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: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $747 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $1,171 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $1,596 in Cusco.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 217% more expensive than Cusco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Cusco is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$2.81 PEN 9.56

525.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$27.73 PEN 94.3

146.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$5.64 PEN 19.20

149.29%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$2.02 PEN 6.86

37.62%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$1.23 PEN 4.17

127.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.74 PEN 2.50

178.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$2.19 PEN 7.44

103.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$4.23 PEN 14.39

8.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.46 PEN 4.95

-15.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$3.01 PEN 10.24

-32.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.33 PEN 4.53

44.36%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$3.87 PEN 13.15

-14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$4.76 PEN 16.20

287.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$4.89 PEN 16.62

94.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$6.88 PEN 23.41

178.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.37 PEN 8.06

11.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$0.72 PEN 2.45

240.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$1.27 PEN 4.32

66.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$0.90 PEN 3.05

216.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.00 PEN 3.39

104.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.96 PEN 3.26

92.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$0.70 PEN 2.37

110.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.68 PEN 2.31

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$4.83 PEN 16.42

47.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

$5.86 PEN 19.93

34.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.98 PEN 6.74

-30.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.06 PEN 10.42

-24.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

$0.27 PEN 0.91

1003.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$1.69 PEN 5.74

172.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.61 PEN 5.48

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$2.79 PEN 9.49

945.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.51 PEN 5.13

21.85%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

107.63%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

47.89%

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

$188 €162

$33.09 PEN 113

467.60%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$14.07 PEN 47.86

62.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$30.14 PEN 103

21.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

$30.93 PEN 105

85.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$4.76 PEN 16.19

135.08%

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

$721 €620

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$36.52 PEN 124

136.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$28.63 PEN 97.4

29.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$61.6 PEN 210

65.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$70.4 PEN 239

64.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

$304 PEN 1,033

405.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$250 PEN 850

388.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

$582 PEN 1,979

363.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$410 PEN 1,395

391.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

85.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

$1,754 PEN 5,968

195.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$432 PEN 1,471

445.62%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cusco: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $304 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 446% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $28.00 in Cusco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $194 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 217% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $747 including rent). Cusco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 446% more on average, 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $304 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 $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,367 per month in Barcelona versus $747 in Cusco – a 217% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $747 in Cusco versus $2,367 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 217% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.