Travel Costs: Peru and the Inca Trail Budget Update

 

We’re continuing to post our spending numbers as a resource for other travelers. Here is a breakdown of what we spent for two people over 47 days in Peru — visiting Lima, Paracas, Huacachina, Nazca, Arequipa, Puno (Lake Titicaca), and Cusco.

The currency in Peru is the Peruvian Nuevo Sole (PEN) and the exchange rate was roughly 2.8 PEN to $1 USD in October – November 2013.

Daily Spending

Here is a breakdown of our daily spending:

Activity	$360.86
Food/Drink	$1,114.89
Lodging	$1,494.13
Misc.	$116.75
Transportation	$504.47
Daily Spending Total	$3,591.10

This works out to about $84/day for two people.

Additional Spending

Spanish Classes	$378.57
Inca Trail Trek	$1,235.14
Total Add’l Spending	$1,613.71
Grand Total	$5,204.81

Including the Inca Trail and a week of Spanish Classes, we spent about $111/day for 2 people over 47 days in Peru.

A few notes on our spending:

• Activities included tours of the Islas Ballestas and Paracas National Reserve in Paracas, Dune Buggy/Sandboarding outing in Huacachina, Nazca Lines flight (Skyler only –$95), Colca Canyon entrance tickets ($25/person), and various small admissions to museums, churches, etc. This does not include entrance to Machu Picchu ($50/person), which was included in the cost of our Inca Trail Trek.
• Excluding the 3 nights spent camping on the Inca Trail, we averaged about $34/night on lodging. In Lima, you can expect to spend around $50/night for a budget private double room (if you want 1 bed instead of 2, you have to ask for a matrimonial room). In Cusco, there are loads of rooms for all budgets. Elsewhere, about $25/night will get you a nice private room.
• We spent about $24/day on food and drink. There are plenty of cheap lunch spots where you can get a 2 course menu economico/menu del dia for less than $2 each. On the other end of the spectrum, there are fine dining restaurants in Lima and Cusco where you could easily spend $100 for a night out for 2. Our go-to dinner was a 1/2 chicken with veggies and fries and a jar of chicha morada from the numerous pollo a la brasa  joints, which was usually around $10.
• Transportation includes various taxi and metrobus fares, long distance buses to Paracas, Huacachina, Nazca, Puno, and Cusco, and one domestic flight on StarPeru from Cusco to Lima ($130/person). For busses, we used Cruz del Sur almost exclusively. With super-reclining seats, personal seat-back televisions, wi-fi, hot meals, and drink service, it’s easily the nicest bus service we’ve ever had.
• Miscellaneous expenses include new toiletries, a haircut, postcards, and three loads of laundry service.
• We took a week of Spanish classes at Amigos Spanish School in Cusco. We each got 20 hours of instruction (4 hours per day for 5 days) in a small group setting (1 or 2 other people at most). We had a great experience and especially recommend our Profesora, Vanessa.
• We booked the 4 day/3 night Inca Trail with Peru Treks. The base price was $545/person. The additional costs included a private porter for Skyler and water and snacks bought along the way.
• No immigration fees/visas are required for US citizens.
• This includes only our spending in the country. It excludes our airfare/train here and upfront costs like immunizations, travel insurance, etc.

Click here for our other budget updates.