Should you visit Salto or Cusco?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Salto or Cusco, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Salto
Salto is in the citrus growing region of Northern Interior Uruguay, on the east bank of the Rio Uruguay. It is closely connected to the neighboring Argentinian city of Concordia that lies across the river on the western bank. Salto is Uruguay's second-largest city and the most northerly crossing point to Argentina. Salto is a very picturesque city that has a relaxing feel the entire year. However, people mostly come here for the nearby hot springs and the recreation area above the enormous Salto Grande hydroelectric dam.
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. (Read this advice about managing the altitude in Cusco and Machu Picchu.)
Which city is cheaper, Cusco or Salto?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Salto is $51, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $38. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Salto and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Salto is about $44 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
A hotel room in Cusco is about $34 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
Food in Salto costs travelers about $18 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
Cusco food costs typically run travelers around $9.59 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Salto $18
Cusco $9.59
Typical Food prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich
$1.95
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Mango
$0.49
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
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Small-Group Virtual Peruvian Cooking Experience:
$25
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Small-Group Virtual Ceviche Cooking Experience:
$25
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Tunupa Cusco Restaurant: Dinner with Show:
$28
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CUSCO COOKING CLASS LUNCH 12:00PM TO 1:30PM (Available only in English):
$37
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Peruvian Cooking Class and Local Market in Cusco:
$39
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Dinner at Calle del Medio restaurant:
$40
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Dinner at Pachapapa restaurant.:
$40
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Peruvian Cooking Classes:
$43
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Dinner at Tunupa restaurant with folkloric show.:
$45
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Dinner at Inca Grill Restaurant:
$45
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Curious Monkey- The Gordito, Walking Food Tour:
$45
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Fully hands-on High End Peruvian Cooking Class & San Pedro Market Guided Visit:
$45
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $16 per day to get around in Salto.
The average price of local transportation around Cusco is $8.69 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Cusco
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cusco:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
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Aiport Transfers Service:
$41
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Airport Cusco Transfers:
$60
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Airport Transfer, City Tour, Sacred Valley & Machupicchu (All Included):
$580
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Arrival Private Transfer Cusco Airport CUZ to Cusco City by Minivan:
$27
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Arrival Private Transfer from Cusco Airport CUZ to Cusco City by Sedan Car:
$18
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Arrival Private Transfer: Cusco Airport CUZ to Cusco City by Sprinter Minibus:
$51
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Arrival Transfer & Cusco City Tour:
$43
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CUSCO MAGICAL 4D Transfer, Hotel, City Tour, Sacred Valley and Machu picchu:
$641
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Cusco – Puno Direct Transfers:
$39
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Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer:
$8.20
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Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer:
$9.67
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Cusco Airport Arrival or Departure Private Transfer:
$9.70
Is it cheaper to fly into Salto or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Salto 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.
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $13 per person, per day in Salto. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Cusco's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $20 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Typical Entertainment prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Cusco are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
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Cochahuasi Animal Sanctuary Admission Ticket:
$7.00
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the best tour 4 ruins cusco:
$10
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Cusco Cathedral Admission Ticket:
$10
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Walking tour in Cusco:
$10
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Walking Tour Game:
$11
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city cusco tour:
$12
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City Tour in Cusco:
$14
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Tours in Cusco with mgtravelsperu:
$14
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Machu Picchu: 2-Hour Small Group Guided Tour:
$14
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City Tour cusco and archaeological sites:
$15
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Shared Cusco City Tour by Bus:
$15
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City Tour Cusco Peru:
$15
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Salto may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $9.74 per day on alcoholic beverages.
The average person spends about $6.81 on alcoholic beverages in Cusco per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salto and Cusco, we can see that Salto is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Salto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Salto than you might in Cusco.
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