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: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $739 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,164 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,589 in Cusco.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 214% more expensive than in Cusco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Cusco is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.43

$2.73 PEN 9.24

546.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €60.9

$28.05 PEN 95.1

148.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.37

$5.64 PEN 19.11

151.06%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$2.00 PEN 6.78

40.00%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$1.23 PEN 4.16

128.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.80

$0.73 PEN 2.48

182.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$2.23 PEN 7.57

106.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$4.29 PEN 14.55

9.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.07

$1.45 PEN 4.90

-15.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.88 PEN 9.78

-29.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.27 PEN 4.31

55.91%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$3.80 PEN 12.89

-8.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.01

$4.64 PEN 15.74

295.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.59

$4.82 PEN 16.33

103.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.71

$6.78 PEN 22.97

182.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$2.45 PEN 8.31

11.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$0.72 PEN 2.45

230.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.32 PEN 4.49

57.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$0.88 PEN 3.00

212.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$1.00 PEN 3.38

96.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.99 PEN 3.34

80.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.65 PEN 2.19

127.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.70 PEN 2.36

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.23

$4.75 PEN 16.08

50.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.88

$5.83 PEN 19.76

35.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.90 PEN 6.45

-27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$3.16 PEN 10.71

-24.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$0.29 PEN 0.99

937.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.65

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.81

$1.64 PEN 5.56

165.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.66 PEN 5.64

28.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.86

$2.79 PEN 9.46

960.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.49 PEN 5.06

22.15%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

98.20%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

47.95%

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

$189 €165

$33.89 PEN 115

457.78%

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

$22.29 €19.48

$14.14 PEN 47.92

57.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.47

$31.07 PEN 105

19.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.7

$30.62 PEN 104

89.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.05

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.50

$5.00 PEN 16.94

117.40%

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

$706 €617

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.2

$36.06 PEN 122

148.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €31.98

$29.00 PEN 98.3

26.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.9

$61.9 PEN 210

67.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$72.3 PEN 245

65.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,379

$303 PEN 1,028

420.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,082

$247 PEN 838

400.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,370

$588 PEN 1,993

361.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,782

$424 PEN 1,436

381.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,576

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

93.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,577

$1,798 PEN 6,096

191.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,065

$427 PEN 1,448

453.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-69.18%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cusco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $303 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 453% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $28.00 in Cusco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 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 214% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $739 including rent). Cusco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 453% 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $303 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 $28.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,320 per month in Barcelona versus $739 in Cusco – a 214% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $739 in Cusco versus $2,320 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 214% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.