Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Valencia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Valencia or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Valencia or Cusco, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Valencia or Cusco?
Valencia
Valencia is a port city that sits on Spain's southeastern Orange Blossom coast, where the Turia River meets the Mediterranean Sea. As the nation's third-largest city, it is continually innovative in the arts and sciences with some futuristic architecture including a planetarium, oceanarium, and an interactive museum. The nightlife and daytime culture both thrive in their own ways, bustling with limitless opportunities for sight-seeing and entertainment. While the city is surrounded by fertile farmland, its center is a modern metropolis, skirted by beautiful beaches.
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 G Adventures Tours to Spain, The Best 3-Day Tours from Madrid, 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 dayValencia €123Cusco €47
The average daily cost (per person) in Valencia is €123, while the average daily cost in Cusco is €47. 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 Valencia and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personValencia €58Cusco €21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomValencia €116Cusco €42
Compare Hotels in Valencia and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Valencia 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: Valencia Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Valencia €18Cusco €9.25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Valencia
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Valencia:
- One-Way Boat Transfer to/from Port Saplaya: $13
- Private Transfer: Valencia City Center to Valencia Airport (VLC): $26
- Private Transfer: Valencia Airport (VLC) to Valencia City Center: $27
- Valencia to Valencia Airport (VLC) - Departure Private Transfer: $29
- Arrival Transfer Valencia Airport VLC to Valencia City by Sedan: $37
- Private Transfer - Valencia Airport (VLC) to Valencia Cruise Port: $38
- Arrival Transfer Valencia Airport VLC to Valencia City by Minivan: $42
- Arrival Private Transfer Valencia Port to Valencia City by Van: $42
- Barcelona to Montserrat: Guided Tour & Return Bus Transfers: $46
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Valencia HTL-APT (VLC): $48
- Roundtrip Transfer to Tabarca Island: $48
- Valencia Airport (VLC) to Valencia Round-Trip Privat Transfer: $59
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€1.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Cusco – Puno Direct Transfers: $24
- Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $15
- Cusco Airport Arrival or Departure Transfer : $13
- Cusco Airport Pickup and Private Transfer: $15
- Cusco Airport: Private 1-Way Transfer: $15
- Cusco Bus Station Arrival or Departure Transfer: $13
- Cusco Private Transfer to Poroy Railway Station: $15
- Cusco to Ollantaytambo: One-Way Private Transfer: $55
- Abode of the Gods ATV Tour with Transfer: $30
- Alpaca and Llama Farm Tour w/ Transfer & Weaving Demo: $34
- Full-Day Trip to Machu Picchu with Hotel Transfers: $290
- One-Way Airport Transfer to Hotel: $9.50
Is it cheaper to fly into Valencia or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Valencia 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 dayValencia €40Cusco €12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Valencia
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Valencia.
- Flamenco at Toro y La Luna with Drinks or Dinner: $19
- Hard Rock Cafe Entrance with Lunch or Dinner: $32
- Traditional Spanish Home Dinner: $48
- Valencia Traditional Food Tour: $51
- Guided Food Tour with Chocolate Tasting Experience: $54
- Street Food Tour including Paella & Tapas Tasting: $59
- Paella Cooking Experience near the center of Valencia: $59
- Morning Food Tour with Central Market Visit: $64
- Cooking Class of traditional spanish food: $65
- Vegetable Paella cooking class, tapas and visit market: $66
- Valencian Paella cooking class, Tapas and Market Visit: $66
- Flamenco Show with Dinner at La Bulería: $70
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich€2.00
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Mango€0.50
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
- Folkloric Andean Show & 3-Course Dinner at Tunupa: $35
- CUSCO COOKING CLASS LUNCH - Quick Culinary Dive: $37
- 3-Hour Peruvian Cooking Class: $49
- Market Tour & Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $53
- Cooking Class and market tour with a local chef: $56
- Peruvian Cooking Class and Local Market in Cusco: $59
- Dinner at Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba Hotel: $65
- Peruvian Market Tour And Cooking Class in Cusco: $65
- Peruvian Cooking Class, Cocktails & Local Market Tour: $65
- Peruvian Cooking Class & Market Tour: $65
- Awamaki Cooking Class: $68
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Valencia €29Cusco €27
Typical Entertainment Prices in Valencia
Here are a few typical costs in Valencia for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Flamenco Tour€16
Tours and Activities in Valencia
Here are a few actual costs in Valencia for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $3.77
- Self-Guided City Exploration Game and Walking Tour: $3.77
- Valencia Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- In love with A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Between Two Gates Self-Guided Smartphone Tour: $7.99
- Between Two Gates: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in Valencia: $7.99
- Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07
- Silk Museum Entry Ticket with Audio Guide: $8.61
- Historic Center Audio-Guided Tour with Earphones: $8.61
- Scavenger Hunt and Monumental Self-Guided Tour: $8.84
- Scavenger Hunt and Iconic Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.84
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€2.49
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
- Walking Tour Cusco: $10
- Cochahuasi Animal Sanctuary Admission Ticket: $10
- CUSCO CITY TOUR 2024 Half Day Tour in Cuzco: $10
- Cusco City Half-Day Tour: $12
- Open Bus Tour of the City’s Wonder’s: $12
- Sightseeing Tour of the City on an Open-Top Bus: $12
- City Tour Cusco / Tour in the City: $12
- Open-Top Bus City Tour: $12
- Mirabus Cusco city tour | Panoramic view |: $12
- Historic Walking Tour with Pisco Sour and Music Show: $13
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayValencia €20Cusco €8.78
Sample the Local Flavors in Valencia
Also in Valencia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Guided Pub Crawl with Free Shots: $13
- Pub Crawl Tour in the Old town of Valencia: $17
- Pub Crawl With Free Shots: $25
- Wine Tasting with Professional Sommelier in centre Valencia: $59
- From Guided Cheese Factory Tour with Wine Tasting: $91
- Local Tapas & Wine tasting experience: $91
- Wine Tasting and Tapas Experience: $102
- Cheese Factory Workshop with Wine Tasting in Requena, Valencia: $108
- From Requena Wine Tour with Tastings: $124
- Small Group - Half-Day Wine Tour: $126
- Two wineries tour with wine tasting : $131
- Christmas Tapas and Wine Tour in Valencia: $164
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 Valencia and Cusco, we can see that Valencia is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Valencia 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 Valencia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Valencia 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 Valencia Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Valencia or Cusco?
Valencia has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Valencia 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.