dinner Option: $130
  • Rio: Ginga Tropical Folkloric Show & Optional Dinner: $142

Typical Food Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

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


  • Tamales
    $1.50

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Rio de Janeiro $22
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $30

Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro

Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • A Self-Guided Black History Audio Tour of Rio de Janeiro’s Little Africa: $5.99
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour - Santa Teresa: the staircase: $6.99
  • Rio de Janeiro (Ipanema & Copacabana) Self-Guided Tour: $7.80
  • Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.80
  • Rio de Janeiro(Ipanema-Copacabana)Scavenger Hunt Self-Guided Tour: $7.96
  • Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.96
  • Salvador Sights Self Guided Tour (Pelourinho): $7.96
  • Rio de Janeiro Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour - Imperial Rio: $10
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour-Story of Bossanova: Rhythm and soul of Rio: $10
  • Hiking Experience to Pedra do Telégrafo: $10
  • Favela tour in copacabana with local guide!: $10

Tours and Activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

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

  • Half Day Tour to Sillustani from Puno : $22
  • Sillustani / 4-hour tour from Puno: $25
  • Walking City tour Puno: $25
  • Morning: Uros Floating Islands Tour from Puno: $25
  • Lake Titicaca Uros Floating Islands Half-Day Tour: $25
  • Uros Floating Island Tour: $26
  • Half Day Tour in Sillustani: $26
  • 3h Boat Tour to Uros Island from Puno: $38
  • Full Day Guided Tour of the Aymara Route from Puno: $40
  • Full Day Tour Uros and Taquile (Speed Boat): $40
  • Lake Titicaca Day Tour from Puno: $44
  • Tour to Uros and Taquile Islands in a Fast Boat: $45

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Rio de Janeiro $12
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $13

Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:

  • Pub Crawl in Lapa: $30
  • Rio: Pub Crawl in Lapa with Cachaça Tasting and Live Samba: $33
  • Petropolis City Tour with Imperial Museum and Optional Lunch & Bohemia Brewery: $40
  • Walking tour + Pub crawl in Lapa: $42
  • Petropolis Bohemia: Historic tour and visit to the Bohemian Brewery: $58
  • Petropolis City Tour + Bohemia Brewery + Lunch: $77
  • Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
  • Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $134


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rio de Janeiro and Lake Titicaca (Puno), we can see that Rio de Janeiro is more expensive. And not only is Lake Titicaca (Puno) much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Rio de Janeiro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro Expensive? and Is Lake Titicaca (Puno) Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Rio de Janeiro or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?

Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Lake Titicaca (Puno). When comparing the sizes of Rio de Janeiro 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.