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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $747 per month in Cusco vs $751 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,171 per month in Cusco vs $1,258 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,596 per month in Cusco vs $1,765 in Chiclayo, rent included.

Cusco is about 1% cheaper than Chiclayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cusco and Chiclayo are more affordable than the global median – Cusco 44% lower, Chiclayo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.56

$4.95 PEN 16.85

-43.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 PEN 94.3

$33.86 PEN 115

-18.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.20

$8.31 PEN 28.27

-32.13%

Cappuccino

$2.02 PEN 6.86

$4.08 PEN 13.89

-50.49%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$0.86 PEN 2.94

43.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.50

$0.50 PEN 1.70

48.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.44

$2.49 PEN 8.46

-12.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 PEN 14.39

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 PEN 4.95

$1.43 PEN 4.85

2.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.24

$1.61 PEN 5.48

86.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.53

$1.70 PEN 5.79

-21.76%

Eggs

$3.87 PEN 13.15

$3.05 PEN 10.39

26.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.76 PEN 16.20

$6.08 PEN 20.67

-21.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 PEN 16.62

$5.87 PEN 19.96

-16.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 PEN 23.41

$8.74 PEN 29.74

-21.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 PEN 8.06

$1.91 PEN 6.49

24.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.57 PEN 5.33

-54.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.32

$1.09 PEN 3.71

16.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$1.58 PEN 5.37

-43.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$0.91 PEN 3.11

9.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.26

$1.37 PEN 4.67

-29.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 PEN 2.37

$0.70 PEN 2.40

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PEN 2.31

$0.68 PEN 2.30

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 PEN 16.42

$4.40 PEN 14.98

9.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 PEN 19.93

$14.66 PEN 49.88

-60.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 PEN 6.74

$1.33 PEN 4.54

48.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 PEN 10.42

$1.60 PEN 5.46

91.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.51 PEN 1.74

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.32 PEN 93.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 PEN 5.74

$2.70 PEN 9.19

-37.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.12 PEN 3.82

43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.49

$4.73 PEN 16.08

-41.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.13

$1.29 PEN 4.38

17.05%

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

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

$23.5K PEN 79.9K

-20.00%

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

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

$22.6K PEN 77.0K

-2.26%

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

$33.09 PEN 113

$38.47 PEN 131

-13.98%

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

$14.07 PEN 47.86

$14.88 PEN 50.6

-5.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 PEN 103

$35.07 PEN 119

-14.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.93 PEN 105

$31.96 PEN 109

-3.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.46 PEN 114

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 16.19

$5.68 PEN 19.32

-16.20%

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

$225 PEN 764

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,378 PEN 11.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.52 PEN 124

$44.75 PEN 152

-18.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 PEN 97.4

$36.52 PEN 124

-21.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 PEN 210

$82.3 PEN 280

-25.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 PEN 239

$39.36 PEN 134

78.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 PEN 1,033

$125 PEN 426

142.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 PEN 850

$137 PEN 468

81.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 PEN 1,979

$326 PEN 1,108

78.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 PEN 1,395

$361 PEN 1,228

13.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

$1,112 PEN 3,784

249.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,754 PEN 5,968

$1,109 PEN 3,772

58.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 PEN 1,471

$469 PEN 1,594

-7.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.00%

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

Last update for Cusco: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiclayo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $304 in Cusco versus $125 in Chiclayo. 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 8% higher in Chiclayo, 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 $34.00 in Chiclayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $210 – 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 Chiclayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $747 in Cusco, $751 in Chiclayo – roughly 1% apart. Chiclayo costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,120 per month in Cusco and $1,127 in Chiclayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cusco and $34.00 in Chiclayo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $747 in Cusco and $751 in Chiclayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $747 in Cusco and $751 in Chiclayo, 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 $747 in Cusco to $751 in Chiclayo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Cusco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiclayo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.