How much does a one-week (7 days) trip to Cuenca cost?

A one week trip to Cuenca costs $371 per person on average. This information comes from the actual expenses of travelers and includes accommodation, food, local transportation, sightseeing, and other typical travel costs.

How much does a two-week (14 days) trip to Cuenca cost?

Two weeks in Cuenca costs $742 per person on average. This information comes from the actual expenses of travelers and includes accommodation, food, local transportation, sightseeing, and other typical travel costs.

How much does a one-month (4 weeks) trip to Cuenca cost?

One month in Cuenca costs $1,590 per person on average. This information comes from the actual expenses of travelers and includes accommodation, food, local transportation, sightseeing, and other typical travel costs.

How much do hotels cost in Cuenca?

The average daily cost per person, per day for Accommodation in Cuenca is $13

How much does transportation cost in Cuenca?

The average daily cost per person, per day for Transportation in Cuenca is $11

How much does food cost in Cuenca?

The average daily cost per person, per day for Food in Cuenca is $26

How much do alcoholic beverages cost in Cuenca?

The average daily cost per person, per day for Alcohol in Cuenca is $14

Cuenca Travel Cost - Average Price of a Vacation to Cuenca: Food & Meal Budget, Daily & Weekly Expenses

Q: How much does it cost to travel to Cuenca?

$53 is the average daily price for traveling in Cuenca. The average price of meals in Cuenca for one day is $26. The average price of local transportation in Cuenca for one day is $11. The average price of a hotel in Cuenca for a couple is $25.

Cuenca is an exciting destination known for its beauty, culture, food, and exciting activities. In this travel cost guide, we'll cover everything you need to know to plan your travel budget and have an amazing trip without spending too much. This guide includes average trip costs from previous travelers, typical hotel prices, food and dining costs, entertainment and sightseeing prices, and information about transportation.

How much does it cost to travel to Cuenca?

You should plan to spend around $53 per day on your vacation in Cuenca. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.

Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:

$26 on meals
$11 on local transportation
$25 on hotels

A one week trip to Cuenca for two people costs, on average, $742. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.

Travel Style:
Average Daily Cost Per person, per day

$53

One Week Per person

$371
2 Weeks Per person

$742
One Month Per person

$1,590
One Week For a couple

$742
2 Weeks For a couple

$1,484
One Month For a couple

$3,180

This data comes from the travel budgets of real travelers - How it works. .

How much does a one week, two week, or one month trip to Cuenca cost?

A one week trip to Cuenca usually costs around $371 for one person and $742 for two people. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

A two week trip to Cuenca on average costs around $742 for one person and $1,484 for two people. This cost includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

Please note, prices can vary based on your travel style, speed, and other variables. If you're traveling as a family of three or four people, the price per person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Two people traveling together for one month in Cuenca will often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week.

A one month trip to Cuenca on average costs around $1,590 for one person and $3,180 for two people. The more places you visit, the higher the daily price will become due to increased transportation costs.

Is Cuenca expensive to visit?

Cuenca is a smaller destination that attracts a range of visitors, each with distinct travel styles, spending habits, and budgetary requirements. You'll find a wide array of accommodation options, such as luxury hotels, mid-range places, or budget-friendly hostels.

Cuenca can be very expensive if you want it to be, but there are ways to cut down on your costs, like looking for discounts and coupons.

On average, budget travelers spend $23 per day, mid-range travelers spend $53 per day, and luxury travelers spend around $127 per day. These costs are calculated from the expenses of previous travelers to Cuenca.

Within South America, Cuenca is a reasonably affordable destination compared to other places. It is in the top 25% of cities in South America for its affordability. You can find more affordable cities such as Medellin, but there are also more expensive cities, such as Recife.

For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Cuenca Expensive?

How much money do I need for a trip to Cuenca?

The average Cuenca trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Cuenca travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers. Also, you can see more details at How much does a trip to Cuenca cost?

Cuenca on a Budget

Category	Budget	Mid-Range	Luxury
Accommodation¹ For 1 person in double occupancy	$5.23	$13	$28
Local Transportation¹	$3.87	$11	$33
Food²	$10	$26	$62
Entertainment¹	$5.86	$16	$44
Alcohol²	$3-8	$7-21	$18-54

Realistic Expectations for Your Travel Budget

Setting realistic expectations for your travel budget is important. Many people think they can visit Cuenca on a tight budget, but most travelers aren't comfortable with a low "shoestring" budget. Think about what you enjoy during your vacations and how you typically travel. Do you prefer resorts, vacation rentals, or hostels? Do you want to visit museums, sights, and participate in activities? Is dining out a priority? These factors will shape both your budget and your itinerary.

