Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Vienna?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Vienna or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Vienna 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: Vienna or Cusco?
Vienna
Vienna is the largest city and capital of Austria. It has a population of over 1.7 million and is a cultural, political and economic center for the country. The historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and some complain that it feels more like a museum than a real city. Outside of the historical center though, is a young and vibrant city with a huge music scene, many street performers, and eclectic and fun restaurants and nightclubs.
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 2-Week Tours in Austria, The Best Tours for Seniors to Austria, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
-
Vienna Prices
Austria PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVienna €177Cusco €58
The average daily cost (per person) in Vienna is €177, while the average daily cost in Cusco is €58. 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 Vienna and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVienna €94Cusco €22
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVienna €188Cusco €44
Compare Hotels in Vienna and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Vienna 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: Vienna Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vienna €19Cusco €9.64
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vienna
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Vienna:
-
Bus to Airport€30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vienna
Also for Vienna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Bratislava/Fast and Comfortable Bus Transfers: $10
- Vienna Airport Bus: Convenient Transfers to and from Vienna: $16
- Bratislava Bus Transfer to and from Vienna Airport: $21
- Vienna Downtown to Vienna Intl Airport (VIE) - Departure Private Transfer: $43
- Transfer from Vienna Airport (VIE) to Vienna City Center: $46
- Transfer from Vienna airport to Bratislava: $55
- Arrival Private Transfer Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna by Sedan: $70
- Schwechat Airport Private Transfer to Vienna City: $71
- Vienna Airport (VIE) Private Transfer to Vienna City/Hotels: $72
- Private Transfer Vienna Airport (Vienna City Hotel): $73
- Private Direct Transfer From Vienna Airport to Bratislava: $76
- Vienna City to Vienna Airport Private Transfer Schwechat One Way: $76
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cusco
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cusco:
-
Taxi Ride€1.04
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Transfers in Cusco secure and punctual service: $15
- Transfer from hotel in Cusco to Airport Velasco Astete.: $12
- Transfer from Ollantaytambo to Cusco: $43
- Transfer from Cusco city to the airport: $15
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Sacred Valley: $30
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to Your Hotel: $25
- Transfer Cusco to Urubamba: $40
- Transfer Cusco to Sacred Valley of the Incas: $36
- Transfer Cusco airport: $12
- Transfer Cusco Airport to Hotel in Cusco (Round trip): $20
- Transfer Cusco Airport - Hotel or vice versa.: $20
- Transfer Cusco Airport - Hotel or Train Station: $12
Is it cheaper to fly into Vienna or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Vienna 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
-
Food Meals for one dayVienna €57Cusco €22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vienna
For Vienna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe Vienna with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $34
- Viennese Schnitzel Cooking Class And Tasting: $67
- Vienna Guided Food Tour with 7 Food Tastings & a Secret Dish: $98
- Middle Eastern Lahmacun Cooking Class from Syrian Chef: $102
- Vienna : MIRAGE MAGIC DINNER SHOW: $113
- Strauss Dinner Show: $113
- Vienna Food Tour: Coffeehouses, Markets, Lunch & Street Food: $135
- Nuit des Lumières - The Candlelight Dinner Concert in Vienna: $147
- Schnitzel and Strudel: Shared Cooking Class: $148
- Best of Food Tour Vienna: $154
- Exclusive Evening at Schönbrunn Palace: After-Hours Audiotour, Dinner, Concert: $168
- 5 Hour Vienna Food Tour Austrian Cuisine and Hidden Gems: $168
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
-
Sandwich€2.08
-
Mango€0.52
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- Cooking Class in Sacred Valley 8 Recipes and Drinks: $29
- Multi-Course Dinner with Live Folk Show Performance: $35
- Bilingual Cooking Class with Pisco Cocktail in Cusco: $40
- Cusco Billingual Cooking Class at 6pm: $40
- Market tour & Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $54
- Cusco Cooking Class by ChocoMuseo in Cusco: $54
- High-End Peruvian Cooking Class, Pisco Sour & San Pedro Market: $57
- Short Immersion Cooking Class: $60
- Cooking classes A tour through the flavors in Cusco: $60
- Cusco Cooking Class Experience: $61
- Cusco Collective Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $65
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco: $65
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Vienna €38Cusco €28
Tours and Activities in Vienna
For Vienna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self-Guided Tours In Vienna With 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.41
- Vienna's Hidden Gems: A Self-Guided Imperial Adventure: $3.41
- Vienna Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $4.56
- Entrance tickets for the KunstHausWien. Museum Hundertwasser: $4.56
- Podcast Tour The Torn Vienna of the Third Man: $5.46
- Krems Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.70
- Vienna Self Guided Audio Experience: $6.00
- Vienna Self Guided Walking Tour: Royal traditions & Cafe Culture: $6.50
- Vienna Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h10 and 26 Audio Commentaries: $6.73
- Vienna Spy Mission: Self-Guided Espionage Adventure: $6.77
- Vienna Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $6.84
- Historical Hitler Self Guided Walking Tour and Audio Guide: $7.97
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Cusco are as follows:
-
Salsa Class€2.60
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- "Waqrapukara" Great Canyon Full Day Tour: $100
- 1 Day Ausangate 7 Lagoons Hiking Tour & Hot Springs: $59
- 1 Day Palcoyo 7-Color Mountain Hiking Tour: $45
- 1 Day Rainbow Mountain Tour From Cusco: $60
- 1 Day Sacred Valley Tour with Moray from Cusco: $75
- 1 Day Sacred Valley VIP Tour from Cusco: $100
- 1 Day Tour to Palccoyo (Alternative Rainbow Mtn) from Cusco, Peru: $154
- 1-Day Tour Rainbow Mountain from Cusco: $190
- 1-Day Tour Sacred Valley From Cusco: $120
- 2 Day Machu Picchu Adventure from Cusco by Minivan: $193
- 2 Day Machu Picchu by Car Tour Scenic Hike and Exploration: $104
- 2 Days Machu Picchu Tour by Car: $169
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayVienna €17Cusco €9.16
Sample the Local Flavors in Vienna
Also in Vienna, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Vienna Nights Pub Crawl: $14
- Local Pub Crawl Vienna: $29
- Viennese wine tasting in a private historic wine cellar: $54
- Home-hosted Wine Tasting in Vienna: $64
- Admission Schönbrunn Palace & Wine Tasting: $99
- Vienna : Vienna Forest Tour with Underground Lake and Wine Tasting: $148
- Wine Tasting Tour: $154
- Wachau Valley Wine Tasting Bike Tour from Vienna: $154
- Austrian Private Wine Tasting Evening: $171
- Vienna Private Wachau Tour with Wine Tasting to Dürnstein: $181
- Private tour Neusiedler See, Rust (wine tasting), Purbach: $216
- Wachau Valley Small-Group Tour and Wine Tasting from Vienna: $227
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: Cusco Bar Hopping Experience: $22
- Exclusive Pub Crawl with more than 10 Benefits: $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vienna and Cusco, we can see that Vienna is more expensive. And not only is Cusco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vienna 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 Vienna would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vienna 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 Vienna Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vienna or Cusco?
Vienna has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Vienna 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.