Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Salento?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Salento or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Salento 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: Salento or Cusco?
Salento
Founded in 1850, Salento is one of the oldest towns in Quindio. This colonial Colombian town has retained much of its old world charm, with its colorful buildings, large square and, of course, the obligatory church. Because the main route between Cali and Bogota which used to pass through Salento was diverted, the town didn't develop as quickly as others in the Quindio region. This gave Salento the opportunity to evolve into a thriving community of craftsmen and artisans as well as remaining one of the region's most prolific coffee producers. Salento is located 24 km northeast of the departmental capital Armenia. However, unlike its colorful neighbor, Armenia itself has very little to offer tourists. Salento attracts those wishing to learn about the coffee regions and for those who simply admire breathtaking scenery, and especially the stunning Cocora Valley.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySalento $33Cusco $51
The average daily cost (per person) in Salento is $33, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $51. 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 Salento and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSalento $11Cusco $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSalento $22Cusco $46
Compare Hotels in Salento and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Salento 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: Salento Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Salento $14Cusco $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salento
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Salento:
- Pereira Airport Private Transfer Service: $55
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$1.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Transfers in Cusco: $6.00
- One-Way Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $6.12
- Cusco Airport Transfers: $8.00
- Private 1-Way Transfer to Velasco Astete Airport: $9.00
- One-Way Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $9.00
- One-Way Airport Transfer to Hotel: $9.50
- Pickup from Cusco airport and transfer to your hotel in Private vehicle: $9.52
- Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $9.67
- Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $9.67
- Private Transfer From the Airport to your Hotel in Cuzco: $9.68
- Private Shuttle Transfer from Cusco Airport (CUZ) to Hotels in Cusco: $9.90
- Transfer Hotel to Airport in Cusco | Private Service |: $10
Is it cheaper to fly into Salento or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Salento 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 daySalento $9.56Cusco $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Salento
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Salento.
- Cooking Stories - Cocinando Historias: $46
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.17
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Mango$0.54
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- Small-Group Virtual Ceviche Cooking Experience: $25
- 3-Hour Peruvian Cooking Class: $49
- Pete's Peruvian Cooking Class: $52
- Market Tour & Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $53
- CUSCO COOKING CLASS DINNER - Short & Immersive Cooking Class: $53
- Cooking Class and market tour with a local chef: $56
- Vegetarian Cooking Class, Local Market Tour in Cusco: $57
- Peruvian Cooking Class and Local Market in Cusco: $59
- Cusco Cooking Classes and San Pedro Market Tour: $59
- Peruvian Cooking Class and Local Market Tour: $63
- Peruvian Cooking Class & Market Tour: $65
- Curious Monkey Cusco- Market and Streets, Walking Food Tour: $70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Salento $12Cusco $29
Tours and Activities in Salento
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Salento are as follows:
- City tour + Nature: $25
- Coffee tour in the heart of the coffee region: $28
- Santa Rita Waterfall and Salento Hike Tour: $49
- Filandia and Salento Coffee Towns Tour: $64
- Private Colombian Coffee Farm Tour with Tastings in Armenia: $78
- Cocora Valley and Salento Hike Tour: $79
- Coffee Tour at Finca El Ocaso: $84
- Coffee Farm and Salento Walking Tour with Lunch: $87
- Private birding tour for beginners and intermediate: $90
- Coffe Experience: Daily departure from Salento: $92
- Pereira: Cocora Valley and Salento Guided Hiking Tour: $92
- Coffee Tour and Salento Walking Tour with lunch: $98
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$2.71
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- Free Walking Tour of Cusco: $2.00
- Cusco : Half Day City Tour: $9.00
- Cusco City Tour: $10
- Cusco City Tour including Sacsayhuaman Koricancha and Tambomachay: $10
- Combined city tour cusco: $10
- Cochahuasi Animal Sanctuary Admission Ticket: $10
- Guided Walking Tour with fluent English: $10
- extreme adventure in cusco warachicuy adventure park: $11
- Mirabus Cusco city tour | Panoramic view |: $12
- Sightseeing Tour of the City on an Open-Top Bus: $12
- City tours Cusco: $12
- Mirabus Cusco city tour | Panoramic view |: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySalento $12Cusco $9.56
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 Cusco : $18
- Cusco Pub Crawl: Cusco Bar Hopping Experience : $18
- Exclusive Pub Crawl with 10+ benefits: $18
- Pub Crawl with Skip-the-Line Access and Drinks: $18
- Exclusive Pub Crawl with more than 10 Benefits: $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salento and Cusco, we can see that Cusco is more expensive. And not only is Salento much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Salento would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salento 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 Cusco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cusco than you might in Salento.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Salento Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Salento or Cusco?
Cusco has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Salento. When comparing the sizes of Salento 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.