It's close equivalent. It's easier to go inwards than outwards in terms of delta-v because orbits further out move more slowly. So if things were a little different the orbit of Mars could have been closer to Earth in terms of distance while Venus would still be closer in terms of delta-v.

Only if you want one-way trip. In case of the two-way trip, Mars could be still closer due to lesser Sun gravity influence that needs to be compensated.