Cost of Living Comparison Between Ayacucho and Cusco Cost of Living Comparison Between Ayacucho and Cusco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $491 in Ayacucho versus $699 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $793 in Ayacucho versus $1,042 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,095 in Ayacucho versus $1,385 in Cusco.

Living in Ayacucho costs roughly 30% less than in Cusco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ayacucho 64% lower, Cusco 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.76 PEN 5.90

$2.51 PEN 8.41

-29.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.88 PEN 70.0

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 PEN 21.58

Cappuccino

$1.76 PEN 5.89

$2.23 PEN 7.48

-21.08%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.89

$0.80 PEN 2.69

7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$0.34 PEN 1.14

-8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 PEN 5.04

$2.03 PEN 6.79

-26.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 PEN 14.72

$4.33 PEN 14.53

1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.47

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 PEN 7.96

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 PEN 2.06

$1.31 PEN 4.41

-53.44%

Eggs

$1.73 PEN 5.81

$3.61 PEN 12.10

-52.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.92 PEN 9.78

$4.77 PEN 15.98

-38.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 PEN 14.78

$4.36 PEN 14.63

1.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.91 PEN 19.80

$7.32 PEN 24.54

-19.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.08

$2.64 PEN 8.86

-53.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$0.80 PEN 2.67

-23.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 PEN 2.02

$1.47 PEN 4.95

-59.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PEN 1.88

$0.88 PEN 2.93

-36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PEN 0.97

$1.06 PEN 3.55

-72.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 PEN 1.04

$1.08 PEN 3.62

-71.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PEN 1.06

$0.54 PEN 1.82

-42.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PEN 2.86

$0.71 PEN 2.38

19.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 PEN 19.36

$6.03 PEN 20.21

-4.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 PEN 10.01

$1.97 PEN 6.60

51.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 PEN 14.91

$4.26 PEN 14.29

4.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 PEN 2.02

$0.31 PEN 1.04

93.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.11 PEN 121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 PEN 7.80

$1.83 PEN 6.14

26.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 PEN 4.06

$1.88 PEN 6.31

-35.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 PEN 15.35

$2.94 PEN 9.86

55.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 PEN 6.01

$1.56 PEN 5.22

14.74%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$10.5K PEN 35.1K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$12.6K PEN 42.1K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$29.75 PEN 99.8

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.94 PEN 40.05

$14.73 PEN 49.40

-18.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.97 PEN 60.3

$44.70 PEN 150

-59.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.11 PEN 50.7

$35.37 PEN 119

-57.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.03 PEN 101

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 PEN 14.57

$4.39 PEN 14.74

-0.91%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$73.7 PEN 247

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.68 PEN 59.3

$39.00 PEN 131

-54.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.24 PEN 88.0

$33.68 PEN 113

-22.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 PEN 344

$54.7 PEN 183

87.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 PEN 354

$75.0 PEN 251

40.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 PEN 1,184

$151 PEN 508

133.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.4 PEN 300

$180 PEN 603

-50.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 PEN 2,951

$363 PEN 1,217

142.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 PEN 784

$267 PEN 895

-12.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,981 PEN 6,644

$3,955 PEN 13.3K

-49.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,755 PEN 5,885

$1,776 PEN 5,953

-1.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 PEN 1,643

$433 PEN 1,451

13.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ayacucho: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cusco: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Ayacucho and $151 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ayacucho pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ayacucho vs Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ayacucho wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Cusco. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ayacucho the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Ayacucho, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $353 in Ayacucho versus $151 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Cusco. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $491 per month in Ayacucho versus $699 in Cusco – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Ayacucho gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ayacucho delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $491 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ayacucho hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ayacucho and Cusco are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ayacucho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.