Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Cusco Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Cusco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $565 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $689 in Cusco, rent included.

A couple spends around $899 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,056 in Cusco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,233 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,423 in Cusco, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 18% cheaper than Cusco, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Cerro de Pasco and Cusco are more affordable than the global median – Cerro de Pasco 59% lower, Cusco 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 PEN 9.98

$2.58 PEN 8.70

14.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.49 PEN 99.5

$21.08 PEN 71.1

39.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.05 PEN 23.77

$6.46 PEN 21.80

9.13%

Cappuccino

$2.10 PEN 7.08

$2.21 PEN 7.44

-4.98%

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

$0.75 PEN 2.54

$0.75 PEN 2.52

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 PEN 1.56

$0.33 PEN 1.13

39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 PEN 8.91

$2.13 PEN 7.20

23.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.30

$4.49 PEN 15.13

0.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 PEN 5.34

$1.33 PEN 4.49

18.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 PEN 8.22

$2.36 PEN 7.95

3.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.29

$1.32 PEN 4.45

-3.79%

Eggs

$2.42 PEN 8.16

$3.63 PEN 12.25

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 PEN 32.06

$4.85 PEN 16.37

95.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 PEN 20.87

$4.57 PEN 15.43

35.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.39 PEN 28.30

$7.37 PEN 24.86

13.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.78

$2.67 PEN 9.00

-24.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.53

$0.85 PEN 2.85

-11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.47 PEN 1.57

$1.53 PEN 5.15

-69.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.98

$0.88 PEN 2.95

34.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.43

$1.07 PEN 3.61

-32.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 PEN 1.79

$1.15 PEN 3.89

-53.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$0.54 PEN 1.82

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PEN 3.07

$0.78 PEN 2.62

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 PEN 19.98

Wine (Bottle)

$7.28 PEN 24.57

$5.90 PEN 19.92

23.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.47

$1.96 PEN 6.62

-2.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PEN 9.22

$4.35 PEN 14.69

-37.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 PEN 13.62

$1.81 PEN 6.09

123.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.16

$1.89 PEN 6.37

12.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.51 PEN 25.35

$2.93 PEN 9.88

156.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 PEN 5.85

$1.54 PEN 5.21

12.34%

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

$22.1K PEN 74.6K

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

$26.1K PEN 87.9K

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

$70.7 PEN 239

$30.32 PEN 102

133.18%

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

$17.03 PEN 57.5

$14.64 PEN 49.41

16.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.25 PEN 95.3

$43.76 PEN 148

-35.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.37 PEN 119

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 PEN 25.48

$4.35 PEN 14.68

73.56%

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

$181 PEN 609

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K PEN 45.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 PEN 181

$38.77 PEN 131

38.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.34 PEN 123

$33.83 PEN 114

7.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 PEN 289

$55.7 PEN 188

53.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 PEN 275

$73.7 PEN 249

10.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$146 PEN 493

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 PEN 592

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 PEN 1,422

$361 PEN 1,218

16.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 PEN 900

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 PEN 13.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,841 PEN 6,211

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$483 PEN 1,631

$442 PEN 1,490

9.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

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

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cusco: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 9% higher in Cerro de Pasco, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Cerro de Pasco versus $21.00 in Cusco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $192 – making Cusco the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Cerro de Pasco vs Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cusco is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $847 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $1,034 in Cusco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Cusco – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Cerro de Pasco and $21.00 in Cusco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $565 in Cerro de Pasco and $689 in Cusco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cerro de Pasco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cerro de Pasco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cusco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.