How much will it cost to visit Peru in 2026?

Peru is one of the best places I have visited. I loved every minute of it (more on why in this blog post). Not only is it incredibly spectacular, it’s also a very affordable destination (if you limit yourself to fine dining and guided hikes in Lima).

If you’re heading to Peru and wondering how much you should spend, look no further. In this post, I’ll detail how much I spent, what went wrong, typical prices, and ways to save money.

amount i spent

During my 16 days in Peru, I hiked through Lima, Arequipa, Cusco, and around the Sacred Valley. I spent $4,992.63 USD, or $312 per day. This is broken down as follows (in USD):

• lodging: $1,246.51
• food: $795.96
• Guide Tips: $45.90
• Tours/Activities: $162
• transit: $80.96
• Private tour (see below): $1,770
• Domestic flights: $480.06
• travel insurance: $73.92
• gear: $337.32

now i have sent many More than you want at the same time. Here’s why:

Firstly, Lima is one of the gastronomic capitals of the world, home to some of the best restaurants. I ended up eating at more than a few of these places, which drove up my food costs.

Second, I took a private tour for a guided hike in Cusco for work-related reasons, which drove up the cost significantly (it’s highly unlikely that I’ll pay for a private guide when I travel). Without these tours my cost would have been reduced to $200 USD per day!

Third, due to limited time in the country and many areas to cover, we flew between most destinations instead of taking long-distance overnight buses. Plus, I had to change some flights at the last minute for work reasons, so I had to pay a change fee.

Lastly, I spent two nights in a really nice hotel in Cusco, which actually cost me 50% of the cost of my stay. YOLO!

So how much should you, the average traveler, budget to visit Peru? Well, I guess not as much as me! A more reasonable suggested budget for Peru would be:

backpacker budget
If you want to backpack Peru, plan on $50-80 USD (185-300 PEN) per day. With this budget, you can stay in hostel dorms, eat in typical hole-in-the-wall restaurants and cafes, limit your drinking, take public transportation and night buses, and do a few paid activities and tours. If you plan on partying a lot, this would be on the higher end of the range.

mid-range budget
Basically, to do what I did (excluding private tours) you would need $150-200 USD (560-750 PEN) per day. This way, you can get a private room in a hostel or 2- or 3-star hotel, some of the fine dining the country is famous for, all the drinks you want, domestic flights, and all the tours and activities your heart desires.

From there, you can add or subtract $30 to $50 USD per day, depending on whether you’re staying at a name-brand hotel, whether you’re flying domestically, and whether you like to party a lot.

Use the pricing table below to help you set your budget.

typical price

How much do Peruvian items cost? Here are some typical prices (Peruvian sole, abbreviated PEN): In fine dining, this means the amount you would pay at a fancier restaurant (sometimes even more). Most other places in Peru are at the bottom.

• hostel dormitory: 40-100 PEN per night
• Hostel private room: 100–250 PEN per night
• cheap hotel: 110–300 PEN per night
• global chain hotel: +375 PEN per night
• war debt: 20~30 pens
• ceviche: 40~60 pens
• main course dish: 40~60 pens
• Cuy (guinea pig, delicacy): 55 pens
• burger: 20~28 pen
• sandwich: 12~15 pens
• fast food combo: 15-20 pens
• pizza: 25~60 pen
• dessert: 20~40 pens
• water (at the restaurant): 4-10 PEN
• soda: 4~7 pens
• coffee: 5~10 pens
• iced coffee: 13~15 pens
• car: 5~12 pens
• beer: 15 pens
• wine: 29~45 pen
• cocktail: 25 pens
• Museum admission: 10~20 pens
• uber: 10~20 pens
• taxi: 15~30 pens
• domestic flights: 150~300 pens
• Guided Machu Picchu hike/tour: 3,000~6,000 pens

budget saving tips

It’s pretty easy to not spend a lot of money in Peru. Your biggest expenses will be accommodation, domestic flights, several days of guided tours and fine dining. If you limit yourself a little, you’ll be fine because public transportation is cheap, Uber is ridiculously cheap, and Peruvian restaurants are really cheap.

Here’s what you can do to cut costs and save money in Peru without limiting your experience.

Bring a water bottle – Tap water here is not safe to drink, so bring a reusable water bottle with a filter to save money and reduce plastic use. LifeStraw is my favorite brand because the water bottle has a built-in filter to keep your water clean and safe at all times.

Off-season travel – The cheapest time to visit Peru is from January to April or November and December. Prices are usually lower during these months.

Take it. group – This is an inexpensive shared minivan that costs around 10PEN per ride. Departing when seats are full, it’s an inexpensive way to get from the city to a nearby city (think within the 2-hour range).

Use Uber – Uber is in every major city in the U.S. and their prices are really affordable. You won’t pay more than a few dollars per trip and are often cheaper than taxis.

Book a tour at the last minute – If you are looking to do the Inca Trail and have a little extra time waiting for a deal, you can save a lot of money by showing up in Cusco and booking a last minute tour. (However, if you are short on time, we do not recommend this method as you may have to wait several days for a spot to open up.)

Take a free walking tour – This is a great way to learn the history behind the places you’re seeing and make sure you don’t miss any must-see stops. Free Walking Tours Peru offers really good tours in all the major cities.

Get a student discount – If you are a student, be sure to bring your student ID to get major discounts (up to 50% off) at archaeological sites and museums in Cusco and the surrounding area.

Limit fine dining – Peru is one of the world’s gastronomic capitals, home to some of the world’s best restaurants (in fact, the world’s best restaurant, Central, is located here). Eating in one place is usually on people’s must-do list. However, meals usually cost more than US$100 (375 PEN), so if you’re looking to save money, avoid this option.

Book your LATAM flight on the New Zealand website – Prices are cheaper if you use the New Zealand version of the LATAM website (instead of the US site). It’s a mistake in the system. Even if you are not a New Zealand resident, you can make a reservation through the site without any problems.

Take the Peruvian Hop – Peru Hop is a backpacker hop-on/hop-off bus that travels on designated routes throughout the country. There are also lots of activities included and the guides are great. Plus, unlike most regular buses, they run on time and have free Wi-Fi. Because the price is really cheap, many locals also use it.

Have a good time – Enjoy 2+1 happy hours at all major destinations, as well as food specials and other discounts. Contact your hostel, hotel, or Google for the most up-to-date information on which locations are currently offering specials.

Peru can accommodate any budget. It has some of the world’s finest restaurants, stunning resorts, privately guided hikes, and budget-friendly luxury jungle lodges. But there’s also amazing local transportation, affordable hotels and restaurants, and affordable group tours. I hope this post helps you make the most of your visit, wherever your budget falls on that spectrum.

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