What Defines a Budget Traveler?

You might think that you're a budget traveler. But unless you're willing to eliminate a lot of comforts from your trip, prepare to spend a lot more than the daily average of $23 that backpackers often get by on.

Young backpackers often get away with this shoestring budget, but it usually involves staying in hostel dorms, eating at the cheapest restaurants or fast food places, taking public transit or walking, and only visiting free attractions.

Cuenca is packed with plenty of hostels, including Mallki Hostel, Alternative Hostels, and El Cafecito Cuenca. At hostels like these, you can enjoy affordable dorm accommodation and a lively social scene, but amenities might be quite minimal.

So, are you average?

Couples and families on a fun trip will likely choose a mid-range hotel, enjoy meals at popular dining spots, and visit significant museums and attractions that have entry fees. Most tourists in Cuenca are inclined to explore its main attractions, museums, sights, and landmarks. After all, most activities are not free. So, it's realistic to expect your actual daily budget to be about $53 per person, per day.

There's a wide selection of hotels and vacation rentals in Cuenca. If you're traveling with others, sharing a hotel room with a partner, friend, or kids will help split costs and save money. When traveling as a family, look for hotels and restaurants that welcome children. Villa Emilia Hostal is a great choice for kids, and Mansion Alcazar is another wonderful option. For more family and couple-friendly places to stay, check out our Cuenca hotel costs guide.

Dreaming of a Stylish Getaway?

If a complete vacation with all amenities and a higher level of service is what you want, expect to allocate around $127 per day. To stay in nicer hotels, dine at award-winning establishments, treat yourself to extravagant excursions, and hire taxis or private drivers to navigate the destination, a luxury budget will be necessary. Also, higher-end tours are common with luxury travelers, such as Private Shuttle Cuenca to/from Guayaquil - offered by Viator.

Accommodation Budget in Cuenca

The cost of hotels in Cuenca can be quite surprising. Luxury accommodations come with higher prices and more amenities, especially during peak season. Off-season rates average $45, but peak season () average prices jump to $84. Overall, prices range from $25 to $147. Hostels are often the cheaper option, especially in dorms. You can save by booking early, traveling in the off-season, or taking advantage of promotions.

Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

The average price paid in Cuenca for two people for a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $25. For one person sharing a room, the average price paid for a hotel room is $13 per night. These costs are from the reported spending of actual travelers.

Accommodation¹ Hotel or hostel for one person

$13
Accommodation¹ Typical double-occupancy room

$25

Hotels in Cuenca

Looking for a hotel in Cuenca? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.

The most affordable highest rated hotels in Cuenca include:

Mansion Alcazar starting at $111
El Dorado Hotel Cuenca starting at $90
Hotel Valgus starting at $88
Hotel Carvallo starting at $88
Hotel Boutique Santa Lucia starting at $106

Tips to Save Money on Accommodation in Cuenca

Traveling during the shoulder or low season (instead of ) means you'll get lower prices on accommodations and have fewer crowds to deal with.

Recommended Properties

Transportation Budget in Cuenca

Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

On average, past travelers have spent $11 per person, per day, on local transportation in Cuenca. The cost of a taxi ride or rideshare service (Uber/Lyft) in Cuenca is significantly more than public transportation.
Transportation¹ Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.

$11

Cuenca has no international airport but there are daily local flights from and to Quito and Guayaquil. Currently TAME, and Latam both offer daily service to Cuenca. Cuenca's Mariscal Lamar Airport is basic and small, with only a handful of gates and some basic services in the arrival/departure level on the ground floor. A taxi from the airport to the center should run about USD$3. All taxis in Cuenca have been required to have operating meters, so insist that the driver start the meter, or get out and find another cab if your driver tries to trick you with stories of broken meters or no need to use the meter. Although a short distance may register below $1.50, it is accepted practice to pay $1.50 as a minimum for any metered ride. The main bus terminal, Terminal Terrestre, is across the main road named Avenida Espana and 800 meters southwest, less than a 10 minutes walk. There's a USD$0.10 platform tax. Cuenca lies on the Pan-American highway high in the southern mountains of Ecuador. Dozens of bus companies connect Cuenca with the rest of the country and surrounding areas such as Alausi (4 hours), Riobamba (6 hours), Quito (8 hours) and Loja (4h30). There is also a service to Piura, Peru but you will need to change bus at either Machala or Huaquillas. Destinations in Peru also include Tumbes, Machala, Mancora and Chiclayo, which takes approximately 12 hours in addition to the border crossing, which can itself last between 1h30 to 2h30.

