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: $1,016 in Lima versus $699 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,623 in Lima versus $1,042 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,229 in Lima versus $1,385 in Cusco.

Living in Lima is roughly 45% more expensive than in Cusco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 26% lower, Cusco 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 PEN 14.63

$2.51 PEN 8.44

73.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.17 PEN 108

$20.88 PEN 70.2

54.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 PEN 23.65

$6.44 PEN 21.64

9.16%

Cappuccino

$3.23 PEN 10.87

$2.23 PEN 7.50

44.84%

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

$1.13 PEN 3.81

$0.80 PEN 2.70

41.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$0.34 PEN 1.14

82.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 PEN 9.02

$2.03 PEN 6.82

32.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.24

$4.33 PEN 14.58

4.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 PEN 5.51

$1.33 PEN 4.48

23.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 PEN 8.75

$2.37 PEN 7.98

9.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.51

$1.31 PEN 4.42

2.29%

Eggs

$3.05 PEN 10.27

$3.61 PEN 12.13

-15.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 PEN 30.31

$4.77 PEN 16.03

88.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 PEN 19.93

$4.36 PEN 14.68

36.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.80 PEN 32.97

$7.32 PEN 24.62

33.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 PEN 7.05

$2.64 PEN 8.89

-20.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.54

$0.80 PEN 2.68

31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.89

$1.47 PEN 4.96

-1.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 PEN 5.04

$0.88 PEN 2.94

70.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.11

$1.06 PEN 3.56

-12.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.17

$1.08 PEN 3.63

-12.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.01

$0.54 PEN 1.83

64.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 PEN 3.20

$0.71 PEN 2.39

33.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 PEN 19.56

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 PEN 30.35

$6.03 PEN 20.27

49.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 PEN 6.52

$1.97 PEN 6.62

-1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 PEN 10.85

$4.26 PEN 14.34

-24.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 PEN 2.31

$0.31 PEN 1.05

122.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.19 PEN 91.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 PEN 13.11

$1.83 PEN 6.15

113.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 PEN 6.83

$1.88 PEN 6.33

7.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 PEN 25.05

$2.94 PEN 9.89

153.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 PEN 5.77

$1.56 PEN 5.24

9.62%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.6K

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

$26.7K PEN 89.9K

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

$71.1 PEN 239

$29.75 PEN 100

138.89%

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

$16.93 PEN 56.9

$14.73 PEN 49.56

14.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 PEN 95.2

$44.70 PEN 150

-36.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.80 PEN 114

$35.37 PEN 119

-4.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.96 PEN 67.2

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 PEN 24.30

$4.39 PEN 14.78

64.69%

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

$181 PEN 608

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K PEN 45.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 PEN 182

$39.00 PEN 131

38.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.57 PEN 120

$33.68 PEN 113

5.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 PEN 289

$54.7 PEN 184

56.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 PEN 273

$75.0 PEN 252

8.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 PEN 2,551

$151 PEN 509

400.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 PEN 1,165

$180 PEN 605

92.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 PEN 4,218

$363 PEN 1,221

245.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 PEN 2,172

$267 PEN 898

141.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,479 PEN 8,338

$3,955 PEN 13.3K

-37.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,391 PEN 4,678

$1,776 PEN 5,972

-21.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$669 PEN 2,249

$433 PEN 1,455

54.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

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

Last update for Lima: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cusco: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $759 in Lima and $151 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima pays 55% 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: $32.00 in Lima vs $21.00 in Cusco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $190 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 55% higher in Lima, 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: $759 in Lima versus $151 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% 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 $21.00 versus $32.00 in Lima. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $699 in Cusco versus $1,016 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 45% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.