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 €57
The average daily cost (per person) in Vienna is €177, while the average daily cost in Cusco is €57. 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 €9.55
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
- Bratislava Bus Transfer to and from Vienna Airport: $21
- Vienna VIE Airport to City Centre Private Transfer: $27
- Vienna International Airport (VIE) to Vienna Downtown - Arrival Private Transfer: $44
- Transfer from Vienna City Center to Vienna Airport (VIE): $47
- Transfer from Vienna Airport (VIE) to Vienna City Center: $47
- Vienna Airport Transfers, City Transfers and Disposal Services: $52
- Transfer from Vienna airport to Bratislava: $56
- Vienna Airport (VIE) Private Transfer to Vienna City/Hotels: $72
- Arrival Private Transfer Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna by Sedan: $72
- Schwechat Airport Private Transfer to Vienna City: $73
- Private Transfer from Vienna Airport to Hotel in Vienna: $76
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cusco
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cusco:
-
Taxi Ride€1.03
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Transfers in Cusco secure and punctual service: $15
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo to/from Urubamba: $41
- Transfer from hotel in Cusco to Airport Velasco Astete.: $12
- Transfer from Cusco to Ollantaytambo: $40
- 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 to Poroy: $20
- Transfer Cusco to Ollantaytambo Station Outbound or Return: $34
- Transfer Cusco Airport to your Hotel in Cusco: $10
- Transfer Cusco Airport to Hotel in Cusco (Round trip): $20
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:
- Burlesque Dinner Club The ultimate dinner club experience: $34
- Hard Rock Cafe Vienna with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $35
- Taste A Full Meal Walking Food Tour by Do Eat Better: $92
- Vienna : MIRAGE MAGIC DINNER SHOW: $115
- Strauss Dinner Show: $115
- Burlesque Spectacular Dinner Show: $115
- Vienna Guided Food Tour with 7 Food Tastings & a Secret Dish: $125
- The Viennise Food Tour: The World of Yesterday: $140
- Vienna Food Tour: Coffeehouses, Markets, Lunch & Street Food: $153
- Austrian Delights: 3-course Austrian Dinner and Concert at Musikverein Vienna: $162
- Authentic Vienna Food Tour inc. lunch, street food, 3 drinks: $166
- Exclusive Evening at Schönbrunn Palace: After-Hours Audiotour, Dinner, Concert: $171
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
-
Sandwich€2.06
-
Mango€0.52
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- Short Peruvian Cooking Class by Pete: $30
- Bilingual Cooking Class with Pisco Cocktail in Cusco: $40
- Market-to-Table Peruvian Cooking Class and Cocktail in Cusco: $52
- Cusco Cooking Class by ChocoMuseo in Cusco: $54
- Cusco Cooking Class Adventure: $55
- Cooking Class in Sacred Valley 8 Recipes and Drinks: $55
- Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class and Market Tour in Cusco: $57
- Short Immersion Cooking Class: $60
- Cusco Food Tour: Andean Cuisine & City Tour: $63
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco: $65
- Cusco Cooking Classes and San Pedro Market Tour: $65
- Cusco Street Food Tour and Pisco Tasting Experience: $69
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:
- Vienna's Hidden Gems: A Self-Guided Imperial Adventure: $3.49
- Self-Guided Tours In Vienna With 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.49
- Vienna Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $5.87
- Krems an der Donau Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $6.37
- Vienna Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h10 and 26 Audio Commentaries: $6.88
- Historical Hitler Self Guided Walking Tour and Audio Guide: $6.99
- Schönbrunn - Audio Guide and Self Guided Tour (No Palace Ticket): $6.99
- Self Guided Walking Tour of Vienna Inner City: $8.16
- Vienna Christmas Magic Self Guided Walking Tour with an App: $9.99
- Audio Tour Ikonen Mautner Orthodox Icon Gallery Vienna: $11
- Virtual tour: on the trail of Hundertwasser: $11
- Vienna's Old Town and Attractions Self-Guided Tour Booklet: $12
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Cusco are as follows:
-
Salsa Class€2.58
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- 1 Day Ausangate 7 Lagoons Hiking Tour & Hot Springs: $59
- 1 Day Rainbow Mountain Tour From Cusco: $60
- 1 Day Rainbow Mountain Walking Tour: $35
- 1 Day Sacred Valley Tour with Moray from Cusco: $61
- 1-Day Tour Sacred Valley From Cusco: $120
- 2 Day Machu Picchu Tour by Car: $150
- 2 Day Machu Picchu by Car Tour Scenic Hike and Exploration: $130
- 2 days 1 night - Machupicchu by bus tour: $220
- 2-Day Group Tour: Cusco City Tour & Sacred Valley of the Incas: $129
- 2-Day Guided Tour of Ausangate Trek: $290
- 2-Day Machu Picchu by Car Tour: $239
- 2-Day Private Tour Humantay Lake and Salkantay Pass: $199
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayVienna €17Cusco €9.07
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
- Viennese Wine Tasting in a Private Hidden Wine Cellar: $22
- Ottakringer Brewery Tour in Vienna - in German: $29
- Local Pub Crawl Vienna: $29
- Admission Schönbrunn Palace & Wine Tasting: $101
- Vienna : Vienna Forest Tour with Underground Lake and Wine Tasting: $152
- Wine Tasting Tour: $157
- Austrian Private Wine Tasting Evening: $175
- Vienna Private Wachau Tour with Wine Tasting to Dürnstein: $185
- Private tour Neusiedler See, Rust (wine tasting), Purbach: $185
- Wachau Valley Small-Group Tour and Wine Tasting from Vienna: $232
- Private Vienna Wine Tour with Top Austrian Wines and Tapas: $290
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, Drinks And Club with no waiting lines: $23
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.