Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Huánuco

For one person, living is cheaper in Huánuco: $26.98 a month against $683 in Cusco, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cusco
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Cusco Living Index

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Cusco

🇵🇪 Peru

$683

/mo nomad

Huánuco

🇵🇪 Peru

$26.98

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cusco and in Huánuco

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cusco and in Huánuco actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $683 in Cusco versus $27 in Huánuco.

Cusco $683
Huánuco $27

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,092 in Cusco versus $78 in Huánuco.

Cusco $1,092
Huánuco $78

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,502 in Cusco versus $130 in Huánuco.

Cusco $1,502
Huánuco $130

Living in Cusco is roughly 2430% more expensive than in Huánuco, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 50% lower, Huánuco 98% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 PEN 7.15

$2.94 PEN 10.13

-29.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.81 PEN 68.3

$14.38 PEN 49.62

37.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.34 PEN 21.87

Cappuccino

$2.14 PEN 7.36

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

$0.79 PEN 2.71

$0.60 PEN 2.06

31.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 PEN 1.22

$0.28 PEN 0.96

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 PEN 6.14

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 PEN 14.84

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 PEN 4.37

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 PEN 7.90

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.56

Eggs

$3.67 PEN 12.67

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.77 PEN 16.47

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 PEN 15.11

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.01 PEN 24.18

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 PEN 8.87

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 PEN 2.84

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 5.04

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 PEN 3.07

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 PEN 3.38

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.83

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 PEN 1.64

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.55

Wine (Bottle)

$5.82 PEN 20.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 PEN 6.36

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 PEN 14.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 PEN 1.05

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 PEN 5.82

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PEN 6.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 PEN 9.86

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.19

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

$29.1K PEN 100.3K

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

$28.92 PEN 99.8

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

$14.18 PEN 48.92

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.31 PEN 149

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.36 PEN 97.8

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 PEN 14.61

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.61 PEN 130

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.57 PEN 112

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.1 PEN 187

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 PEN 245

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 PEN 756

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 PEN 656

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 PEN 1,831

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 PEN 1,455

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,197 PEN 11.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,830 PEN 6,313

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$419 PEN 1,445

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

Last update for Cusco: November 1, 2026

Last update for Huánuco: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cusco

$190 27.9%

Huánuco

–

Groceries & Markets

Cusco

$186 27.2%

Huánuco

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cusco

$88 12.9%

Huánuco

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cusco

$86 12.7%

Huánuco

–

Eating Out

Cusco

$83 12.2%

Huánuco

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cusco

$37 5.4%

Huánuco

–

Getting Around

Cusco

$12 * 1.8%

Huánuco

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $20 in Cusco vs $14 in Huánuco for two.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Cusco

🇵🇪 Huánuco

🕒 Local time

18:08 6:08 PM

Same time as Cusco

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

428,450

89,502

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.29 USD

1 PEN = 0.258 EUR

1 PEN = 0.29 USD

1 PEN = 0.258 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Cusco Huánuco 610 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Cusco
Huánuco

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Huánuco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Huánuco is about 96% cheaper overall, especially in eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,024 in Cusco and $40 in Huánuco to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Huánuco – a meal for two runs $14 versus $20 in Cusco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $683 per month in Cusco versus $27 in Huánuco – Huánuco is about 96% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Huánuco gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.