Which place is cheaper, Cusco or Yogyakarta?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Yogyakarta or Cusco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Yogyakarta or Cusco? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Yogyakarta or Cusco?
Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta, also called Yogya, Jogja, and Jogjakarta, is Java's hub of culture and art, and is the top-visited destination on the island. While Jakarta is the most populated and industrially-developed city in Indonesia, Yogya has managed to progress without losing its cultural charm, as illustrated in its well-kept traditional Indonesian architecture.
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 Adventure Tours to Indonesia, The Best Eco Tours in Indonesia, 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 dayYogyakarta $58Cusco $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Yogyakarta is $58, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $50. 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 Yogyakarta and Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personYogyakarta $37Cusco $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomYogyakarta $74Cusco $46
Compare Hotels in Yogyakarta and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Yogyakarta 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: Yogyakarta Hotel Prices and Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Yogyakarta $1.34Cusco $9.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yogyakarta
Also for Yogyakarta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer In or Out Airport Yogyakarta: $12
- Yogyakarta Private Departure Transfer- Yogyakarta Hotel to Airport: $20
- Ramayana Ballet Dance Show with Transfers: $25
- Transfer in or out airport: $26
- Private Transfer From/To Yogyakarta Airport: $28
- Yogyakarta Airport : for pick up or transfer service: $29
- Borobudur 5-Hour Guided Tour with Climb-up Access & Transfer: $29
- Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport YIA To City Center: $29
- Yogyakarta International Airport to Hotel - Arrival Transfer: $32
- Private Transfer from Patehan to Yogyakarta Airport (JOG): $34
- Private Transfer from Kricak to Yogyakarta Airport (JOG): $34
- Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport (JOG) to Kadipaten: $34
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$1.07
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cusco HTL-APT (CUZ): $18
- Transfers in Cusco: $6.00
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo from Urubamba: $36
- Transfer to Ollantaytambo from Cusco: $49
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Sacred Valley: $30
- Transfer from Cusco Airport to the Hotel (Cusco): $17
- Transfer Hotel to Airport in Cusco | Private Service |: $10
- Transfer From Cusco Airport: $10
- Transfer Cusco_Ollantaytambo or vice versa with city tour and Pisac: $140
- Transfer Cusco to Poroy: $20
- Transfer Cusco Airport - Hotel or vice versa.: $20
- Transfer Cusco Airport - Hotel or Train Station: $12
Is it cheaper to fly into Yogyakarta or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco and Yogyakarta 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 dayYogyakarta $12Cusco $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yogyakarta
For Yogyakarta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Morning Food Tour with Tasting: $23
- Yogyakarta : Guided City Walk and Food Tour: $32
- Prambanan temple afternoon tour and dinner: $34
- Prawirotaman Night Food Tour: $35
- Night Walking and Food Tour: $37
- Ramayana Ballet Performance with Dinner: $39
- Yogyakarta Cooking Class and Market Tour : $40
- Small-Group Walking and Food Tour by Night in Yogyakarta: $40
- Javanese Cooking Class & Market Tour: $57
- Yogyakarta Day Food Tour: $58
- Yogyakarta Cooking Class: $71
- Nusantara Cooking Course and Lokal Market Tour: $81
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.15
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Mango$0.54
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.Yogyakarta $16Cusco $29
Tours and Activities in Yogyakarta
For Yogyakarta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Obelix Hills Entry Ticket: $1.55
- Chicken Church at Karangrejo Village Admission Ticket: $1.92
- Prambanan Temple Afternoon Tour: $18
- 6 hours Borobudur temple climb up tour only.: $19
- Jomblang cave Tour only.: $19
- Prambanan Afternoon Tour Discover Magic sunset: $20
- Jogja Adventure Transport only: $20
- Yogyakarta : Jomblang Cave tour with local Guide: $21
- Walking Tour of Yogyakarta's Oldest Neighbourhood: $21
- Authentic Yogya Bicycle Tour: $22
- Jomblang Cave Tour: $22
- Yogyakarta City Tour: $23
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$2.69
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 dayYogyakarta $4.98Cusco $9.46
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 comparing the travel costs between Yogyakarta and Cusco, we can see that Yogyakarta is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Yogyakarta is in Asia and Cusco is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Yogyakarta Expensive? and Is Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Yogyakarta or Cusco?
Yogyakarta has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Yogyakarta 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.