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 $515 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $765 in Cusco, rent included.

A couple spends around $852 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,172 in Cusco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,189 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,579 in Cusco, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 33% cheaper than Cusco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cerro de Pasco and Cusco are more affordable than the global median – Cerro de Pasco 62% lower, Cusco 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 PEN 9.73

$2.86 PEN 10.07

-3.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.58 PEN 97.1

$27.88 PEN 98.2

-1.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 PEN 25.07

$5.63 PEN 19.82

26.47%

Cappuccino

$1.92 PEN 6.76

$2.06 PEN 7.26

-6.80%

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

$0.71 PEN 2.50

$1.23 PEN 4.33

-42.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 PEN 1.41

$0.79 PEN 2.78

-49.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 PEN 7.92

$2.18 PEN 7.69

3.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 PEN 13.66

$4.07 PEN 14.32

-4.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 PEN 5.01

$1.50 PEN 5.28

-5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 PEN 7.71

$2.94 PEN 10.34

-25.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PEN 4.36

$1.27 PEN 4.48

-2.36%

Eggs

$2.30 PEN 8.08

$3.83 PEN 13.47

-39.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 PEN 27.50

$4.59 PEN 16.15

70.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.68 PEN 19.99

$4.97 PEN 17.51

14.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 27.31

$6.72 PEN 23.66

15.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 PEN 7.28

$2.42 PEN 8.54

-14.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.36

$0.77 PEN 2.73

-12.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.42

$1.27 PEN 4.48

-68.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 4.02

$0.95 PEN 3.33

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.51

$1.05 PEN 3.69

-32.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PEN 1.80

$1.02 PEN 3.58

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 PEN 2.85

$0.65 PEN 2.29

24.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 PEN 2.96

$0.74 PEN 2.62

13.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 PEN 19.89

$4.89 PEN 17.22

15.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.08 PEN 24.92

$6.50 PEN 22.87

8.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 PEN 6.21

$1.98 PEN 6.96

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 PEN 8.71

$3.09 PEN 10.88

-20.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.94

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 PEN 12.05

$1.64 PEN 5.76

108.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.44

$1.67 PEN 5.87

26.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.08 PEN 28.46

$2.84 PEN 9.98

184.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.78

$1.49 PEN 5.25

-8.72%

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

$19.7K PEN 69.4K

$18.4K PEN 64.9K

6.85%

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

$24.5K PEN 86.3K

$21.8K PEN 76.6K

12.67%

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

$56.8 PEN 200

$33.97 PEN 120

67.21%

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

$12.63 PEN 44.47

$13.86 PEN 48.80

-8.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.62 PEN 83.2

$30.58 PEN 108

-22.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.62 PEN 108

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 PEN 24.04

$4.90 PEN 17.24

39.39%

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

$216 PEN 762

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,926 PEN 27.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.94 PEN 176

$36.47 PEN 128

36.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 PEN 128

$28.97 PEN 102

25.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 PEN 316

$61.4 PEN 216

46.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 PEN 316

$71.0 PEN 250

26.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 PEN 1,089

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 PEN 885

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 PEN 1,375

$585 PEN 2,060

-33.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 PEN 1,446

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,824 PEN 13.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,755 PEN 6,179

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$460 PEN 1,617

$477 PEN 1,679

-3.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

-8.09%

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

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cusco: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 4% higher in Cusco, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco versus $28.00 in Cusco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $196 – making Cerro de Pasco 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 49%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $772 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $1,147 in Cusco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Cusco, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco and $28.00 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 $515 in Cerro de Pasco and $765 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.