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

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

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

Cusco costs about 45% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 PEN 9.56

$2.75 PEN 9.34

2.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.87 PEN 94.6

$27.91 PEN 94.8

-0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 PEN 18.36

$6.80 PEN 23.10

-20.44%

Cappuccino

$2.09 PEN 7.08

$1.91 PEN 6.49

9.42%

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

$1.24 PEN 4.21

$0.68 PEN 2.31

82.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.50

$0.40 PEN 1.36

85.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 PEN 7.38

$2.21 PEN 7.50

-1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 PEN 14.47

$3.95 PEN 13.42

7.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 PEN 4.85

$1.40 PEN 4.77

2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 PEN 10.30

$2.28 PEN 7.76

32.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.36

$1.19 PEN 4.05

8.40%

Eggs

$3.79 PEN 12.86

$2.36 PEN 8.03

60.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.68 PEN 15.87

$8.09 PEN 27.47

-42.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 PEN 16.96

$5.57 PEN 18.91

-10.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.05 PEN 23.93

$7.66 PEN 26.02

-7.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 PEN 7.94

$1.96 PEN 6.65

19.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.65

$0.70 PEN 2.38

11.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.50

$0.40 PEN 1.36

232.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 PEN 3.28

$1.08 PEN 3.68

-10.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.56

$0.71 PEN 2.40

47.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 PEN 3.14

$0.51 PEN 1.73

80.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 PEN 2.25

$0.87 PEN 2.94

-24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PEN 2.32

$0.82 PEN 2.77

-17.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 PEN 16.62

$5.61 PEN 19.06

-12.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 PEN 20.54

$7.30 PEN 24.78

-17.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 PEN 6.62

$1.75 PEN 5.94

11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 PEN 10.69

$2.57 PEN 8.71

22.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 1.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 PEN 5.63

$3.37 PEN 11.45

-50.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 PEN 5.55

$2.21 PEN 7.51

-26.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 PEN 9.60

$8.21 PEN 27.87

-65.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 5.01

$1.30 PEN 4.41

13.08%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.3K

$19.4K PEN 65.9K

-4.01%

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

$22.5K PEN 76.4K

$24.8K PEN 84.1K

-9.19%

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

$32.97 PEN 112

$56.7 PEN 192

-41.81%

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

$14.10 PEN 47.87

$12.80 PEN 43.46

10.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.44 PEN 103

$23.55 PEN 80.0

29.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.12 PEN 102

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 PEN 16.67

$6.78 PEN 23.01

-27.58%

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)

$36.79 PEN 125

$49.80 PEN 169

-26.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.16 PEN 95.6

$35.60 PEN 121

-20.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 PEN 211

$91.2 PEN 310

-31.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 PEN 239

$88.0 PEN 299

-20.00%

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)

$589 PEN 2,000

$389 PEN 1,321

51.38%

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)

$424 PEN 1,440

$472 PEN 1,604

-10.25%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: 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 Cusco versus $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Cusco vs $192 in Cerro de Pasco – so Cerro de Pasco 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 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 $1,126 per month in Cusco and $775 in Cerro de Pasco. 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 Cusco and $28.00 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 $750 in Cusco and $517 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.