Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $739 in Cusco versus $999 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,164 in Cusco versus $1,561 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,589 in Cusco versus $2,124 in Lima.

Living in Cusco costs roughly 26% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 45% lower, Lima 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 PEN 9.24

$4.06 PEN 13.76

-32.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.05 PEN 95.1

$33.99 PEN 115

-17.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.11

$6.74 PEN 22.85

-16.32%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PEN 6.78

$2.52 PEN 8.55

-20.63%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.16

$0.94 PEN 3.18

30.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 PEN 2.48

$0.65 PEN 2.21

12.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.57

$2.17 PEN 7.34

2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 PEN 14.55

$3.95 PEN 13.38

8.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 PEN 4.90

$1.41 PEN 4.78

2.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 PEN 9.78

$2.72 PEN 9.21

5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.31

$1.37 PEN 4.64

-7.30%

Eggs

$3.80 PEN 12.89

$2.94 PEN 9.98

29.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.64 PEN 15.74

$7.92 PEN 26.85

-41.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 PEN 16.33

$5.76 PEN 19.53

-16.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 PEN 22.97

$10.71 PEN 36.29

-36.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 PEN 8.31

$1.98 PEN 6.71

23.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.08 PEN 3.66

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.49

$1.10 PEN 3.72

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$1.19 PEN 4.05

-26.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$1.04 PEN 3.51

-3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.34

$1.00 PEN 3.38

-1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 PEN 2.19

$0.87 PEN 2.93

-25.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PEN 2.36

$0.86 PEN 2.93

-18.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 PEN 16.08

$5.59 PEN 18.95

-15.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 PEN 19.76

$8.99 PEN 30.49

-35.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.45

$1.77 PEN 5.98

7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 PEN 10.71

$3.07 PEN 10.41

2.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.68 PEN 2.29

-57.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.68 PEN 107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.56

$3.37 PEN 11.42

-51.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 PEN 5.64

$2.22 PEN 7.53

-25.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.46

$8.26 PEN 27.98

-66.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 5.06

$1.35 PEN 4.58

10.37%

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

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

$19.4K PEN 65.8K

-1.47%

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

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

$24.3K PEN 82.2K

-9.78%

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

$33.89 PEN 115

$56.4 PEN 191

-39.95%

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

$14.14 PEN 47.92

$12.57 PEN 42.60

12.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.07 PEN 105

$23.66 PEN 80.2

31.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.62 PEN 104

$31.04 PEN 105

-1.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 PEN 63.4

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 PEN 16.94

$6.83 PEN 23.16

-26.79%

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

$219 PEN 742

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,096 PEN 27.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.06 PEN 122

$49.58 PEN 168

-27.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.00 PEN 98.3

$35.59 PEN 121

-18.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 PEN 210

$89.3 PEN 303

-30.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 PEN 245

$88.9 PEN 301

-18.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 PEN 1,028

$623 PEN 2,113

-51.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 PEN 838

$344 PEN 1,167

-28.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 PEN 1,993

$1,027 PEN 3,482

-42.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 PEN 1,436

$618 PEN 2,096

-31.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

$2,315 PEN 7,846

68.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,798 PEN 6,096

$1,395 PEN 4,730

28.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$427 PEN 1,448

$625 PEN 2,119

-31.65%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Lima: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $303 in Cusco and $623 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima pays 46% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Cusco vs $34.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $222 per month, with Cusco cheaper across the board.

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 Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cusco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Lima. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $303 in Cusco versus $623 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cusco – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $34.00 in Lima. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $739 in Cusco versus $999 in Lima, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cusco but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Cusco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cusco is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lima, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cusco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.