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: $528 in La Merced versus $765 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $879 in La Merced versus $1,172 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,231 in La Merced versus $1,579 in Cusco.

Living in La Merced costs roughly 31% less than in Cusco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: La Merced 61% lower, Cusco 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 PEN 14.35

$2.86 PEN 10.04

43.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.89 PEN 119

$27.88 PEN 97.9

21.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 PEN 23.86

$5.63 PEN 19.76

20.78%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PEN 9.20

$2.06 PEN 7.24

27.18%

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

$0.92 PEN 3.24

$1.23 PEN 4.32

-25.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.13

$0.79 PEN 2.77

-22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 PEN 8.01

$2.18 PEN 7.67

4.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 PEN 13.39

$4.07 PEN 14.28

-6.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 5.14

$1.50 PEN 5.26

-2.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 PEN 6.93

$2.94 PEN 10.31

-32.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.33

$1.27 PEN 4.46

-3.15%

Eggs

$2.25 PEN 7.91

$3.83 PEN 13.43

-41.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 PEN 23.99

$4.59 PEN 16.10

48.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 PEN 19.88

$4.97 PEN 17.46

13.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.51 PEN 29.87

$6.72 PEN 23.59

26.64%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.10

$2.42 PEN 8.51

-63.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.41 PEN 1.43

$0.77 PEN 2.72

-46.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.27 PEN 0.93

$1.27 PEN 4.47

-78.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.46

$0.95 PEN 3.32

-26.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 PEN 0.94

$1.05 PEN 3.68

-74.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.41

$1.02 PEN 3.57

-60.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 PEN 2.05

$0.65 PEN 2.28

-9.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PEN 3.24

$0.74 PEN 2.61

24.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 PEN 18.99

$4.89 PEN 17.17

10.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 PEN 25.51

$6.50 PEN 22.80

11.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 PEN 6.12

$1.98 PEN 6.94

-12.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 PEN 10.88

$3.09 PEN 10.85

0.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.94

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 PEN 11.90

$1.64 PEN 5.74

106.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 PEN 7.58

$1.67 PEN 5.85

29.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 PEN 30.04

$2.84 PEN 9.95

201.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.79

$1.49 PEN 5.23

-8.05%

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

$19.7K PEN 69.0K

$18.4K PEN 64.7K

6.66%

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

$24.1K PEN 84.6K

$21.8K PEN 76.4K

10.66%

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

$56.5 PEN 198

$33.97 PEN 119

66.41%

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

$12.55 PEN 44.05

$13.86 PEN 48.66

-9.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.20 PEN 85.0

$30.58 PEN 107

-20.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.62 PEN 107

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 PEN 24.04

$4.90 PEN 17.19

39.80%

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

$219 PEN 770

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,883 PEN 27.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 PEN 179

$36.47 PEN 128

39.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 PEN 127

$28.97 PEN 102

24.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 PEN 319

$61.4 PEN 216

48.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.7 PEN 318

$71.0 PEN 249

27.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 PEN 1,086

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 PEN 883

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 PEN 2,054

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 PEN 1,442

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,824 PEN 13.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,755 PEN 6,161

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 PEN 1,674

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cusco: April 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 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $793 in La Merced and $1,147 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 10% 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 45% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.