Cost of Living Comparison Between Piura and Cusco Cost of Living Comparison Between Piura and Cusco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $619 in Piura versus $750 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,023 in Piura versus $1,157 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,427 in Piura versus $1,563 in Cusco.

Living in Piura costs roughly 18% less than in Cusco, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Piura 54% lower, Cusco 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.56

$2.82 PEN 9.57

-0.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.89 PEN 37.05

$27.87 PEN 94.8

-60.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 PEN 19.07

$5.41 PEN 18.39

3.70%

Cappuccino

$3.28 PEN 11.15

$2.09 PEN 7.09

56.94%

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

$1.71 PEN 5.83

$1.24 PEN 4.21

37.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 PEN 1.80

$0.74 PEN 2.50

-28.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 PEN 7.78

$2.18 PEN 7.40

5.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PEN 9.29

$4.26 PEN 14.49

-35.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 PEN 3.84

$1.43 PEN 4.85

-20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.24

$3.03 PEN 10.31

-0.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.63

$1.29 PEN 4.37

5.43%

Eggs

$2.04 PEN 6.94

$3.79 PEN 12.88

-46.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 PEN 27.82

$4.68 PEN 15.90

74.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.19 PEN 24.46

$5.00 PEN 16.99

43.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 PEN 31.49

$7.05 PEN 23.97

31.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.40

$2.34 PEN 7.96

-44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.88

$0.78 PEN 2.66

8.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 PEN 2.70

$1.33 PEN 4.51

-40.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.72

$0.97 PEN 3.28

12.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$1.05 PEN 3.57

17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.87

$0.92 PEN 3.14

-40.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

$0.66 PEN 2.25

-19.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 PEN 2.71

$0.68 PEN 2.33

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.28 PEN 28.17

$4.90 PEN 16.65

68.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 PEN 38.23

$6.05 PEN 20.58

85.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 PEN 6.21

$1.95 PEN 6.63

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PEN 9.40

$3.15 PEN 10.71

-12.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PEN 1.48

$0.29 PEN 1.00

48.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 PEN 5.84

$1.66 PEN 5.64

3.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 PEN 5.43

$1.63 PEN 5.56

-1.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 PEN 19.11

$2.83 PEN 9.61

98.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 PEN 4.73

$1.47 PEN 5.01

-5.44%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.4K

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

$22.5K PEN 76.5K

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

$38.69 PEN 132

$32.97 PEN 112

17.35%

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

$8.21 PEN 27.92

$14.10 PEN 47.95

-41.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.44 PEN 104

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.18 PEN 95.9

$30.12 PEN 102

-6.44%

Cinema Ticket

$2.26 PEN 7.68

$4.91 PEN 16.70

-53.97%

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

$189 PEN 643

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,217 PEN 7,538

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.92 PEN 139

$36.79 PEN 125

11.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.39 PEN 42.13

$28.16 PEN 95.8

-56.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.4 PEN 192

$62.1 PEN 211

-9.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 PEN 240

$70.4 PEN 239

0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$140 PEN 477

$300 PEN 1,022

-53.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 PEN 433

$253 PEN 861

-49.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,127

$589 PEN 2,004

-43.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 PEN 1,308

$415 PEN 1,411

-7.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 PEN 12.7K

$3,956 PEN 13.5K

-5.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,793 PEN 6,097

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$540 PEN 1,837

$424 PEN 1,442

27.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Piura: July 26, 2026

Last update for Cusco: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $140 in Piura and $300 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Piura pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $11.00 in Piura vs $28.00 in Cusco. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $196, with Cusco 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

Piura vs Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Piura is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Piura, 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: $140 in Piura versus $300 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cusco pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Piura – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $28.00 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 Piura gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Piura 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 Piura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.