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: $735 in Piura versus $692 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,256 in Piura versus $1,046 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Piura versus $1,400 in Cusco.

Living in Piura is roughly 6% more expensive than in Cusco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Piura 47% lower, Cusco 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 PEN 12.31

$2.60 PEN 8.73

41.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.34 PEN 85.0

$21.14 PEN 70.9

19.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 PEN 24.36

$6.59 PEN 22.08

10.32%

Cappuccino

$3.35 PEN 11.23

$2.24 PEN 7.50

49.55%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.74

$0.75 PEN 2.51

49.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.41

$0.34 PEN 1.13

111.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 PEN 7.84

$2.12 PEN 7.11

10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 PEN 10.06

$4.39 PEN 14.70

-31.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 PEN 4.89

$1.29 PEN 4.34

13.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 PEN 8.85

$2.36 PEN 7.90

11.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 PEN 5.43

$1.36 PEN 4.55

19.12%

Eggs

$2.87 PEN 9.61

$3.71 PEN 12.45

-22.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 PEN 36.19

$5.01 PEN 16.81

115.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 PEN 29.69

$4.52 PEN 15.14

96.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 PEN 36.40

$7.49 PEN 25.11

44.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 PEN 4.78

$2.62 PEN 8.77

-45.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.36

$0.85 PEN 2.86

52.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.07

$1.45 PEN 4.86

4.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.57

$0.91 PEN 3.04

49.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 PEN 4.29

$1.06 PEN 3.56

20.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 PEN 2.46

$1.11 PEN 3.70

-34.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 PEN 3.04

$0.50 PEN 1.67

82.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 PEN 4.59

$0.78 PEN 2.63

75.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.05 PEN 26.99

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 PEN 38.13

$5.82 PEN 19.50

95.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 PEN 6.41

$1.91 PEN 6.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 PEN 9.74

$4.41 PEN 14.78

-34.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 PEN 2.34

$0.31 PEN 1.05

125.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.26 PEN 71.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 PEN 10.58

$1.75 PEN 5.87

80.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 PEN 7.91

$1.97 PEN 6.61

19.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.58 PEN 25.42

$3.04 PEN 10.18

149.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 4.98

$1.55 PEN 5.20

-3.87%

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

$22.3K PEN 74.8K

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

$23.9K PEN 80.2K

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

$42.21 PEN 142

$29.68 PEN 99.5

42.22%

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

$8.82 PEN 29.55

$14.70 PEN 49.29

-40.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.60 PEN 153

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.64 PEN 99.4

$35.58 PEN 119

-16.69%

Cinema Ticket

$2.46 PEN 8.25

$4.38 PEN 14.69

-43.84%

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

$200 PEN 670

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,379 PEN 7,976

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.11 PEN 148

$39.30 PEN 132

12.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.58 PEN 45.52

$34.46 PEN 116

-60.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 PEN 203

$55.4 PEN 186

9.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 PEN 254

$73.4 PEN 246

3.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 PEN 790

$149 PEN 501

57.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 PEN 444

$177 PEN 592

-25.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 PEN 1,364

$358 PEN 1,199

13.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 PEN 1,343

$271 PEN 910

47.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,896 PEN 13.1K

$3,931 PEN 13.2K

-0.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,777 PEN 5,958

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 PEN 1,856

$447 PEN 1,497

23.98%

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

Last update for Piura: September 5, 2026

Last update for Cusco: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $236 in Piura and $149 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Piura pays 24% 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: $25.00 in Piura vs $21.00 in Cusco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 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

Piura vs Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cusco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 24% 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: $236 in Piura versus $149 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Piura. 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 $25.00 in Piura. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cusco gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Cusco is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Piura, 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 6% less than in Piura. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.