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: $739 in Cusco versus $662 in Petropavl.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,164 in Cusco versus $1,116 in Petropavl.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,589 in Cusco versus $1,570 in Petropavl.

Living in Cusco is roughly 12% more expensive than in Petropavl, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 45% lower, Petropavl 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 PEN 9.24

$11.87 ₸5,589

-77.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.05 PEN 95.1

$23.24 ₸10.9K

20.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.11

$6.98 ₸3,286

-19.20%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PEN 6.78

$2.19 ₸1,033

-8.68%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.16

$0.96 ₸453

28.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 PEN 2.48

$0.57 ₸266

28.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.57

$1.34 ₸631

66.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 PEN 14.55

$2.42 ₸1,137

77.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 PEN 4.90

$0.74 ₸347

95.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 PEN 9.78

$0.44 ₸207

554.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.31

$1.83 ₸863

-30.60%

Eggs

$3.80 PEN 12.89

$1.62 ₸761

134.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.64 PEN 15.74

$9.31 ₸4,382

-50.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 PEN 16.33

$5.56 ₸2,616

-13.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 PEN 22.97

$8.04 ₸3,784

-15.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 PEN 8.31

$1.29 ₸605

89.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.91 ₸899

-62.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.49

$1.87 ₸882

-29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$1.94 ₸915

-54.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$0.52 ₸245

92.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.34

$0.51 ₸239

94.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 PEN 2.19

$0.58 ₸271

12.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PEN 2.36

$0.80 ₸377

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 PEN 16.08

$2.07 ₸976

129.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 PEN 19.76

$7.27 ₸3,423

-19.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.45

$0.89 ₸420

113.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 PEN 10.71

$1.33 ₸627

137.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.23 ₸109

26.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.56

$0.56 ₸266

192.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 PEN 5.64

$0.42 ₸196

295.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.46

$4.73 ₸2,227

-41.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 5.06

$0.39 ₸183

282.05%

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

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

$19.2K ₸9.0M

-0.32%

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

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

$23.6K ₸11.1M

-7.38%

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

$33.89 PEN 115

$50.3 ₸23.7K

-32.58%

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

$14.14 PEN 47.92

$8.54 ₸4,022

65.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.07 PEN 105

$12.72 ₸5,989

144.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.62 PEN 104

$19.27 ₸9,074

58.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 PEN 16.94

$4.00 ₸1,882

25.00%

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

$212 ₸99.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,808 ₸2.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.06 PEN 122

$29.50 ₸13.9K

22.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.00 PEN 98.3

$35.84 ₸16.9K

-19.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 PEN 210

$39.44 ₸18.6K

57.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 PEN 245

$77.0 ₸36.3K

-6.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 PEN 1,028

$296 ₸139.4K

2.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 PEN 838

$159 ₸74.8K

55.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 PEN 1,993

$514 ₸242.2K

14.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 PEN 1,436

$384 ₸180.9K

10.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

$855 ₸402.4K

355.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,798 PEN 6,096

$944 ₸444.3K

90.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$427 PEN 1,448

$285 ₸134.4K

49.65%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Petropavl: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $303 in Cusco and $296 in Petropavl. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cusco pays 50% 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 $192 vs $177 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 50% higher in Cusco, 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: $303 in Cusco versus $296 in Petropavl. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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 12% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.