Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiclayo and Cusco Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiclayo and Cusco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $790 per month in Chiclayo vs $699 in Cusco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,335 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,042 in Cusco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,879 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,385 in Cusco, rent included.

Chiclayo costs about 13% more than Cusco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiclayo and Cusco are more affordable than the global median – Chiclayo 42% lower, Cusco 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 PEN 17.76

$2.51 PEN 8.43

110.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.81 PEN 120

$20.88 PEN 70.2

71.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 PEN 29.31

$6.44 PEN 21.62

35.40%

Cappuccino

$4.51 PEN 15.17

$2.23 PEN 7.50

102.24%

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

$0.85 PEN 2.87

$0.80 PEN 2.70

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 PEN 1.55

$0.34 PEN 1.14

35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.72 PEN 29.29

$2.03 PEN 6.81

329.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 PEN 14.56

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 PEN 6.69

$1.33 PEN 4.48

49.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 PEN 9.01

$2.37 PEN 7.98

13.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 PEN 8.91

$1.31 PEN 4.42

102.29%

Eggs

$1.82 PEN 6.11

$3.61 PEN 12.12

-49.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 PEN 32.61

$4.77 PEN 16.02

103.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 PEN 33.28

$4.36 PEN 14.67

127.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 PEN 26.73

$7.32 PEN 24.60

8.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 PEN 8.88

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 PEN 6.69

$0.80 PEN 2.67

148.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 PEN 4.96

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 PEN 6.55

$0.88 PEN 2.94

121.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.33

$1.06 PEN 3.56

21.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 PEN 6.50

$1.08 PEN 3.63

79.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 PEN 3.12

$0.54 PEN 1.83

72.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PEN 3.06

$0.71 PEN 2.38

28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 PEN 14.83

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 PEN 50.4

$6.03 PEN 20.25

148.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 PEN 5.05

$1.97 PEN 6.62

-23.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 PEN 3.94

$4.26 PEN 14.33

-72.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 PEN 1.72

$0.31 PEN 1.05

64.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.37 PEN 98.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 PEN 14.72

$1.83 PEN 6.15

139.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 PEN 6.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 PEN 20.31

$2.94 PEN 9.88

105.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.36

$1.56 PEN 5.23

-16.67%

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

$25.1K PEN 84.3K

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

$24.2K PEN 81.5K

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

$51.4 PEN 173

$29.75 PEN 100.0

72.77%

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

$44.91 PEN 151

$14.73 PEN 49.51

204.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.14 PEN 81.1

$44.70 PEN 150

-46.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.80 PEN 147

$35.37 PEN 119

23.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.68 PEN 120

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 PEN 25.27

$4.39 PEN 14.77

71.30%

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

$359 PEN 1,206

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,248 PEN 17.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.00 PEN 131

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.68 PEN 113

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 PEN 184

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 PEN 252

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$176 PEN 590

$151 PEN 509

15.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 PEN 501

$180 PEN 605

-17.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 PEN 1,490

$363 PEN 1,220

22.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 PEN 1,382

$267 PEN 897

54.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,144 PEN 3,846

$3,955 PEN 13.3K

-71.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,100 PEN 3,696

$1,776 PEN 5,967

-38.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 PEN 1,637

$433 PEN 1,454

12.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiclayo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cusco: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $176 in Chiclayo versus $151 in Cusco. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Chiclayo, 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 $36.00 in Chiclayo versus $21.00 in Cusco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $190 – 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

Chiclayo vs Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $790 in Chiclayo, $699 in Cusco – roughly 13% apart. Chiclayo costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,186 per month in Chiclayo and $1,049 in Cusco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cusco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Chiclayo and $21.00 in Cusco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $790 in Chiclayo and $699 in Cusco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $790 in Chiclayo and $699 in Cusco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Cusco has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $699 in Cusco to $790 in Chiclayo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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