Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Piura Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Piura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $756 in Cusco versus $612 in Piura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,178 in Cusco versus $1,021 in Piura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,600 in Cusco versus $1,430 in Piura.

Living in Cusco is roughly 23% more expensive than in Piura, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 43% lower, Piura 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 PEN 9.68

$2.70 PEN 9.14

5.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.37 PEN 95.9

$10.89 PEN 36.84

160.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 PEN 18.30

$5.69 PEN 19.24

-4.92%

Cappuccino

$2.02 PEN 6.85

$3.36 PEN 11.38

-39.88%

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

$1.21 PEN 4.11

$1.65 PEN 5.59

-26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 PEN 2.68

$0.53 PEN 1.80

49.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 PEN 7.66

$2.23 PEN 7.54

1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 PEN 14.20

$2.79 PEN 9.44

50.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 5.02

$1.08 PEN 3.65

37.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 PEN 9.81

$2.97 PEN 10.04

-2.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.36

$1.42 PEN 4.80

-9.15%

Eggs

$3.84 PEN 12.98

$2.11 PEN 7.12

81.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.79 PEN 16.19

$7.82 PEN 26.46

-38.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 PEN 16.90

$7.28 PEN 24.63

-31.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 PEN 22.84

$9.70 PEN 32.82

-30.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 PEN 8.27

$1.33 PEN 4.51

84.21%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.59

$0.80 PEN 2.70

-3.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.44

$0.86 PEN 2.92

52.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$1.13 PEN 3.81

-20.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.54

$1.22 PEN 4.12

-13.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$0.59 PEN 1.98

69.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 PEN 2.41

$0.53 PEN 1.80

33.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PEN 2.36

$0.85 PEN 2.89

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 PEN 15.99

$8.08 PEN 27.33

-41.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 PEN 19.83

$11.28 PEN 38.14

-48.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 PEN 6.75

$1.82 PEN 6.14

9.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 PEN 10.28

$2.70 PEN 9.13

12.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.40 PEN 1.36

-32.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.55

$1.63 PEN 5.52

0.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 PEN 5.55

$1.65 PEN 5.57

-0.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 PEN 9.34

$5.47 PEN 18.51

-49.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 PEN 5.23

$1.44 PEN 4.86

7.64%

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

$18.5K PEN 62.5K

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

$22.0K PEN 74.4K

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

$33.20 PEN 112

$38.81 PEN 131

-14.46%

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

$13.84 PEN 46.82

$8.37 PEN 28.32

65.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.71 PEN 104

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.06 PEN 105

$27.41 PEN 92.7

13.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 PEN 16.55

$2.28 PEN 7.71

114.47%

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

$188 PEN 635

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,263 PEN 7,652

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.07 PEN 122

$41.63 PEN 141

-13.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.37 PEN 95.9

$12.74 PEN 43.07

122.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.5 PEN 208

$54.6 PEN 185

12.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 PEN 240

$69.5 PEN 235

2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$311 PEN 1,053

$141 PEN 477

120.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 PEN 831

$126 PEN 427

94.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 PEN 1,948

$330 PEN 1,114

74.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 PEN 1,412

$388 PEN 1,313

7.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,856 PEN 13.0K

$3,854 PEN 13.0K

0.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,773 PEN 5,994

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$428 PEN 1,448

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Cusco: June 13, 2026

Last update for Piura: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $311 in Cusco and $141 in Piura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Cusco vs $11.00 in Piura. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $218, 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 Piura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Piura is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,134 in Cusco and $919 in Piura to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $311 in Cusco versus $141 in Piura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cusco pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Piura – 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 Piura gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Piura 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 Piura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.