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 $689 per month in Cusco vs $565 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,056 per month in Cusco vs $899 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,423 per month in Cusco vs $1,233 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Cusco costs about 22% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Cusco and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Cusco 50% lower, Cerro de Pasco 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.58 PEN 8.70

$2.96 PEN 9.98

-12.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.08 PEN 71.1

$29.49 PEN 99.5

-28.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 PEN 21.80

$7.05 PEN 23.77

-8.37%

Cappuccino

$2.21 PEN 7.44

$2.10 PEN 7.08

5.24%

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

$0.75 PEN 2.52

$0.75 PEN 2.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 PEN 1.13

$0.46 PEN 1.56

-28.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 PEN 7.20

$2.64 PEN 8.91

-19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 PEN 15.13

$4.53 PEN 15.30

-0.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.49

$1.58 PEN 5.34

-15.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 PEN 7.95

$2.44 PEN 8.22

-3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.45

$1.27 PEN 4.29

3.94%

Eggs

$3.63 PEN 12.25

$2.42 PEN 8.16

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.85 PEN 16.37

$9.50 PEN 32.06

-48.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 PEN 15.43

$6.19 PEN 20.87

-26.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 PEN 24.86

$8.39 PEN 28.30

-12.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 PEN 9.00

$2.01 PEN 6.78

32.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.85

$0.75 PEN 2.53

13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 PEN 5.15

$0.47 PEN 1.57

225.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 2.95

$1.18 PEN 3.98

-25.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.61

$0.72 PEN 2.43

48.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 PEN 3.89

$0.53 PEN 1.79

116.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 PEN 1.82

$0.90 PEN 3.05

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 PEN 2.62

$0.91 PEN 3.07

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 PEN 19.98

Wine (Bottle)

$5.90 PEN 19.92

$7.28 PEN 24.57

-18.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 PEN 6.62

$1.92 PEN 6.47

2.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 PEN 14.69

$2.73 PEN 9.22

59.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PEN 6.09

$4.04 PEN 13.62

-55.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 PEN 6.37

$2.12 PEN 7.16

-10.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 PEN 9.88

$7.51 PEN 25.35

-60.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 PEN 5.21

$1.73 PEN 5.85

-10.98%

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

$22.1K PEN 74.6K

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

$26.1K PEN 87.9K

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

$30.32 PEN 102

$70.7 PEN 239

-57.11%

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

$14.64 PEN 49.41

$17.03 PEN 57.5

-14.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.76 PEN 148

$28.25 PEN 95.3

54.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.37 PEN 119

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 PEN 14.68

$7.55 PEN 25.48

-42.38%

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

$181 PEN 609

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K PEN 45.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.77 PEN 131

$53.8 PEN 181

-27.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.83 PEN 114

$36.34 PEN 123

-6.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.7 PEN 188

$85.5 PEN 289

-34.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 PEN 249

$81.5 PEN 275

-9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$146 PEN 493

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 PEN 592

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 PEN 1,218

$421 PEN 1,422

-14.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 PEN 900

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 PEN 13.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,841 PEN 6,211

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$442 PEN 1,490

$483 PEN 1,631

-8.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

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

Last update for Cusco: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 9% 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 $21.00 in Cusco versus $29.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $209 – 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

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

Yes – Cusco is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,034 per month in Cusco and $847 in Cerro de Pasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% 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 $21.00 in Cusco and $29.00 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 $689 in Cusco and $565 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.