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: $699 in Cusco versus $1,016 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Cusco versus $1,623 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,385 in Cusco versus $2,229 in Lima.

Living in Cusco costs roughly 31% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 49% lower, Lima 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.51 PEN 8.43

$4.35 PEN 14.62

-42.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.88 PEN 70.2

$32.17 PEN 108

-35.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 PEN 21.62

$7.03 PEN 23.63

-8.39%

Cappuccino

$2.23 PEN 7.50

$3.23 PEN 10.86

-30.96%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.70

$1.13 PEN 3.80

-29.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 PEN 1.14

$0.62 PEN 2.08

-45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 PEN 6.81

$2.68 PEN 9.01

-24.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 PEN 14.56

$4.53 PEN 15.23

-4.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.48

$1.64 PEN 5.51

-18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 PEN 7.98

$2.60 PEN 8.74

-8.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.42

$1.34 PEN 4.51

-2.24%

Eggs

$3.61 PEN 12.12

$3.05 PEN 10.26

18.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.77 PEN 16.02

$9.01 PEN 30.28

-47.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 PEN 14.67

$5.93 PEN 19.92

-26.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 PEN 24.60

$9.80 PEN 32.94

-25.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 PEN 8.88

$2.10 PEN 7.04

25.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.67

$1.05 PEN 3.54

-23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 PEN 4.96

$1.45 PEN 4.88

1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 2.94

$1.50 PEN 5.04

-41.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.56

$0.93 PEN 3.11

13.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.63

$0.94 PEN 3.16

14.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 PEN 1.83

$0.89 PEN 3.00

-39.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.38

$0.95 PEN 3.20

-25.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 PEN 19.54

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 PEN 20.25

$9.02 PEN 30.32

-33.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 PEN 6.62

$1.94 PEN 6.52

1.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 PEN 14.33

$3.23 PEN 10.84

31.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$0.69 PEN 2.30

-55.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.19 PEN 91.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 PEN 6.15

$3.90 PEN 13.10

-53.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 PEN 6.32

$2.03 PEN 6.83

-7.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 PEN 9.88

$7.45 PEN 25.03

-60.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 PEN 5.23

$1.71 PEN 5.76

-8.77%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.6K

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

$26.7K PEN 89.8K

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

$29.75 PEN 100.0

$71.1 PEN 239

-58.14%

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

$14.73 PEN 49.51

$16.93 PEN 56.9

-12.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.70 PEN 150

$28.29 PEN 95.1

58.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.37 PEN 119

$33.80 PEN 114

4.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.96 PEN 67.1

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 PEN 14.77

$7.23 PEN 24.28

-39.28%

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

$181 PEN 607

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K PEN 45.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.00 PEN 131

$54.0 PEN 182

-27.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.68 PEN 113

$35.57 PEN 120

-5.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 PEN 184

$85.9 PEN 289

-36.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 PEN 252

$81.0 PEN 272

-7.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$151 PEN 509

$759 PEN 2,549

-80.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 PEN 605

$346 PEN 1,164

-48.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 PEN 1,220

$1,254 PEN 4,214

-71.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 PEN 897

$646 PEN 2,170

-58.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,955 PEN 13.3K

$2,479 PEN 8,331

59.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,776 PEN 5,967

$1,391 PEN 4,674

27.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 PEN 1,454

$669 PEN 2,247

-35.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

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

Last update for Cusco: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lima: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $151 in Cusco and $759 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima pays 55% 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: $21.00 in Cusco vs $32.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $230 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 55% 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: $151 in Cusco versus $759 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% 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 $21.00 versus $32.00 in Lima. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $699 in Cusco versus $1,016 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 45% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.