Peru on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, Peru is good for budget travel: about S/ 150 (roughly US$40) per person per day covers a hostel, set-lunch meals, local buses and one site. Machu Picchu is the big expense, so budget for it separately.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | S/50 | S/140 | S/400 |
| Food & drink | S/45 | S/100 | S/220 |
| Sights & tickets | S/40 | S/120 | S/250 |
| Local transport | S/15 | S/40 | S/100 |
| Per person, per day | S/150 | S/400 | S/970 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Peru day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk the Malecón clifftop parks and Parque del Amor in Miraflores
- Explore the street art and Puente de los Suspiros in Barranco
- See the 12-angled stone on Hatun Rumiyoc street in Cusco
- Wander the artisans' quarter of San Blas in Cusco
- Browse the Pisac market, largest on Sundays
- Walk the plazas and churches of Cusco and Lima's historic centre from outside
Cheap eats
- Menú set lunch at a local restaurant or market, about S/ 10-20
- Anticuchos from a street stall, S/ 10-15
- Ceviche in a simple cevichería, about S/ 25-40
- Salchipapas or a chicken-and-chips plate (pollo a la brasa), about S/ 15-30
- Fresh fruit juice at the San Pedro Market, about S/ 6-10
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in hostels in Cusco's San Blas and Lima's Miraflores, with dorm beds from about S/ 30-50 and private rooms at about S/ 80-150.
Getting around cheaply
Colectivos (shared minivans) link Cusco with the Sacred Valley for a few soles. In Lima, the Metropolitano buses are cheap, and app taxis cost little for short trips. Long-distance first-class buses are comfortable and much cheaper than flying, though slower.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Qorikancha, about S/ 20
- Lunch: menú at San Pedro Market, about S/ 15
- Afternoon: Sacsayhuamán on the boleto turístico, about S/ 30 per day of the ticket
- Evening: San Blas walk and a simple dinner, about S/ 30
- Total: about S/ 150 per person including a shared room
More ways to save
- Take colectivos in the Sacred Valley rather than private transfers.
- Carry small notes and coins; change for large notes is scarce.
- Spend two or three days in the Sacred Valley first, which is cheaper and lower than Cusco.
- Book a Machu Picchu circuit ticket directly on the official website.
- Bring warm layers from home; markets sell alpaca, but quality and price vary.
- Choose a Uros and Taquile tour with a local community operator for fair prices.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Is Peru cheap to travel?
Yes for food, hostels and buses, at about S/ 150 a day; Machu Picchu adds a large one-off cost.
What is the cheapest way to get to Machu Picchu?
Colectivo to Ollantaytambo, then the cheapest train class booked early; some travellers use the longer route via Hidroeléctrica.
What is a menú in Peru?
A set lunch of soup, main and a drink, about S/ 10-20 in local restaurants and markets.