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Peru is one of the best places I’ve ever visited (and that’s saying something). I loved every moment (this blog post goes into more detail why). Besides being amazing, it’s also an extremely affordable destination (if you limit your fine dining and guided hikes in Lima).

If you’re traveling to Peru and wondering how much you’ll have to spend, look no further. In this post, I’ll break down how much I spent, where I went wrong, typical prices, and how you can save money.

how much i spent

During my sixteen days in Peru, I went to Lima, Arequipa, Cusco, and hiked around the Sacred Valley. I spent $4,992.63 USD or $312 per day. It breaks down as follows (in USD):

• housing: $1,246.51
• food: $795.96
• Guidance tips: $45.90
• Tours / Activities: $162
• Transportation: $80.96
• Private tours (see below): $1,770
• Internal flights: $480.06
• Travel insurance: $73.92
• Gear: $337.32

Now, I spent a lot More than you in the same amount of time. It is for several reasons:

First, Lima is a gastronomic hub with some of the best restaurants in the world. I ended up eating at more than a few of these places and it increased my food costs.

Second, I took private tours for my guided hikes in Cusco for work-related reasons and that really added to my expenses (you’re unlikely to pay for private guides when you travel). Without those trips, my cost would have dropped to $200 USD per day!

Third, given the limited time I had in the country and the time I needed to cover, I flew between most destinations rather than taking long overnight buses. Moreover, because, again for work, I had to change some flights at the last minute, I had to pay a change fee.

Finally, I splurged on a really fancy hotel for a couple of nights in Cusco, which actually accounted for 50% of my accommodation costs. YOLO!

So how much of a budget would you, the average traveler, need if you wanted to visit Peru? Well, not as much as me that’s for sure! Here are some more reasonable suggested budgets for Peru:

Backpacker budget
If you want to backpack Peru, I would plan on $50–80 USD (185–300 PEN) per day. On this budget, you’ll stay in hostel dorms, eat at typical hole-in-the-wall restaurants and cafes, limit your drinking, take public transportation and overnight buses, and do a few paid activities and tours. If you’re going to party a lot, you’ll be on the higher end of this range.

Midrange budget
If you want to basically follow what I did (minus the private tours), you’ll need $150–200 USD (560–750 PEN) per day. This will get you private rooms in hostels or two- or three-star hotels, some of the finest cuisine the country is famous for, all the drinks you want, intra-country flights, and any tours and activities your heart desires.

From there, you can add or subtract $30-50 USD per day depending on whether you’re staying at a name brand hotel (or not), taking intra-country flights (or not), or partying a lot (or not).

You can use the price list below to help you create your own budget.

Typical prices

How much do things cost in Peru? Below are some typical prices (listed in Peruvian soles, abbreviated PEN). The higher-end numbers are what you’ll pay at fancier, top-rated restaurants (and sometimes more). Most other places in Peru are towards the lower end.

• Hostel dorms: 40-100 PEN per night
• Hostel private room: 100-250 PEN per night
• Budget Hotel: 110-300 PEN per night
• A global hotel chain: +375 PEN per night
• Appetizers: 20-30 pans
• Ceviche: 40-60 pans
• Main course dishes: 40-60 pans
• Cuy (guinea pig, a delicacy): 55 pens
• Burger: 20-28 pens
• sandwich: 12-15 pans
• Fast food combos: 15-20 pans
• Pizza: 25-60 pans
• dessert: 20-40 pens
• water (In restaurants): 4-10 pans
• Soda: 4-7 pens
• Coffee: 5-10 pans
• Iced coffee: 13-15 pens
• Tea: 5-12 pans
• Beer: 15 pens
• wine: 29–45 Penn
• Cocktails: 25 pens
• Museum entrance: 10-20 pens
• Ubers: 10-20 pens
• Taxis: 15–30 pen
• Intra-country flights: 150–300 pans
• Guided Machu Picchu Excursions/Tours: 3,000–6,000 pen

Budget-saving tips

It is very easy to avoid spending a lot of money in Peru. Your biggest expenses will be accommodation, domestic flights, multi-day guided tours and fine dining. If you limit it even a little, you’ll be fine because public transportation is cheap, Ubers are crazy cheap, and Peruvian restaurants are really affordable.

Here’s what you can do to cut down on your expenses and save money in Peru without limiting your experiences:

Bring a water bottle – The tap water here is not safe to drink, so bring a reusable water bottle with a filter to save money and reduce your plastic use. Life straw is my go-to brand, as its bottles have built-in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Travel in the off season – The cheapest time to visit Peru is January to April or the shoulder months of November and December, as prices are generally lower in these months.

take group – These are cheap shared minivans that cost around 10 PEN for a ride. They leave when they are full and are a low-cost way to get from city to nearest city (think within two hours).

Use Uber – Uber is in all major cities of the country and is really cheap. You don’t pay more than a few dollars per trip and are often cheaper than taxis.

Book a last minute tour – If you want to do the Inca Trail and have a little extra time to wait for a deal, showing up in Cusco and booking a last minute tour can save you a lot of money. (But I wouldn’t recommend this if you don’t have time because you might have to wait days for the place to open.)

Go on a free walking tour – It’s a great way to learn the history behind the places you’re visiting and avoid missing any sightseeing stops. Free Walking Tour Peru All major cities have really good travel opportunities.

Get a student discount – If you are a student, be sure to carry your student card for great discounts (up to 50% off) at archaeological sites and museums in Cusco and the surrounding area.

Limit your fine dining – Peru is one of the gastronomic centers of the world, home to some of the best restaurants in the world (in fact, the number one restaurant in the world, Central, is here). Eating at one time is usually on people’s must-do list. But meals usually cost $100 USD or more (375 PEN), so avoid this if you want to save money.

Book LATAM flights using the New Zealand website – LATAM has cheaper prices if you use the NZ version of its website (instead of the US site). It is a system flaw. Even if you are not a NZ resident, you can book through the site without any problems.

Take the Peru hop – Peru Hope A backpacker is a hop-on/hop-off bus that travels across the country on a set route. It also includes a lot of activities and the guides are great. Also, unlike most regular buses, they run on time and have free Wi-Fi. Many locals take them too, as they are really good value.

Hit happy hours – In all major locations, you can get two-for-one happy hours as well as food specials and other discounts. Check with your hostel or hotel or Google for the latest information on which places are currently offering specials.

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Peru can cater to any budget. It has some of the best restaurants in the world, fancy resorts, private guided hikes and upscale jungle lodges that can stretch your budget. But there’s also incredible local transportation, affordable hotels and restaurants, and cheap group tours. Hopefully this post will help you make the most of your visit, wherever your budget falls on that spectrum.