😐A single person spends $765 per month in Cusco vs $515 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,172 per month in Cusco vs $852 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,579 per month in Cusco vs $1,189 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.
😐Cusco costs about 49% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Cusco and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Cusco43% lower, Cerro de Pasco62% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Cusco
Cerro de Pasco
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.86PEN 10.07
$2.76PEN 9.73
3.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.88PEN 98.2
$27.58PEN 97.1
1.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.63PEN 19.82
$7.12PEN 25.07
-20.93%
Cappuccino
$2.06PEN 7.26
$1.92PEN 6.76
7.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23PEN 4.33
$0.71PEN 2.50
73.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79PEN 2.78
$0.40PEN 1.41
97.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.18PEN 7.69
$2.25PEN 7.92
-3.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.07PEN 14.32
$3.88PEN 13.66
4.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cusco
Cerro de Pasco
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.50PEN 5.28
$1.42PEN 5.01
5.63%
White Bread(500g)
$2.94PEN 10.34
$2.19PEN 7.71
34.25%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.27PEN 4.48
$1.24PEN 4.36
2.42%
Eggs
$3.83PEN 13.47
$2.30PEN 8.08
66.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.59PEN 16.15
$7.81PEN 27.50
-41.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.97PEN 17.51
$5.68PEN 19.99
-12.50%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.72PEN 23.66
$7.76PEN 27.31
-13.40%
Apples(1kg)
$2.42PEN 8.54
$2.07PEN 7.28
16.91%
Banana(1kg)
$0.77PEN 2.73
$0.67PEN 2.36
14.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.27PEN 4.48
$0.40PEN 1.42
217.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.95PEN 3.33
$1.14PEN 4.02
-16.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.05PEN 3.69
$0.71PEN 2.51
47.89%
Onion(1kg)
$1.02PEN 3.58
$0.51PEN 1.80
100.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.65PEN 2.29
$0.81PEN 2.85
-19.75%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74PEN 2.62
$0.84PEN 2.96
-11.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.89PEN 17.22
$5.65PEN 19.89
-13.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.50PEN 22.87
$7.08PEN 24.92
-8.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98PEN 6.96
$1.76PEN 6.21
12.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09PEN 10.88
$2.47PEN 8.71
25.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Cusco
Cerro de Pasco
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.27PEN 0.94
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.64PEN 5.76
$3.42PEN 12.05
-52.05%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.67PEN 5.87
$2.11PEN 7.44
-20.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.84PEN 9.98
$8.08PEN 28.46
-64.85%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49PEN 5.25
$1.36PEN 4.78
9.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.4KPEN 64.9K
$19.7KPEN 69.4K
-6.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8KPEN 76.6K
$24.5KPEN 86.3K
-11.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cusco
Cerro de Pasco
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$33.97PEN 120
$56.8PEN 200
-40.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.86PEN 48.80
$12.63PEN 44.47
9.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.58PEN 108
$23.62PEN 83.2
29.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cusco
Cerro de Pasco
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.62PEN 108
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.90PEN 17.24
$6.83PEN 24.04
-28.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cusco
Cerro de Pasco
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$216PEN 762
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$7,926PEN 27.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cusco
Cerro de Pasco
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.47PEN 128
$49.94PEN 176
-26.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.97PEN 102
$36.38PEN 128
-20.37%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$61.4PEN 216
$89.8PEN 316
-31.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.0PEN 250
$89.9PEN 316
-21.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cusco
Cerro de Pasco
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$309PEN 1,089
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$251PEN 885
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$585PEN 2,060
$391PEN 1,375
49.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$411PEN 1,446
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,824PEN 13.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,755PEN 6,179
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cusco
Cerro de Pasco
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$477PEN 1,679
$460PEN 1,617
3.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11
10.11
8.80%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Cusco: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Cerro de Pasco: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Salaries run about 4% higher in Cusco, 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 $28.00 in Cusco versus $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Cusco vs $191 in Cerro de Pasco – so Cerro de Pasco wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Cusco vs Cerro de Pasco: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Cerro de Pasco cheaper than Cusco?
Yes – Cusco is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,147 per month in Cusco and $772 in Cerro de Pasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Cusco and Cerro de Pasco?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Cusco or Cerro de Pasco?
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.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cusco or Cerro de Pasco?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $765 in Cusco and $515 in Cerro de Pasco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Cusco or Cerro de Pasco more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.