Peru
How much does a trip to Peru cost? Daily budget and prices
Plan on S/ 130–200 a day backpacking, S/ 350–650 mid-range and S/ 1,200+ for comfort, per person, excluding flights and the Machu Picchu train. Budget travellers should eat menús del día and take colectivos; a Machu Picchu day adds roughly S/ 700–1,300, which is what usually breaks a tight budget.
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- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
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GuidePeru
Key facts
- Currency
- Peruvian sol (PEN, S/); some hotels and tours quote in US dollars
- Backpacker day
- S/ 130–200 (dorm, menú del día, colectivos)
- Mid-range day
- S/ 350–650 (boutique hotel, restaurant dinners, app taxis, a tour)
- Comfort day
- S/ 1,200+ (top hotels, tasting menus, private guides)
- Set lunch
- Menú del día S/ 12–20
- Machu Picchu day
- Ticket, return train and bus add about S/ 700–1,300 per person
- Cash
- Markets, small towns, taxis and village entrance fees are cash-only
- IGV hotel refundcheck
- Under 60 days, show passport and entry record to drop 18% sales tax from hotel bills
What you pay by purse and month
Peru is cheap by US or Western European standards for food, local transport and beds, and expensive for one thing: getting to Machu Picchu. Train seats, the entry ticket and the bus up are priced for foreign visitors and are the line item most likely to blow a daily budget.
The table below is per person per day, sharing a room at mid-range and comfort. It excludes international flights, the Machu Picchu train and treks. Prices are 2026 estimates in soles.
- High season (roughly June–August, plus Easter) lifts Cusco and Sacred Valley hotel rates; book early or shift to May, September or October.
- Lima is the cheapest big-city base for food; Cusco and Aguas Calientes charge the most for the same room.
- Domestic flights are often US$50–150 one way when booked ahead; a one-way domestic flight is budgeted at US$400 in the site's trip estimator.
| Tier | Bed | Food | Transport | Sights | Extras | Total per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | S/ 35–70 | S/ 40–60 | S/ 10–30 | S/ 20–50 | S/ 10–30 | S/ 115–240 |
| Mid-range | S/ 150–300 | S/ 100–180 | S/ 40–100 | S/ 60–150 | S/ 30–60 | S/ 380–790 |
| Comfort | S/ 700–1,500 | S/ 300–600 | S/ 150–400 | S/ 200–500 | S/ 100–200 | S/ 1,450–3,200 |
2026 estimate, per person. Flights, Machu Picchu train and treks not included.
Build your budget step by step
Start with the fixed costs, then work out the daily spend. Fixed: international flight, any domestic flights, the Machu Picchu train (US$60–150 each way from Ollantaytambo), the Machu Picchu ticket (about S/ 163 including the conservation fee for a foreign adult; mountain routes about S/ 200), the Cusco boleto turístico (about S/ 130 for 10 days) and any trek or guided tour.
Then set a daily number. A backpacker who sleeps in dorms, eats the S/ 12–20 menú del día at lunch and takes colectivos and buses can hold S/ 130–200 a day. Mid-range travellers who want a private room, restaurant dinners and app taxis should plan S/ 350–650. Comfort, with top hotels, Lima tasting menus and private guides, starts around S/ 1,200 a day.
Food is where you control the number most. A cevichería plate runs S/ 35–60, a pisco sour in a bar S/ 20–40, and a Lima tasting menu can cost more than a week of menús. Local markets, set lunches and chifa (Chinese-Peruvian) restaurants keep costs low without eating badly.
Add the Machu Picchu day separately: ticket, return train and the bus up together add roughly S/ 700–1,300 per person. If that is the point of the trip, cut days elsewhere rather than the train.
Cash, cards and the tourist tax break
Cards work in hotels and larger restaurants in Lima and Cusco. Markets, small towns, taxis and village entrance fees need cash, so carry small notes: change for a S/ 100 note is often short. Use ATMs inside banks or malls rather than street machines.
Some hotels and tour operators accept US dollars; bring clean, undamaged notes, as torn or marked bills are often refused. Foreign tourists staying under 60 days can have the 18% sales tax (IGV) removed from hotel bills by showing a passport and the digital entry record — confirm the current rule with your hotel before booking.
Budget a cash buffer for the days when the ATM is empty or the card machine is down, especially in the Sacred Valley, on the coast south of Lima and in the Amazon.
- Carry S/ 200–300 in small notes as a buffer.
- Keep a card as backup for hotels and tours.
- Ask about the IGV discount before you book, not at checkout.
What changes the number
Season: June to August and Easter are the priciest weeks for Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Aguas Calientes. May, September and October give similar weather for less.
Route: flying the long legs (Lima–Cusco, Lima–Iquitos) saves days but adds cost; buses are cheap and slow. See how to get to Peru and getting around Peru for the trade-offs.
Style: a guided Inca Trail or alternative trek is a large fixed cost, while independent day hikes around Cusco cost almost nothing beyond the boleto turístico.
Length: the daily number falls on longer trips because flights and the Machu Picchu train spread over more days. A 10-day trip costs more per day than a three-week one.
| Item | 2026 estimate |
|---|---|
| Menú del día (set lunch) | S/ 12–20 |
| Ceviche in a cevichería | S/ 35–60 |
| Pisco sour in a bar | S/ 20–40 |
| Machu Picchu ticket (foreign adult) | About S/ 163 incl. conservation fee; mountain routes about S/ 200 |
| Train Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes | US$60–150 each way |
| Cusco boleto turístico (combined sites) | About S/ 130 for 10 days |
| Domestic flight (one way) | About US$400 budgeted; often less booked ahead |
Questions people ask
How much money do you need per day in Peru?
Backpackers can manage on S/ 130–200 a day; mid-range travellers should plan S/ 350–650; comfort starts around S/ 1,200. These exclude international flights, the Machu Picchu train and treks. A Machu Picchu day adds roughly S/ 700–1,300 per person.
Is Peru expensive for tourists?
No, for food, local transport and beds it is cheap by US or Western European standards. It is expensive for Machu Picchu: train seats, the entry ticket and the bus up are priced for foreign visitors and are the biggest single cost on most trips.
What do meals, hotels and transport cost in Peru?
A menú del día lunch is S/ 12–20, ceviche S/ 35–60 and a pisco sour S/ 20–40. Dorms run S/ 35–70, mid-range hotels S/ 150–300 and top hotels S/ 700+. Colectivos and city buses are cheap; app taxis and domestic flights cost more.
How much should I budget for Machu Picchu?
Ticket, return train from Ollantaytambo and the bus up add about S/ 700–1,300 per person. The train alone is US$60–150 each way. Book the ticket and train together, and treat this as a fixed cost rather than trimming it.
Do I need cash in Peru?
Yes. Cards work in hotels and larger restaurants in Lima and Cusco, but markets, small towns, taxis and village entrance fees are cash-only. Carry small soles notes; change for large notes is often short. US dollars are accepted by some hotels and tour operators.
Can I get the sales tax removed from my hotel bill?
Foreign tourists staying under 60 days can have the 18% IGV removed from hotel bills by showing a passport and the digital entry record. Confirm the current rule with your hotel before booking.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check