Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Rotterdam?
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 Rotterdam or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Rotterdam and Cusco. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Rotterdam or Cusco?
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands and has the largest port in Europe. It's famously known as a city of architecture. In a few square kilometers of the city center you can get a complete overview of twentieth century architecture within Rotterdam.
Rotterdam is a very diverse, international, and hard working city. Nearly half of the city's population is not native to the Netherlands or have at least one parent from outside the country. Muslim's make up a significant portion of the population. Other area's represented include Cape Verde and the Dutch Antilles.
There's an air of optimism that permeates the entire city. There are frequent events, festivals and performances, making Rotterdam an enjoyable place to spend some time. Water is also an integral part of the city design.
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 River Cruises from Amsterdam, The Best Bicycle Tours in Netherlands, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Rotterdam Prices
Netherlands PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRotterdam €191Cusco €57
The average daily cost (per person) in Rotterdam is €191, 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 Rotterdam and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRotterdam €82Cusco €22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRotterdam €164Cusco €44
Compare Hotels in Rotterdam and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Rotterdam 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: Rotterdam Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rotterdam €26Cusco €9.51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rotterdam
Also for Rotterdam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Madurodam: Train + tram transferring to/from Rotterdam: $10
- Rotterdam Airport RTM Private Transfer to Rotterdam in Sedan Car: $87
- Rotterdam Private Transfer to Rotterdam Airport RTM in Sedan Car: $87
- Private Transfer from Rotterdam Port to Rotterdam Airport (RTM): $87
- Private Transfer from Rotterdam Cruise Port to Rotterdam hotels: $87
- Rotterdam Airport RTM Private Transfer to Rotterdam by Luxury Van: $94
- Rotterdam Private Transfer to Rotterdam Airport RTM by Luxury Van: $94
- Private Transfer from Rotterdam Airport (RTM) to IJmuiden Port: $132
- Private Transfer from Rotterdam hotels to IJmuiden Cruise Port: $132
- Rotterdam Airport(RTM) to Rotterdam - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $141
- Private Transfer from Cruise Port Rotterdam to Amsterdam: $168
- Private Transfer From Cruise Port Rotterdam to Schiphol Airport: $168
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:
- Ollantaytambo train station to Cuzco RoundTrip Private Transfer: $212
- Private Transfer to Ausangate and the 7 Lagoons from Cusco: $210
- Private Transfer from Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport to Valle Sagrado: $171
- Private Transfer from Valle Sagrado to Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport: $168
- Private Transfer from Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport to Ollantaytambo: $152
- Private Transfer from Ollantaytambo to Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport: $149
- Cuzco to Ollantaytambo Train Station - Departure Private Transfer: $106
- Transfer Cusco - Ollantaytambo train station: $95
- Ollantaytambo train station to Cuzco city or airport- Roundtrip Private Transfer: $82
- Private Transfer to Ollantaytambo Station and Sacred Valley 24 7: $69
- Airport Cusco Transfers: $69
- Private Transfer from Cusco Airport to Urubamba: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Rotterdam or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Rotterdam 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 dayRotterdam €89Cusco €21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rotterdam
For Rotterdam, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pizza Cruise: $46
- Rotterdam Food Tour: Taste The Alternative Side Of The City: $79
- Guided Food Tour: $80
- Historic Delfshaven: Lunch or Dinner with a Private Chef: $87
- Iconic Rotterdam Food Tour: 7 Local Dishes with a Guide: $100
- Food Tour by Bike: $104
- Guided Walking Food Tour: $104
- Rotterdam Walking Food Tour with Delicious Tastings: $105
- Private Walking Food Tour of Rotterdam: $129
- Rotterdam Private 2-Hour Food Tour with Tastings: $175
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich€2.05
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Mango€0.51
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.Rotterdam €31Cusco €28
Tours and Activities in Rotterdam
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Rotterdam.
- Rotterdam 2-Hour Walking Tour | Discover The City With A Local: $3.52
- Rotterdam Self Guided Highlights and Hidden Gems Walking Tour: $3.53
- Breda Fun Puzzle Quest: True Lord Self-Guided Tour: $5.87
- Rotterdam Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $5.88
- Risen from Ruins Self Guided Tour of Rotterdam: $6.29
- Rotterdam Highlights & Spies: Exploration Game & Tour: $7.40
- Windmills and Dutch Ingenuity: A Kinderdijk Audio Walking Tour: $8.99
- Team Up for a Playful Tour of Rotterdam: $12
- Rotterdam Walking Tour with Audio Guide on Your Smartphone: $12
- Dordrecht: A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Holland's Oldest City: $12
- From River to Metropolis: A Rotterdam City Self Guided Audio Tour: $12
- Delfshaven Self-Guided Tour: A Guide to Rotterdam’s Old Town: $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€2.57
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 dayRotterdam €19Cusco €9.03
Sample the Local Flavors in Rotterdam
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rotterdam:
- Beer Brewery 'Noordt' Beer Tasting: $9.31
- Brewery Noordt Tour Including Two Beers: $20
- Stadshaven Brewery Tour with Beer Tastings: $26
- The Ultimate Rotterdam Bar Crawl Experience: $41
- Ludwig's Original Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $52
- Ludwig's Private Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $576
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 Rotterdam and Cusco, we can see that Rotterdam is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Rotterdam 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 Rotterdam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rotterdam 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 Rotterdam Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rotterdam or Cusco?
Rotterdam has a larger population, and is about 92% larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Rotterdam 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.