Comparison · Cusco vs Quito · Peru / Ecuador
Cusco vs Quito
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: tomscoffin, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Choose Cusco for Machu Picchu and Inca stonework; choose Quito for Colonial Old Town, Equator line and a short break. Day-to-day costs are similar, and the two are about 1,648 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 1,648 km
- Less expensive
- About the same
- Best time for Cusco
- May–September
- Best time for Quito
- June–September
Side by side
| Cusco | Quito | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Peru | Ecuador |
| Known for | Machu Picchu, Inca stonework and Sacred Valley | Colonial Old Town, Equator line and Andean volcanoes |
| Best time to visit | May–September | June–September |
| Ideal stay | 6 days | 4 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $80–$160 | $80–$150 |
| Cost level | Affordable | Affordable |
| Warmest month | September, 21°C (70°F) | July, 20°C (68°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 19°C (66°F) | January, 19°C (66°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 5 | 4 |
| Day trips in our guide | 5 | 6 |
| Beaches | — | — |
| Airports | CUZ | UIO |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Cusco for…
Machu Picchu and Inca stonework. Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire, and its Spanish colonial churches and mansions still sit on top of finely fitted Inca stonework. At about 3,400 metres, the UNESCO-listed city is the base for the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu, about…
Choose Quito for…
Colonial Old Town, Equator line and a short break. Quito sits at about 2,850 metres in a long Andean valley beneath the Pichincha volcano, and its colonial centre was among the first places listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The Old Town packs gilded churches, monasteries and plazas into a grid…
Top sights compared
| # | Cusco | Quito |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plaza de Armas | Plaza Grande and Carondelet Palace |
| 2 | Cusco Cathedral | Church of La Compañía de Jesús |
| 3 | Qorikancha and Santo Domingo | Church and Convent of San Francisco |
| 4 | Sacsayhuamán | Basílica del Voto Nacional |
| 5 | Hatun Rumiyoc and the Twelve-Angled Stone | Calle La Ronda |
Food compared
| Cusco | Quito |
|---|---|
| Cuy al horno | Locro de papa |
| Alpaca | Hornado |
| Chiri uchu | Llapingachos |
| Rocoto relleno | Empanadas de viento |
Which is cheaper?
Cusco and Quito cost about the same: a mid-range day is roughly $80–$160 in Cusco and $80–$150 in Quito (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Quito on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 1,648 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 11 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Cusco or Quito cheaper?
Neither is clearly cheaper: a mid-range day costs about $80–$160 in Cusco and $80–$150 in Quito (estimates).
+Is Cusco or Quito better for a first trip?
Pick Cusco for Machu Picchu and Inca stonework, or Quito for Colonial Old Town, Equator line and a short break.
+How far is Cusco from Quito?
About 1,648 km in a straight line.