Cost of Living Comparison Between Pisco and Cusco Cost of Living Comparison Between Pisco and Cusco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $682 in Pisco versus $699 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,055 in Pisco versus $1,042 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,429 in Pisco versus $1,385 in Cusco.

Living in Pisco costs roughly 3% less than in Cusco, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pisco 50% lower, Cusco 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 PEN 15.07

$2.51 PEN 8.41

78.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.63 PEN 109

$20.88 PEN 70.0

56.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 PEN 23.89

$6.44 PEN 21.58

10.71%

Cappuccino

$3.34 PEN 11.21

$2.23 PEN 7.48

49.78%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.77

$0.80 PEN 2.69

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.07

$0.34 PEN 1.14

82.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PEN 9.21

$2.03 PEN 6.79

35.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 PEN 15.31

$4.33 PEN 14.53

5.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 PEN 5.62

$1.33 PEN 4.47

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 PEN 7.81

$2.37 PEN 7.96

-1.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.24

$1.31 PEN 4.41

-3.05%

Eggs

$1.37 PEN 4.60

$3.61 PEN 12.10

-62.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 PEN 21.75

$4.77 PEN 15.98

36.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 PEN 16.55

$4.36 PEN 14.63

13.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 PEN 22.86

$7.32 PEN 24.54

-6.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.58

$2.64 PEN 8.86

-48.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 PEN 3.40

$0.80 PEN 2.67

26.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 PEN 4.81

$1.47 PEN 4.95

-2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.92

$0.88 PEN 2.93

-35.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.45

$1.06 PEN 3.55

-59.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$1.08 PEN 3.62

-20.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 PEN 2.83

$0.54 PEN 1.82

57.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.91

$0.71 PEN 2.38

22.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 PEN 19.45

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 PEN 30.92

$6.03 PEN 20.21

52.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.36

$1.97 PEN 6.60

-3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 PEN 8.32

$4.26 PEN 14.29

-41.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 PEN 3.13

$0.31 PEN 1.04

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.81 PEN 120

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 PEN 13.34

$1.83 PEN 6.14

117.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 PEN 7.17

$1.88 PEN 6.31

13.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 PEN 24.43

$2.94 PEN 9.86

147.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 PEN 5.76

$1.56 PEN 5.22

10.26%

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

$21.8K PEN 73.2K

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

$25.9K PEN 86.9K

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

$45.42 PEN 152

$29.75 PEN 99.8

52.67%

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

$16.85 PEN 56.5

$14.73 PEN 49.40

14.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.93 PEN 40.00

$44.70 PEN 150

-73.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.56 PEN 68.9

$35.37 PEN 119

-41.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.99 PEN 30.14

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 PEN 24.56

$4.39 PEN 14.74

66.74%

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

$181 PEN 605

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K PEN 44.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 PEN 182

$39.00 PEN 131

39.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.39 PEN 44.90

$33.68 PEN 113

-60.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.04 PEN 158

$54.7 PEN 183

-14.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.00 PEN 121

$75.0 PEN 251

-51.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PEN 551

$151 PEN 508

8.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 PEN 444

$180 PEN 603

-26.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 PEN 1,217

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 PEN 488

$267 PEN 895

-45.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,813 PEN 6,079

$3,955 PEN 13.3K

-54.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,391 PEN 4,663

$1,776 PEN 5,953

-21.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 PEN 1,957

$433 PEN 1,451

34.89%

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 Pisco: August 29, 2026

Last update for Cusco: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $164 in Pisco and $151 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pisco pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Pisco vs $21.00 in Cusco. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $190, with Pisco 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

Pisco vs Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pisco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 35% higher in Pisco, 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: $164 in Pisco versus $151 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Cusco. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Pisco – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $21.00 in Cusco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Pisco gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Pisco 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 Pisco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.