Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Cusco Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Cusco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $689 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $1,056 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $1,423 in Cusco.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 259% more expensive than in Cusco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Cusco is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.33

$2.58 PEN 8.65

626.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.6

$21.08 PEN 70.7

229.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €12.00

$6.46 PEN 21.68

113.16%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.21 PEN 7.40

40.27%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$0.75 PEN 2.51

277.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.33 PEN 1.12

469.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$2.13 PEN 7.16

86.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$4.49 PEN 15.05

0.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.33 PEN 4.47

-4.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$2.36 PEN 7.91

-8.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.32 PEN 4.42

33.33%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$3.63 PEN 12.18

41.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.59

$4.85 PEN 16.28

268.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$4.57 PEN 15.35

111.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.56

$7.37 PEN 24.73

173.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.84

$2.67 PEN 8.95

21.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$0.85 PEN 2.84

162.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$1.53 PEN 5.12

69.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$0.88 PEN 2.94

213.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$1.07 PEN 3.59

106.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.15 PEN 3.87

84.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.54 PEN 1.81

187.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.78 PEN 2.61

21.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$5.90 PEN 19.81

36.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.96 PEN 6.58

-21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$4.35 PEN 14.61

-35.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$0.31 PEN 1.05

903.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$1.81 PEN 6.06

80.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.89 PEN 6.33

-21.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.88

$2.93 PEN 9.83

1069.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.54 PEN 5.18

12.34%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

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

$30.5K €26.6K

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

$187 €163

$30.32 PEN 102

517.02%

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

$15.14 €13.20

$14.64 PEN 49.14

3.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.85

$43.76 PEN 147

-13.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.76

$35.37 PEN 119

58.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.89

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.95

$4.35 PEN 14.60

162.30%

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

$997 €869

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.8

$38.77 PEN 130

138.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.93

$33.83 PEN 114

21.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$55.7 PEN 187

99.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$73.7 PEN 247

69.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,488

$146 PEN 490

1068.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,121

$176 PEN 589

632.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,236

$361 PEN 1,211

610.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,693

$267 PEN 895

628.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,666

$3,914 PEN 13.1K

95.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,504

$1,841 PEN 6,178

180.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,047

$442 PEN 1,482

431.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cusco: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $146 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 432% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $21.00 in Cusco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $192 per month, with Cusco cheaper across the board.

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

Barcelona vs Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Cusco differ by about 259% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $689 including rent). Cusco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 432% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $146 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cusco – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,476 per month in Barcelona versus $689 in Cusco – a 259% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $689 in Cusco versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cusco but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Cusco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona 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 Cusco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 259% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.