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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $739 per month in Chiclayo vs $739 in Cusco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,244 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,164 in Cusco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,748 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,589 in Cusco, rent included.

Chiclayo and Cusco have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chiclayo and Cusco are more affordable than the global median – Chiclayo 45% lower, Cusco 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 PEN 16.84

$2.73 PEN 9.24

82.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.94 PEN 112

$28.05 PEN 95.1

17.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 PEN 27.85

$5.64 PEN 19.11

45.74%

Cappuccino

$4.06 PEN 13.77

$2.00 PEN 6.78

103.00%

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

$0.79 PEN 2.69

$1.23 PEN 4.16

-35.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 PEN 1.70

$0.73 PEN 2.48

-31.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 PEN 8.80

$2.23 PEN 7.57

16.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 PEN 14.55

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 PEN 4.82

$1.45 PEN 4.90

-2.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 PEN 5.54

$2.88 PEN 9.78

-43.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 PEN 5.75

$1.27 PEN 4.31

33.86%

Eggs

$3.03 PEN 10.28

$3.80 PEN 12.89

-20.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 PEN 20.54

$4.64 PEN 15.74

30.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.90 PEN 20.00

$4.82 PEN 16.33

22.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.49 PEN 28.78

$6.78 PEN 22.97

25.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 PEN 6.76

$2.45 PEN 8.31

-18.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 PEN 5.60

$0.72 PEN 2.45

129.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.69

$1.32 PEN 4.49

-17.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 PEN 5.32

$0.88 PEN 3.00

78.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.35

$1.00 PEN 3.38

-1.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.82

$0.99 PEN 3.34

43.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 PEN 2.23

$0.65 PEN 2.19

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 PEN 2.28

$0.70 PEN 2.36

-4.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 PEN 14.18

$4.75 PEN 16.08

-12.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 PEN 49.88

$5.83 PEN 19.76

152.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 PEN 4.57

$1.90 PEN 6.45

-28.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 PEN 5.36

$3.16 PEN 10.71

-50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 PEN 1.64

$0.29 PEN 0.99

65.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 PEN 93.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 PEN 9.20

$1.64 PEN 5.56

65.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 PEN 3.69

$1.66 PEN 5.64

-34.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 PEN 16.40

$2.79 PEN 9.46

73.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$1.49 PEN 5.06

-14.09%

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

$23.5K PEN 79.8K

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

23.09%

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

$22.7K PEN 77.0K

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

3.85%

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

$37.97 PEN 129

$33.89 PEN 115

12.04%

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

$15.05 PEN 51.0

$14.14 PEN 47.92

6.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.57 PEN 121

$31.07 PEN 105

14.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.57 PEN 110

$30.62 PEN 104

6.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.41 PEN 113

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 PEN 18.56

$5.00 PEN 16.94

9.60%

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

$221 PEN 749

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,498 PEN 11.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.80 PEN 148

$36.06 PEN 122

21.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.99 PEN 122

$29.00 PEN 98.3

24.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 PEN 278

$61.9 PEN 210

32.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.54 PEN 131

$72.3 PEN 245

-46.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 PEN 422

$303 PEN 1,028

-58.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PEN 471

$247 PEN 838

-43.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 PEN 1,075

$588 PEN 1,993

-46.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 PEN 1,229

$424 PEN 1,436

-14.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,119 PEN 3,794

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

-71.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,088 PEN 3,689

$1,798 PEN 6,096

-39.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 PEN 1,603

$427 PEN 1,448

10.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-9.09%

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

Last update for Chiclayo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cusco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $125 in Chiclayo versus $303 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 11% higher in Chiclayo. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Chiclayo versus $28.00 in Cusco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 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

Chiclayo vs Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,109 per month in Chiclayo and $1,109 in Cusco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% 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 $33.00 in Chiclayo and $28.00 in Cusco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $739 in Chiclayo and $739 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 $739 in Chiclayo to $739 in Cusco. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chiclayo. 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.