Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Pisco Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Pisco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $699 in Cusco versus $682 in Pisco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Cusco versus $1,055 in Pisco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,385 in Cusco versus $1,429 in Pisco.

Living in Cusco is roughly 3% more expensive than in Pisco, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 49% lower, Pisco 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.51 PEN 8.41

$4.49 PEN 15.07

-44.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.88 PEN 70.0

$32.63 PEN 109

-36.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 PEN 21.58

$7.13 PEN 23.89

-9.68%

Cappuccino

$2.23 PEN 7.48

$3.34 PEN 11.21

-33.23%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.69

$1.12 PEN 3.77

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 PEN 1.14

$0.62 PEN 2.07

-45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 PEN 6.79

$2.75 PEN 9.21

-26.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 PEN 14.53

$4.57 PEN 15.31

-5.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.47

$1.68 PEN 5.62

-20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 PEN 7.96

$2.33 PEN 7.81

1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.41

$1.27 PEN 4.24

3.15%

Eggs

$3.61 PEN 12.10

$1.37 PEN 4.60

163.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.77 PEN 15.98

$6.49 PEN 21.75

-26.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 PEN 14.63

$4.94 PEN 16.55

-11.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 PEN 24.54

$6.82 PEN 22.86

7.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 PEN 8.86

$1.37 PEN 4.58

92.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.67

$1.01 PEN 3.40

-20.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 PEN 4.95

$1.44 PEN 4.81

2.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 2.93

$0.57 PEN 1.92

54.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.55

$0.43 PEN 1.45

146.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.62

$0.86 PEN 2.90

25.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 PEN 1.82

$0.85 PEN 2.83

-36.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.38

$0.87 PEN 2.91

-18.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 PEN 19.45

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 PEN 20.21

$9.22 PEN 30.92

-34.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 PEN 6.60

$1.90 PEN 6.36

3.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 PEN 14.29

$2.48 PEN 8.32

71.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.04

$0.93 PEN 3.13

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.81 PEN 120

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 PEN 6.14

$3.98 PEN 13.34

-54.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 PEN 6.31

$2.14 PEN 7.17

-12.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 PEN 9.86

$7.29 PEN 24.43

-59.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 PEN 5.22

$1.72 PEN 5.76

-9.30%

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

$21.8K PEN 73.2K

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

$25.9K PEN 86.9K

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

$29.75 PEN 99.8

$45.42 PEN 152

-34.50%

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

$14.73 PEN 49.40

$16.85 PEN 56.5

-12.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.70 PEN 150

$11.93 PEN 40.00

274.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.37 PEN 119

$20.56 PEN 68.9

72.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.99 PEN 30.14

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 PEN 14.74

$7.32 PEN 24.56

-40.03%

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

$181 PEN 605

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K PEN 44.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.00 PEN 131

$54.2 PEN 182

-28.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.68 PEN 113

$13.39 PEN 44.90

151.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 PEN 183

$47.04 PEN 158

16.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 PEN 251

$36.00 PEN 121

108.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$151 PEN 508

$164 PEN 551

-7.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 PEN 603

$132 PEN 444

35.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 PEN 1,217

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 PEN 895

$146 PEN 488

83.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,955 PEN 13.3K

$1,813 PEN 6,079

118.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,776 PEN 5,953

$1,391 PEN 4,663

27.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 PEN 1,451

$584 PEN 1,957

-25.87%

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 Pisco: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $151 in Cusco and $164 in Pisco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pisco pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Cusco vs $33.00 in Pisco. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $186, with Pisco cheaper for home cooking.

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 Pisco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pisco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Pisco. 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 $164 in Pisco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Cusco. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Pisco – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $21.00 in Cusco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Pisco gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Pisco 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.

Expats usually find Pisco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.