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: $739 in Cusco versus $528 in Pisco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,164 in Cusco versus $830 in Pisco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,589 in Cusco versus $1,132 in Pisco.

Living in Cusco is roughly 40% more expensive than in Pisco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 45% lower, Pisco 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 PEN 9.25

$2.20 PEN 7.46

24.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.05 PEN 95.2

$11.05 PEN 37.47

153.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.12

$3.38 PEN 11.47

66.86%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PEN 6.79

$1.43 PEN 4.83

39.86%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$0.68 PEN 2.30

80.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 PEN 2.49

$0.29 PEN 0.98

151.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.58

$1.91 PEN 6.47

16.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 PEN 14.57

$3.83 PEN 13.00

12.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 PEN 4.90

$1.47 PEN 4.98

-1.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 PEN 9.78

$2.69 PEN 9.14

7.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.32

$1.30 PEN 4.43

-2.31%

Eggs

$3.80 PEN 12.90

$2.83 PEN 9.61

34.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.64 PEN 15.75

$8.08 PEN 27.41

-42.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 PEN 16.34

$5.53 PEN 18.75

-12.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 PEN 22.99

$10.64 PEN 36.11

-36.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 PEN 8.31

$2.03 PEN 6.88

20.69%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.08 PEN 3.66

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.49

$1.15 PEN 3.90

14.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$1.26 PEN 4.26

-30.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.34

$1.00 PEN 3.39

-1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 PEN 2.20

$0.88 PEN 2.98

-26.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PEN 2.36

$0.92 PEN 3.12

-23.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 PEN 16.10

$5.53 PEN 18.76

-14.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 PEN 19.77

$8.87 PEN 30.10

-34.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.45

$1.77 PEN 6.02

7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 PEN 10.72

$2.99 PEN 10.14

5.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.56

$3.41 PEN 11.56

-51.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 PEN 5.65

$2.13 PEN 7.23

-22.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.47

$8.17 PEN 27.70

-65.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 5.06

$1.30 PEN 4.39

14.62%

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

$19.1K PEN 64.9K

$19.6K PEN 66.6K

-2.59%

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

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

$24.9K PEN 84.4K

-12.07%

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

$33.89 PEN 115

$55.9 PEN 190

-39.37%

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

$14.14 PEN 47.96

$12.50 PEN 42.42

13.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.07 PEN 105

$23.30 PEN 79.0

33.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.62 PEN 104

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 PEN 16.95

$7.03 PEN 23.86

-28.88%

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

$220 PEN 748

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,928 PEN 26.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.06 PEN 122

$49.98 PEN 170

-27.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.00 PEN 98.4

$36.79 PEN 125

-21.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 PEN 210

$89.8 PEN 305

-31.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 PEN 245

$88.4 PEN 300

-18.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 PEN 1,029

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 PEN 839

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 PEN 1,995

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 PEN 1,437

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

$1,787 PEN 6,061

117.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,798 PEN 6,101

$1,327 PEN 4,502

35.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$427 PEN 1,449

$577 PEN 1,957

-25.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

8.80%

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

Last update for Cusco: July 14, 2026

Last update for Pisco: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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: $28.00 in Cusco vs $11.00 in Pisco. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $222, with Cusco 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 Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 40% 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.

Shoppers in Cusco pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Pisco – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $28.00 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 40% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.