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 $517 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $750 in Cusco, rent included.

A couple spends around $845 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,157 in Cusco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,173 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,563 in Cusco, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 31% cheaper than Cusco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cerro de Pasco and Cusco are more affordable than the global median – Cerro de Pasco 61% lower, Cusco 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 PEN 9.34

$2.82 PEN 9.56

-2.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.91 PEN 94.8

$27.87 PEN 94.6

0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 PEN 23.10

$5.41 PEN 18.36

25.69%

Cappuccino

$1.91 PEN 6.49

$2.09 PEN 7.08

-8.61%

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

$0.68 PEN 2.31

$1.24 PEN 4.21

-45.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 PEN 1.36

$0.74 PEN 2.50

-45.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 PEN 7.50

$2.18 PEN 7.38

1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 PEN 13.42

$4.26 PEN 14.47

-7.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 PEN 4.77

$1.43 PEN 4.85

-2.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 PEN 7.76

$3.03 PEN 10.30

-24.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.05

$1.29 PEN 4.36

-7.75%

Eggs

$2.36 PEN 8.03

$3.79 PEN 12.86

-37.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 PEN 27.47

$4.68 PEN 15.87

72.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.57 PEN 18.91

$5.00 PEN 16.96

11.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 PEN 26.02

$7.05 PEN 23.93

8.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 PEN 6.65

$2.34 PEN 7.94

-16.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.38

$0.78 PEN 2.65

-10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.36

$1.33 PEN 4.50

-69.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.68

$0.97 PEN 3.28

11.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.40

$1.05 PEN 3.56

-32.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PEN 1.73

$0.92 PEN 3.14

-44.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.94

$0.66 PEN 2.25

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 PEN 2.77

$0.68 PEN 2.32

20.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.61 PEN 19.06

$4.90 PEN 16.62

14.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.30 PEN 24.78

$6.05 PEN 20.54

20.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.94

$1.95 PEN 6.62

-10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 PEN 8.71

$3.15 PEN 10.69

-18.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 1.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 PEN 11.45

$1.66 PEN 5.63

103.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.51

$1.63 PEN 5.55

35.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 PEN 27.87

$2.83 PEN 9.60

190.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.41

$1.47 PEN 5.01

-11.56%

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

$19.4K PEN 65.9K

$18.6K PEN 63.3K

4.17%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.1K

$22.5K PEN 76.4K

10.11%

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

$56.7 PEN 192

$32.97 PEN 112

71.85%

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

$12.80 PEN 43.46

$14.10 PEN 47.87

-9.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.55 PEN 80.0

$30.44 PEN 103

-22.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.12 PEN 102

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 PEN 23.01

$4.91 PEN 16.67

38.09%

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

$220 PEN 748

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,048 PEN 27.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.80 PEN 169

$36.79 PEN 125

35.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.60 PEN 121

$28.16 PEN 95.6

26.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 PEN 310

$62.1 PEN 211

46.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 PEN 299

$70.4 PEN 239

24.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 PEN 1,020

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 PEN 860

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 PEN 1,321

$589 PEN 2,000

-33.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 PEN 1,409

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,956 PEN 13.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,793 PEN 6,087

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$472 PEN 1,604

$424 PEN 1,440

11.43%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cusco: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 11% 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 $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco versus $28.00 in Cusco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 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 45%, 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 $775 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $1,126 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 $517 in Cerro de Pasco and $750 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.