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: $999 in Lima versus $739 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,561 in Lima versus $1,164 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,124 in Lima versus $1,589 in Cusco.

Living in Lima is roughly 35% more expensive than in Cusco, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 25% lower, Cusco 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 PEN 13.76

$2.73 PEN 9.24

48.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.99 PEN 115

$28.05 PEN 95.1

21.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 PEN 22.85

$5.64 PEN 19.11

19.50%

Cappuccino

$2.52 PEN 8.55

$2.00 PEN 6.78

26.00%

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

$0.94 PEN 3.18

$1.23 PEN 4.16

-23.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.21

$0.73 PEN 2.48

-10.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 PEN 7.34

$2.23 PEN 7.57

-2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 PEN 13.38

$4.29 PEN 14.55

-7.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.78

$1.45 PEN 4.90

-2.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 PEN 9.21

$2.88 PEN 9.78

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.64

$1.27 PEN 4.31

7.87%

Eggs

$2.94 PEN 9.98

$3.80 PEN 12.89

-22.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 PEN 26.85

$4.64 PEN 15.74

70.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 PEN 19.53

$4.82 PEN 16.33

19.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.71 PEN 36.29

$6.78 PEN 22.97

57.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 PEN 6.71

$2.45 PEN 8.31

-19.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$0.72 PEN 2.45

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 PEN 3.72

$1.32 PEN 4.49

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.05

$0.88 PEN 3.00

35.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.51

$1.00 PEN 3.38

4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$0.99 PEN 3.34

1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.93

$0.65 PEN 2.19

33.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.93

$0.70 PEN 2.36

22.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 PEN 18.95

$4.75 PEN 16.08

17.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 PEN 30.49

$5.83 PEN 19.76

54.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 PEN 5.98

$1.90 PEN 6.45

-6.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 PEN 10.41

$3.16 PEN 10.71

-2.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.29

$0.29 PEN 0.99

134.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.68 PEN 107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 PEN 11.42

$1.64 PEN 5.56

105.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 PEN 7.53

$1.66 PEN 5.64

33.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 PEN 27.98

$2.79 PEN 9.46

196.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.58

$1.49 PEN 5.06

-9.40%

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

$19.4K PEN 65.8K

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

1.49%

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

$24.3K PEN 82.2K

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

10.84%

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

$56.4 PEN 191

$33.89 PEN 115

66.54%

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

$12.57 PEN 42.60

$14.14 PEN 47.92

-11.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.66 PEN 80.2

$31.07 PEN 105

-23.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.04 PEN 105

$30.62 PEN 104

1.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 PEN 63.4

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 PEN 23.16

$5.00 PEN 16.94

36.60%

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

$219 PEN 742

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,096 PEN 27.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.58 PEN 168

$36.06 PEN 122

37.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.59 PEN 121

$29.00 PEN 98.3

22.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 PEN 303

$61.9 PEN 210

44.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 PEN 301

$72.3 PEN 245

23.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 PEN 2,113

$303 PEN 1,028

105.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 PEN 1,167

$247 PEN 838

39.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 PEN 3,482

$588 PEN 1,993

74.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 PEN 2,096

$424 PEN 1,436

45.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,315 PEN 7,846

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

-40.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,395 PEN 4,730

$1,798 PEN 6,096

-22.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 PEN 2,119

$427 PEN 1,448

46.31%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cusco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $623 in Lima and $303 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima pays 46% 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: $34.00 in Lima vs $28.00 in Cusco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $192 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 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 46% 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: $623 in Lima versus $303 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% 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 $34.00 in Lima. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $739 in Cusco versus $999 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 35% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.