Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Petropavl Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Petropavl

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $747 in Cusco versus $675 in Petropavl.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,171 in Cusco versus $1,128 in Petropavl.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Cusco versus $1,581 in Petropavl.

Living in Cusco is roughly 11% more expensive than Petropavl, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 44% lower, Petropavl 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.56

$11.62 ₸5,694

-75.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 PEN 94.3

$23.06 ₸11.3K

20.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.20

$6.81 ₸3,339

-17.18%

Cappuccino

$2.02 PEN 6.86

$2.21 ₸1,084

-8.60%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$0.97 ₸475

26.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.50

$0.55 ₸271

34.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.44

$1.35 ₸663

62.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 PEN 14.39

$2.41 ₸1,180

75.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 PEN 4.95

$0.74 ₸360

97.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.24

$0.46 ₸228

554.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.53

$1.76 ₸862

-24.43%

Eggs

$3.87 PEN 13.15

$1.66 ₸811

133.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.76 PEN 16.20

$9.16 ₸4,488

-48.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 PEN 16.62

$5.44 ₸2,665

-10.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 PEN 23.41

$8.16 ₸4,001

-15.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 PEN 8.06

$1.29 ₸635

83.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$2.00 ₸981

-64.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.32

$1.89 ₸927

-32.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$1.90 ₸933

-52.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$0.49 ₸240

104.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.26

$0.51 ₸249

88.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 PEN 2.37

$0.57 ₸278

22.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PEN 2.31

$0.79 ₸388

-13.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 PEN 16.42

$2.08 ₸1,021

132.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 PEN 19.93

$9.53 ₸4,668

-38.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 PEN 6.74

$0.90 ₸439

120.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 PEN 10.42

$1.33 ₸653

130.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.23 ₸113

17.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 PEN 5.74

$0.61 ₸299

177.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$0.42 ₸205

283.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.49

$4.81 ₸2,358

-42.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.13

$0.39 ₸189

287.18%

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

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

$19.5K ₸9.6M

-3.75%

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

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

$23.2K ₸11.4M

-4.59%

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

$33.09 PEN 113

$50.6 ₸24.8K

-34.58%

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

$14.07 PEN 47.86

$8.82 ₸4,325

59.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 PEN 103

$12.96 ₸6,349

132.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.93 PEN 105

$19.70 ₸9,655

57.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 16.19

$3.83 ₸1,875

24.28%

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

$208 ₸102.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,803 ₸2.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.52 PEN 124

$29.57 ₸14.5K

23.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 PEN 97.4

$35.74 ₸17.5K

-19.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 PEN 210

$38.54 ₸18.9K

59.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 PEN 239

$77.0 ₸37.7K

-8.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 PEN 1,033

$299 ₸146.5K

1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 PEN 850

$155 ₸75.8K

61.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 PEN 1,979

$511 ₸250.5K

13.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 PEN 1,395

$384 ₸188.0K

6.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,754 PEN 5,968

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 PEN 1,471

$310 ₸152.0K

39.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

-40.18%

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

Last update for Cusco: June 2, 2026

Last update for Petropavl: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $304 in Cusco and $299 in Petropavl. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cusco pays 39% 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 $23.00 in Petropavl for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $181 per month, with Petropavl 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 Petropavl: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petropavl is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cusco pays 39% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $304 in Cusco versus $299 in Petropavl. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Cusco. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Petropavl – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $28.00 in Cusco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Petropavl gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Cusco and Petropavl are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Petropavl gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.