Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Cusco Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Cusco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $531 in La Merced versus $750 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $868 in La Merced versus $1,157 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,205 in La Merced versus $1,563 in Cusco.

Living in La Merced costs roughly 29% less than in Cusco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 13.85

$2.82 PEN 9.57

44.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.86 PEN 115

$27.87 PEN 94.8

21.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 PEN 24.09

$5.41 PEN 18.39

30.87%

Cappuccino

$2.65 PEN 9.00

$2.09 PEN 7.09

26.79%

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

$0.93 PEN 3.15

$1.24 PEN 4.21

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.20

$0.74 PEN 2.50

-12.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 PEN 7.77

$2.18 PEN 7.40

5.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PEN 13.54

$4.26 PEN 14.49

-6.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

$1.43 PEN 4.85

4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 PEN 6.47

$3.03 PEN 10.31

-37.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.16

$1.29 PEN 4.37

-5.43%

Eggs

$2.26 PEN 7.70

$3.79 PEN 12.88

-40.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 PEN 24.17

$4.68 PEN 15.90

51.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 PEN 19.17

$5.00 PEN 16.99

12.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.54 PEN 29.03

$7.05 PEN 23.97

21.13%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.27

$2.34 PEN 7.96

-58.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.48

$0.78 PEN 2.66

-44.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$1.33 PEN 4.51

-79.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.42

$0.97 PEN 3.28

-26.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$1.05 PEN 3.57

-72.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 PEN 1.50

$0.92 PEN 3.14

-52.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

$0.66 PEN 2.25

-19.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PEN 3.18

$0.68 PEN 2.33

36.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 PEN 19.35

$4.90 PEN 16.65

16.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 PEN 24.54

$6.05 PEN 20.58

19.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.94

$1.95 PEN 6.63

-10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 PEN 10.10

$3.15 PEN 10.71

-5.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 1.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 PEN 11.39

$1.66 PEN 5.64

101.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.21

$1.63 PEN 5.56

30.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 PEN 27.84

$2.83 PEN 9.61

189.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 PEN 4.57

$1.47 PEN 5.01

-8.84%

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

$19.3K PEN 65.6K

$18.6K PEN 63.4K

3.45%

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

$24.7K PEN 84.1K

$22.5K PEN 76.5K

9.90%

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

$55.4 PEN 189

$32.97 PEN 112

68.15%

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

$12.60 PEN 42.83

$14.10 PEN 47.95

-10.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.56 PEN 80.1

$30.44 PEN 104

-22.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.12 PEN 102

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 PEN 22.90

$4.91 PEN 16.70

37.07%

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

$215 PEN 732

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,145 PEN 27.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 PEN 171

$36.79 PEN 125

36.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.94 PEN 122

$28.16 PEN 95.8

27.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 PEN 306

$62.1 PEN 211

44.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 PEN 308

$70.4 PEN 239

28.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 PEN 1,022

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 PEN 861

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 PEN 2,004

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 PEN 1,411

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,956 PEN 13.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,793 PEN 6,097

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$424 PEN 1,442

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

-8.09%

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

Last update for La Merced: July 28, 2026

Last update for Cusco: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $34.00 in La Merced vs $28.00 in Cusco. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $196, with La Merced 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

La Merced vs Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Merced is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $796 in La Merced and $1,126 in Cusco 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.

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 La Merced – a meal for two runs $34.00 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 La Merced gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, La Merced 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 La Merced 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.