Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cusco Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cusco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $692 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,046 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,400 in Cusco.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 142% more expensive than in Cusco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Cusco is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$2.60 PEN 8.73

366.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$21.14 PEN 70.9

154.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$6.59 PEN 22.08

68.29%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.24 PEN 7.50

83.04%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.75 PEN 2.51

124.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.34 PEN 1.13

308.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.12 PEN 7.11

57.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$4.39 PEN 14.70

33.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.29 PEN 4.34

43.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$2.36 PEN 7.90

34.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.36 PEN 4.55

52.21%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$3.71 PEN 12.45

-21.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$5.01 PEN 16.81

151.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$4.52 PEN 15.14

123.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$7.49 PEN 25.11

114.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.62 PEN 8.77

29.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$0.85 PEN 2.86

144.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.45 PEN 4.86

46.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.91 PEN 3.04

164.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.06 PEN 3.56

100.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.11 PEN 3.70

81.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.50 PEN 1.67

210.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.78 PEN 2.63

74.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$5.82 PEN 19.50

204.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.91 PEN 6.39

8.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$4.41 PEN 14.78

4.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.31 PEN 1.05

19.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.75 PEN 5.87

17.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.97 PEN 6.61

-70.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$3.04 PEN 10.18

99.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.55 PEN 5.20

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$29.68 PEN 99.5

127.12%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$14.70 PEN 49.29

108.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$45.60 PEN 153

-18.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$35.58 PEN 119

72.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$4.38 PEN 14.69

62.33%

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

$456 MX$7,739

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$39.30 PEN 132

88.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$34.46 PEN 116

65.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$55.4 PEN 186

108.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$73.4 PEN 246

65.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$149 PEN 501

667.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$177 PEN 592

301.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$358 PEN 1,199

620.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$271 PEN 910

377.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$3,931 PEN 13.2K

1.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,777 PEN 5,958

19.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$447 PEN 1,497

142.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cusco: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $149 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 142% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $21.00 in Cusco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 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

Mexico City vs Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cusco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 142% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $149 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Mexico City. 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $692 in Cusco versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cusco but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City, 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 142% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.