Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Cusco Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Cusco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $985 in Lima versus $747 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,537 in Lima versus $1,171 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,089 in Lima versus $1,596 in Cusco.

Living in Lima is roughly 32% more expensive than Cusco, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 27% lower, Cusco 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 PEN 13.98

$2.81 PEN 9.56

46.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 PEN 112

$27.73 PEN 94.3

18.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 PEN 23.81

$5.64 PEN 19.20

24.11%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.64

$2.02 PEN 6.86

25.74%

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

$0.92 PEN 3.13

$1.23 PEN 4.17

-25.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.06

$0.74 PEN 2.50

-17.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.62

$2.19 PEN 7.44

2.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 PEN 13.07

$4.23 PEN 14.39

-9.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.79

$1.46 PEN 4.95

-3.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 PEN 9.30

$3.01 PEN 10.24

-9.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.44

$1.33 PEN 4.53

-2.26%

Eggs

$2.96 PEN 10.06

$3.87 PEN 13.15

-23.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 PEN 27.11

$4.76 PEN 16.20

67.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 PEN 19.30

$4.89 PEN 16.62

15.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PEN 36.00

$6.88 PEN 23.41

53.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 PEN 6.87

$2.37 PEN 8.06

-14.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.65

$0.72 PEN 2.45

48.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.85

$1.27 PEN 4.32

-11.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.26

$0.90 PEN 3.05

38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 PEN 3.51

$1.00 PEN 3.39

3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.25

$0.96 PEN 3.26

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.96

$0.70 PEN 2.37

24.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$0.68 PEN 2.31

29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 PEN 18.58

$4.83 PEN 16.42

13.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 PEN 30.55

$5.86 PEN 19.93

53.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.96

$1.98 PEN 6.74

-11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 PEN 10.47

$3.06 PEN 10.42

0.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$0.27 PEN 0.91

148.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 PEN 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 PEN 11.51

$1.69 PEN 5.74

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.53

$1.61 PEN 5.48

37.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 PEN 27.96

$2.79 PEN 9.49

194.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.60

$1.51 PEN 5.13

-10.60%

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

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

2.79%

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

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

9.97%

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

$56.7 PEN 193

$33.09 PEN 113

71.38%

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

$12.64 PEN 43.00

$14.07 PEN 47.86

-10.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 PEN 81.7

$30.14 PEN 103

-20.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 PEN 102

$30.93 PEN 105

-2.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 PEN 64.5

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 PEN 22.92

$4.76 PEN 16.19

41.60%

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

$218 PEN 740

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 PEN 170

$36.52 PEN 124

36.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.59 PEN 125

$28.63 PEN 97.4

27.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PEN 305

$61.6 PEN 210

45.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 PEN 300

$70.4 PEN 239

25.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 PEN 2,062

$304 PEN 1,033

99.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 PEN 1,189

$250 PEN 850

39.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 PEN 3,524

$582 PEN 1,979

78.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 PEN 2,135

$410 PEN 1,395

53.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,367 PEN 8,054

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

-39.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 PEN 4,880

$1,754 PEN 5,968

-18.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 PEN 2,131

$432 PEN 1,471

44.84%

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 Lima: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cusco: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $606 in Lima and $304 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima pays 45% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Lima vs $28.00 in Cusco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $194 per month, with Cusco cheaper across the board.

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

Lima vs Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cusco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lima pays 45% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $606 in Lima versus $304 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cusco – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $33.00 in Lima. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $747 in Cusco versus $985 in Lima, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cusco but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Cusco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cusco is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lima, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cusco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.