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: $747 in Cusco versus $530 in Pisco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,171 in Cusco versus $822 in Pisco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Cusco versus $1,114 in Pisco.

Living in Cusco is roughly 41% more expensive than Pisco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 44% lower, Pisco 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.56

$2.16 PEN 7.33

30.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 PEN 94.3

$11.16 PEN 37.98

148.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.20

$3.31 PEN 11.27

70.39%

Cappuccino

$2.02 PEN 6.86

$1.40 PEN 4.76

44.29%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$0.66 PEN 2.24

86.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.50

$0.27 PEN 0.91

174.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.44

$1.93 PEN 6.57

13.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 PEN 14.39

$3.94 PEN 13.42

7.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 PEN 4.95

$1.48 PEN 5.04

-1.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.24

$2.63 PEN 8.94

14.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.53

$1.34 PEN 4.56

-0.75%

Eggs

$3.87 PEN 13.15

$2.97 PEN 10.11

30.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.76 PEN 16.20

$7.76 PEN 26.39

-38.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 PEN 16.62

$5.77 PEN 19.64

-15.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 PEN 23.41

$10.66 PEN 36.27

-35.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 PEN 8.06

$2.05 PEN 6.98

15.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.11 PEN 3.78

-35.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.32

$1.09 PEN 3.70

16.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$1.25 PEN 4.27

-28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$1.04 PEN 3.53

-3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.26

$0.95 PEN 3.24

1.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 PEN 2.37

$0.82 PEN 2.79

-14.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PEN 2.31

$0.86 PEN 2.92

-20.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 PEN 16.42

$5.44 PEN 18.50

-11.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 PEN 19.93

$8.94 PEN 30.43

-34.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 PEN 6.74

$1.70 PEN 5.79

16.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 PEN 10.42

$3.04 PEN 10.35

0.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 PEN 5.74

$3.38 PEN 11.50

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$2.21 PEN 7.52

-27.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.49

$8.38 PEN 28.50

-66.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.13

$1.35 PEN 4.59

11.85%

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

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

$19.8K PEN 67.3K

-4.96%

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

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

$24.8K PEN 84.4K

-10.86%

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

$33.09 PEN 113

$57.2 PEN 194

-42.12%

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

$14.07 PEN 47.86

$12.41 PEN 42.22

13.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 PEN 103

$23.50 PEN 80.0

28.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.93 PEN 105

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 16.19

$6.91 PEN 23.50

-31.11%

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

$215 PEN 731

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,083 PEN 27.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.52 PEN 124

$49.79 PEN 169

-26.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 PEN 97.4

$35.46 PEN 121

-19.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 PEN 210

$88.9 PEN 303

-30.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 PEN 239

$91.0 PEN 310

-22.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 PEN 1,033

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 PEN 850

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 PEN 1,979

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 PEN 1,395

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

$1,809 PEN 6,154

115.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,754 PEN 5,968

$1,335 PEN 4,542

31.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 PEN 1,471

$583 PEN 1,985

-25.87%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Pisco: May 30, 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 $194 vs $221, 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 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Pisco earns 35% less. 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 14% 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 41% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.