Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $699 in Cusco versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Cusco versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,385 in Cusco versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Cusco costs roughly 58% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cusco is 49% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.51 PEN 8.43

$12.11 MX$206

-79.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.88 PEN 70.2

$52.2 MX$887

-60.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 PEN 21.62

$10.90 MX$185

-40.92%

Cappuccino

$2.23 PEN 7.50

$4.05 MX$68.9

-44.94%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.70

$1.72 MX$29.15

-53.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 PEN 1.14

$1.38 MX$23.41

-75.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 PEN 6.81

$3.47 MX$58.9

-41.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 PEN 14.56

$5.81 MX$98.8

-25.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.48

$1.85 MX$31.50

-28.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 PEN 7.98

$3.22 MX$54.8

-26.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.42

$2.09 MX$35.44

-37.32%

Eggs

$3.61 PEN 12.12

$2.91 MX$49.44

24.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.77 PEN 16.02

$12.49 MX$212

-61.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 PEN 14.67

$10.11 MX$172

-56.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 PEN 24.60

$15.89 MX$270

-53.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 PEN 8.88

$3.31 MX$56.3

-20.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.67

$2.13 MX$36.14

-62.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 PEN 4.96

$2.19 MX$37.22

-32.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 2.94

$2.45 MX$41.59

-64.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.56

$2.19 MX$37.20

-51.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.63

$1.90 MX$32.37

-43.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 PEN 1.83

$1.62 MX$27.45

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.38

$1.35 MX$22.94

-47.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$92.2

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 PEN 20.25

$17.59 MX$299

-65.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 PEN 6.62

$2.07 MX$35.14

-4.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 PEN 14.33

$4.75 MX$80.7

-10.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$0.34 MX$5.78

-8.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$367

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 PEN 6.15

$2.04 MX$34.67

-10.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 PEN 6.32

$0.58 MX$9.82

224.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 PEN 9.88

$5.97 MX$101

-50.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 PEN 5.23

$1.62 MX$27.46

-3.70%

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

$22.8K MX$387.6K

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

$26.7K MX$453.1K

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

$29.75 PEN 100.0

$65.2 MX$1,109

-54.40%

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

$14.73 PEN 49.51

$29.87 MX$508

-50.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.70 PEN 150

$36.55 MX$621

22.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.37 PEN 119

$61.0 MX$1,037

-42.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 PEN 14.77

$6.85 MX$116

-35.91%

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

$453 MX$7,705

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.00 PEN 131

$75.0 MX$1,274

-47.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.68 PEN 113

$55.3 MX$940

-39.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 PEN 184

$114 MX$1,931

-51.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 PEN 252

$123 MX$2,084

-38.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$151 PEN 509

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-86.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 PEN 605

$712 MX$12.1K

-74.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 PEN 1,220

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-85.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 PEN 897

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-79.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,955 PEN 13.3K

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-0.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,776 PEN 5,967

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-15.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 PEN 1,454

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-58.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Cusco: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $151 in Cusco and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 142% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $345 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cusco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 135% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 142% lower in Mexico City. 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 $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Mexico City. 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 $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $699 in Cusco versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cusco but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City, 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 135% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.