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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $762 per month in Cusco vs $524 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,171 per month in Cusco vs $854 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,579 per month in Cusco vs $1,183 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Cusco costs about 46% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cusco and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Cusco 43% lower, Cerro de Pasco 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.79 PEN 9.49

$2.81 PEN 9.55

-0.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.84 PEN 94.7

$27.35 PEN 93.0

1.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.50 PEN 18.70

$7.02 PEN 23.88

-21.65%

Cappuccino

$2.02 PEN 6.87

$1.91 PEN 6.48

5.76%

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

$1.21 PEN 4.12

$0.71 PEN 2.41

70.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 PEN 2.66

$0.40 PEN 1.36

95.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.45

$2.27 PEN 7.72

-3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 PEN 13.92

$3.95 PEN 13.44

3.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 PEN 4.90

$1.42 PEN 4.81

1.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 PEN 9.83

$2.26 PEN 7.69

27.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$1.25 PEN 4.26

2.40%

Eggs

$3.93 PEN 13.37

$2.29 PEN 7.77

71.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 PEN 15.64

$8.02 PEN 27.27

-42.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 PEN 16.87

$5.72 PEN 19.44

-13.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.91 PEN 23.49

$7.93 PEN 26.94

-12.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 PEN 7.95

$1.96 PEN 6.67

19.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 PEN 2.47

$0.72 PEN 2.45

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.38

$0.44 PEN 1.48

193.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 PEN 3.28

$1.14 PEN 3.88

-14.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.56

$0.72 PEN 2.46

45.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.37

$0.52 PEN 1.78

90.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 PEN 2.36

$0.88 PEN 2.99

-21.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PEN 2.38

$0.85 PEN 2.91

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.97 PEN 16.90

$5.42 PEN 18.41

-8.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.82 PEN 19.78

$7.04 PEN 23.94

-17.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 PEN 6.77

$1.69 PEN 5.73

17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 PEN 10.82

$2.53 PEN 8.59

25.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 PEN 5.78

$3.27 PEN 11.12

-48.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 PEN 5.64

$2.14 PEN 7.26

-22.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 PEN 9.30

$8.37 PEN 28.46

-67.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 PEN 5.10

$1.35 PEN 4.60

11.11%

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

$18.8K PEN 64.0K

$19.2K PEN 65.2K

-1.77%

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

$22.3K PEN 75.8K

$25.0K PEN 84.9K

-10.74%

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

$33.90 PEN 115

$55.8 PEN 190

-39.23%

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

$13.93 PEN 47.35

$12.40 PEN 42.16

12.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 PEN 103

$23.47 PEN 79.8

29.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.36 PEN 103

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 PEN 16.30

$6.74 PEN 22.92

-28.93%

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

$221 PEN 751

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,138 PEN 27.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.64 PEN 121

$49.25 PEN 167

-27.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.22 PEN 95.9

$35.69 PEN 121

-20.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 PEN 214

$91.8 PEN 312

-31.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 PEN 241

$87.9 PEN 299

-19.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$311 PEN 1,057

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 PEN 841

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 PEN 1,985

$392 PEN 1,332

49.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 PEN 1,426

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,773 PEN 12.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,760 PEN 5,985

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$426 PEN 1,447

$453 PEN 1,538

-5.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

8.80%

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

Last update for Cusco: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 6% 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 Cusco versus $27.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Groceries tell a different story – $194 in Cusco vs $194 in Cerro de Pasco – so Cusco wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Cusco is pricier by about 46%, 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 $1,143 per month in Cusco and $786 in Cerro de Pasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 Cusco and $27.00 in Cerro de Pasco. 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 $762 in Cusco and $524 in Cerro de Pasco, 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.