Some of the standard hotel transfers and transport options include:

Cuenca Airport Transfer for $13 details
Cuenca to/from Guayaquil Private Transfer for $80 details
Private Transfer from Cuenca to Guayaquil. For $104 details

Recommended Services

Flights to Cuenca

How much does it cost to go to Cuenca? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.

Rental Cars in Cuenca

The price of renting a car in Cuenca will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.

What did other people spend on Transportation in Cuenca?

Listed below are some transit expenses in Cuenca, taken from reports by other travelers. These costs offer a snapshot of transportation prices in the city to give you an idea of what to expect. Keep in mind that your costs may differ, especially if you opt for more expensive options like taxis, which typically cost more than public transportation.

Taxi Ride

$2.00

Food Budget in Cuenca

Tasting the local cuisine is a key reason for travel, so be sure to sample the unique dishes offered in the area.

Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

While restaurant and meal prices in Cuenca can vary significantly, the average cost of food in Cuenca is $26 per day, per person, based on the spending habits of previous travelers.
Food² Meals for one day

$26

When dining out, the average daily cost for food in Cuenca is around $26 ($26) per person, with previous travelers spending from $10 to $62. Generally, breakfast and lunch cost less than dinner, but this will depend on the type of restaurant and what you order.

Typical meal prices in Cuenca are as follows:

Breakfast: $3 to $8
Lunch: $4 to $10
Dinner: $8 to $18
Coffee: $2
Fast Food or Street Food: $4

Cuenca's cuisine blends two different food cultures, Spanish and Native Ecuadorian. Some dishes, like figs cooked in spiced sugar syrup, are infused with Mediterranean flavors, while others rely on local ingredients prepared with European cooking techniques. Huge portions with chicken that falls off the bone or thinly sliced barbecue meat served with rice, potatoes, and mote are what you might get in a typical restaurant in Cuenca. Mote is corn that has been dried and then rehydrated in an alkaline solution, similar to hominy or Mexican posole. This type of grain grows in the highlands of Ecuador. Mote pillo is a popular side dish and snack food found throughout the Azuay and Loja provinces and includes scrambled eggs, milk, parsley, spring onion and garlic. If you're visiting this beautiful city, each of these traditional foods is definitely worth trying. Grilled beef, traditional Andean dishes and seafood are all readily available and surprisingly inexpensive. Full meals start at USD$2.00 and cost an average of USD$2.50 USD$5 each.

Food & Dining Tips

Many hotels include breakfast in their pricing structure, while some charge additional fees for it. The quality and cost can vary significantly by hotel. Knowing this in advance can help you decide whether to allocate more money. It might be worth paying for the delicious hotel buffet, or you could go to a local bakery or cafe that's less expensive.

Having a water bottle can help you save on drinks and do your part for the environment.

While planning your tour, it's essential to know which meals are included. You may find yourself paying for some meals, which can add to your travel budget.

Taking a food tour or cooking class is a great way to experience the culture in Cuenca. After all, cuisine is one of the reasons why so many people visit. A few of the best culinary activities here include:

Authentic Andean Cooking Class in Cuenca Ecuador for $85 details
Street food Tour in Cuenca,Ecuador for $33 details
Cooking Class & Market Tour in Cuenca for $55 details

What did other people spend on food and dining in Cuenca?

Listed below are typical food prices in Cuenca, based on the actual spending of previous travelers. These figures provide an estimate of what you might expect to pay for meals. However, your personal expenses will depend on your dining preferences, the restaurants you choose, and what you decide to order.

Lunch

$10
Snacks

$5.00
Empanada

$1.50
Hot Dog

$1.00

Sightseeing and Activities Budget in Cuenca

Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

Sightseeing activities, entertainment, and entrance tickets in Cuenca typically cost an average of $16 per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Entertainment¹ Entrance tickets, shows, etc.

$16

The prosperous and beautiful highland city of Cuenca has retained much of its colonial splendor and stunning sights that travelers can visit. Ask about the opening hours of the church Carmen de la Asuncion so that you can visit the beautiful interior of this Spanish baroque church, which keeps very irregular hours and may not be open when you pass by.

Head to the Catedral Vieja, also called El Sagrario, a lovely church, which was begun in 1557, the year the city was founded, and served as the headquarters of its archdiocese until a new cathedral on the opposite side of the park was completed in the 1960s. The whitewashed outside gleams after a complete restoration, while the inside serves as a museum of religious art. The new cathedral across the park is also worth a visit.

The Catedral de la Inmaculada, the city's immense Romanesque cathedral which took more than 80 years to be completed and can hold more than 9,000 worshippers. Locals refer to the building as the Catedral Nueva. The impressive pillars are Ecuadorian marble, and the choir chairs are hand-carved from native wood.

