Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Venice?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Venice or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Venice and Cusco can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Venice or Cusco?
Venice
The canals of Venice are one of the most popular and emulated destinations in the world. In it's hay day, Venice was at the center of politics, exploration, arts and architecture. Today that history is still very much alive and well. The city is unlike any other in the world. The best way to immerse yourself in Venice is to get yourself lost in the alleyways. It's actually quite easy to do and you'll find yourself stumbling into the most interesting places, hidden away from the crowds of Piazzo San Marco.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Italy, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Italy, 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 dayVenice €229Cusco €47
The average daily cost (per person) in Venice is €229, 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 Venice and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVenice €120Cusco €21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVenice €240Cusco €42
Compare Hotels in Venice and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Venice 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: Venice Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Venice €27Cusco €9.25
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Venice
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Venice:
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Venice 12 Hour Transport Pass€16
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Vaporetto Ride€6.50
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1 Day Travel Card€18
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7 Day Transport Card (for Two)€101
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Venice
Also for Venice, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bus Transfer between Marco Polo Airport and City: $11
- Boat Transfer to/from Marco Polo Airport w/ 3 Routes: $16
- Punta Sabbioni: Round Trip Boat Transfer to Venice: $16
- Ljubljana: Bus transfer from/to Venice Marco Polo Airport: $24
- Murano Glass Demo and Boat Transfer to Glass Factory: $33
- Water Taxi Transfer Lido Santa Maria Elisabetta: $34
- Venice Airport (VCE) to Venice, piazzale Roma - Arrival Private Transfer: $35
- Venice, Piazzale Roma to Venice Airport (VCE)- Departure Transfer: $35
- Private Transfer from Venice Airport (VCE) to Venice city or port: $35
- Private Transfer from Venice City or Port to Venice Airport (VCE): $35
- Shared Water Taxi Transfer to Marco Polo Airport: $38
- Marco Polo Airport Water Taxi Transfer: $40
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:
- From 2-Day Guided Trip to Machu Picchu with Transfers: $350
- Full-Day Trip to Machu Picchu with Hotel Transfers: $290
- Private Transfer From Cusco To Puno With 2 Sightseeing Hours: $249
- Direct Private Transfer From Cusco to Puno, English Local Speaking Driver: $205
- Private Transfer from Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) Airport to Valle Sagrado : $159
- Ollantaytambo train station to Cuzco RoundTrip Private Transfer: $151
- Transfer Cusco_Ollantaytambo or vice versa with city tour and Pisac: $140
- Ollantaytambo train station to Cuzco city or airport- Roundtrip Private Transfer: $135
- Puno Bus Transfer with Buffet Lunch: $109
- Private City Tour and Saksaywaman Visit with Transfer: $80
- Cuzco to Ollantaytambo Train Station - Departure Private Transfer: $75
- Cuzco city or airport to Ollantaytambo train station -Departure Private Transfer: $68
Is it cheaper to fly into Venice or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Venice 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 dayVenice €65Cusco €12
Typical Food Prices in Venice
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Venice:
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Panini Sandwich€4.00
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Gelato€6.00
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Artichoke & Mushroom Pizza€7.90
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Expresso€1.95
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Slice of Pizza€2.23
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Three Course Dinner (for Two)€79
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Venice
For Venice, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $30
- Hard Rock Cafe Venice with Set Lunch or Dinner: $32
- Tiramisu Cooking Class on Line from Venice: $35
- Street Food Tour with a Local Guide and Tastings: $47
- Small Group Venice Street Food Tour with Expert Local Guide: $48
- Venice Street Food Tour with Local Guide with Local Food Market Visit: $48
- Street Food Tour of Venice in 2.5 hours: $48
- Eating Venice Street Food Tour with Guided Tasting and Sightseeing: $48
- Guided City Highlights and Street Food Tour: $52
- Venetian Dinner: $62
- Twilight Food Tour with Cicchetti and Spritz Tasting: $64
- Venetian Dinner: $68
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.Venice €101Cusco €27
Typical Entertainment Prices in Venice
For Venice, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Venice Boat Ride€15
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Bell tower of St. Mark Entrance Fee€8.00
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Gondola Ride (for Group)€80
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Secret Itinerary Tour- Doge's Palace€16
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The Jewish Museum Admission€3.00
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The Glass Museum in Murano€8.00
Tours and Activities in Venice
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Venice.
- Venezia: Digital Guide made by a Local for your walking tour: $2.15
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Venice self guided audio tour: $4.29
- Exclusive Self-Guided Audio Tour in Jewish Ghetto: $4.63
- Self Guided Audio Tour to The Jewish Ghetto of Venice : $4.70
- From Italy eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.84
- Venezia Walking Tour with Audio and Written Guide by a Local: $5.24
- From 1-Way Bus Ticket to Florence or Vice Versa: $5.35
- Digital Audio Guide Tour of The Jewish Ghetto: $5.38
- independent walking tour with an audio guide: $5.38
- walking tour with audio guide in French: $5.38
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Venice: $5.47
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:
- 2 Day Pisac Ollantaytambo Salt flats Moray Sacred Valley Tour: $297
- City Tour Cusco / Tour in the City: $12
- City tour of Cusco by E-BIKE: $131
- Colorful mountain adventure with a slightly steep hike: $48
- Half- Day City Tour Cusco : $150
- Moray saltmines ATV (Cuatrimotos) Tour: $68
- Night Tour in Cusco Private Service: $90
- Official Machupicchu Ticket: $96
- Official Ticket Football Day tour In Cusco with Tourism Guide: $100
- Official Ticket- Machu Picchu Lost Citadel: $72
- Private Tour to Sacred Valley Full Day from Cusco: $130
- Sacred Valley Tour in Cusco : $47
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVenice €24Cusco €8.78
Typical Alcohol Prices in Venice
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Venice:
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1/2 Liter Wine€5.20
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Beer€4.90
Sample the Local Flavors in Venice
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Venice:
- Venice Food and Wine Tasting Tour with a Local Guide: $8.74
- Guided Tour and wine tasting 5 wines to discover the Conegliano Valdobbiadene: $27
- Guided Visit and Wine Tasting at the Winery in Veneto: $27
- Wine Tasting in Venice: $38
- private tour in the city and wine tasting: $51
- Wine tasting Asolo Prosecco at Tenuta Baron: $59
- Food and Wine Tasting Bar Tour & Evening Guided Tour: $72
- Venetian Style Carnival Pub Crawl: $80
- Venetian Style Carnival Pub Crawl: $82
- Eat, drink and repeat: Wine tasting tour in Venice: $98
- Authentic Neighborhood Cicchetti Food & Wine Tour: $106
- A Venetian Evening - Wine Tasting & Tapas tour with a Local guide: $109
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 Venice and Cusco, we can see that Venice is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Venice 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 Venice would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Venice 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 Venice Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Venice or Cusco?
Cusco has a larger population, and is about 15% larger than the population of Venice. When comparing the sizes of Venice 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.