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: $747 in Cusco versus $985 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,171 in Cusco versus $1,537 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Cusco versus $2,089 in Lima.

Living in Cusco costs roughly 24% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 44% lower, Lima 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.56

$4.11 PEN 13.98

-31.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 PEN 94.3

$32.93 PEN 112

-15.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.20

$7.00 PEN 23.81

-19.43%

Cappuccino

$2.02 PEN 6.86

$2.54 PEN 8.64

-20.47%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$0.92 PEN 3.13

33.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.50

$0.61 PEN 2.06

21.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.44

$2.24 PEN 7.62

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 PEN 14.39

$3.84 PEN 13.07

10.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 PEN 4.95

$1.41 PEN 4.79

3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.24

$2.73 PEN 9.30

10.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.53

$1.30 PEN 4.44

2.31%

Eggs

$3.87 PEN 13.15

$2.96 PEN 10.06

30.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.76 PEN 16.20

$7.97 PEN 27.11

-40.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 PEN 16.62

$5.67 PEN 19.30

-13.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 PEN 23.41

$10.58 PEN 36.00

-34.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 PEN 8.06

$2.02 PEN 6.87

17.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.07 PEN 3.65

-32.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.32

$1.13 PEN 3.85

12.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$1.25 PEN 4.26

-28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$1.03 PEN 3.51

-2.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.26

$0.96 PEN 3.25

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 PEN 2.37

$0.87 PEN 2.96

-19.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PEN 2.31

$0.88 PEN 3.00

-22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 PEN 16.42

$5.46 PEN 18.58

-11.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 PEN 19.93

$8.98 PEN 30.55

-34.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 PEN 6.74

$1.75 PEN 5.96

13.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 PEN 10.42

$3.08 PEN 10.47

-0.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.67 PEN 2.26

-59.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 PEN 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 PEN 5.74

$3.38 PEN 11.51

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$2.21 PEN 7.53

-27.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.49

$8.22 PEN 27.96

-66.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.13

$1.35 PEN 4.60

11.85%

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

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

-2.72%

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

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

-9.07%

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

$33.09 PEN 113

$56.7 PEN 193

-41.65%

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

$14.07 PEN 47.86

$12.64 PEN 43.00

11.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 PEN 103

$24.00 PEN 81.7

25.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.93 PEN 105

$30.10 PEN 102

2.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 PEN 64.5

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 16.19

$6.74 PEN 22.92

-29.38%

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

$218 PEN 740

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.52 PEN 124

$49.95 PEN 170

-26.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 PEN 97.4

$36.59 PEN 125

-21.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 PEN 210

$89.7 PEN 305

-31.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 PEN 239

$88.1 PEN 300

-20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 PEN 1,033

$606 PEN 2,062

-49.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 PEN 850

$350 PEN 1,189

-28.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 PEN 1,979

$1,036 PEN 3,524

-43.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 PEN 1,395

$628 PEN 2,135

-34.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

$2,367 PEN 8,054

64.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,754 PEN 5,968

$1,434 PEN 4,880

22.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 PEN 1,471

$626 PEN 2,131

-30.96%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $304 in Cusco and $606 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima pays 45% 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 $33.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 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 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Lima earns 45% less. 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: $304 in Cusco versus $606 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% 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 $33.00 in Lima. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $747 in Cusco versus $985 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 32% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.