The Parque Abdon Calderon is dominated by the pale rose Catedral de la Inmaculada. Surrounded by beautiful colonial buildings, Cuenca's Parque Abdon Calderon is a gorgeous place to hang out.

Built in the 1920s, the Iglesia de San Francisco is famous for its soaring steeple and intricately carved, gold-drenched main altar, which contrasts nicely with its unassuming interior. The church keeps very limited hours so you should also get informed before planning your visit to Iglesia de San Francisco. Head to the noisy Plaza de San Francisco, filled with vendors selling a variety of bric-a-brac or go to the small village of Turi, up the mountain, for a fantastic view of Cuenca by night or day.

Stroll along Turi's main street past the mural-covered church, and you'll soon find yourself in rolling hills in the middle of cornfields and potato patches. Up there, you will also find a workshop of Eduardo Vega with his ceramics and paintings. A taxi is the best way to get here, but make sure to ask the driver to wait for you.

Though most of Cuenca's sites of interest are churches, parks and museums, outdoor enthusiasts come to Cuenca for El Cajas National Park which offers fantastic hiking and trekking opportunities. The bicycling around Cuenca, especially mountain biking is also a popular activity. Among the archaeological treasures found at Cuenca's Museo Pumapungo are ceramics and jewelry from the pre-Incan Canari culture. The museum also contains an impressive collection of colonial and postcolonial art. On the river behind the museum is a small archaeological site where Incan ruins are being excavated. The Museum of Modern Art, housed in a restored convent, features interesting rotating exhibitions of works by Ecuadoran and other Latin American artists. The Museo del Monasterio de la Concepcion is a must-see stop for an understanding of colonial art. Cuenca's wealthy Ordoñez family donated its spacious home to the Catholic Church in 1599, whereupon it became the cloistered convent of the Order of the Immaculate Conception. Four centuries later, part of this well-preserved edifice houses the Museum of the Monastery of the Conception, which contains an impressive collection of religious art from the 16th to the 19th centuries, mostly contributed by families whose daughters entered the convent.

Local tours that last a few hours can be a great way to explore Cuenca. Prices vary by the type of activity or tour, the dates, and the size of the group. Here are a few of the highest rated tours by previous visitors:

Birdwatching Tour in Cajas National Park from Cuenca for $100 details
Biking Cuenca City Tour for $50 details
Cuenca-Ec- Highlights City Tour for $15 details

Recommended Activities

Nightlife Budget in Cuenca

Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

The average person spends about $14 on nightlife and alcoholic beverages in Cuenca per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcohol² Drinks for one day

$14

Nightlife Tips

Nightlife is a blast when traveling, but scaling back on drinks can really help stretch your travel budget.

Travel cost data last updated: Mar 2, 2025

Budgeting and Travel Tips for Cuenca

Peak season brings higher prices and more people to the destination. To avoid the chaos and save some money, consider a trip during the shoulder or low seasons.
Taking it easy while traveling can help you save some cash, letting you appreciate the area's beauty without the stress. If you rush through your days with nonstop activities, you'll end up spending more. Slowing down often leads to a more enjoyable trip and less money spent.

Budgeting Challenges

Cuenca offers limited public transit options. Having a pre-arranged ride, such as a private driver or tour, could be a wise choice. Just remember, this might take a toll on your budget in other areas.
Don't count on finding many hostels in Cuenca. If you're set on saving money with a dorm stay, you may want to change your approach. A budget hotel or apartment rental could be more feasible.

Traveling in Cuenca

Cuenca, Ecuador

Cuenca is a vibrant colonial city in southern Ecuador, the third largest in the country, and the capital of Azuay Province. Cuenca is considered as Ecuador's most important and beautiful colonial city after Quito. Dating from the 16th century, Cuenca's historic center, a Unesco World Heritage Site with its trademark skyline of massive rotundas and soaring steeples, is a magical sight in which you will feel like you are moving back in time. Cuenca is the center of many craft traditions, including ceramics, metalwork and the internationally famous panama hat. The nearby villages also offer many other handicrafts. Tourists enjoy wandering the ancient streets discovering picturesque alleys and hidden corners, where nuns march along cobblestone streets and kids in Catholic-school uniforms skip past historic churches. Fascinating historic monuments and fabulous views are found at every turn. Cuenca also has outstanding art museums and festivals. For a rewarding cultural experience, visit during Easter to attend the Festival of Religious Music.

Travel Budget for Cuenca Visit Cuenca on a Budget or Travel in Style

How much does it cost to travel to Cuenca?