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: $630 in Piura versus $762 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,056 in Piura versus $1,171 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,482 in Piura versus $1,579 in Cusco.

Living in Piura costs roughly 17% less than in Cusco, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Piura 53% lower, Cusco 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 PEN 9.18

$2.79 PEN 9.49

-3.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.22 PEN 38.13

$27.84 PEN 94.7

-59.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PEN 18.82

$5.50 PEN 18.70

0.55%

Cappuccino

$3.40 PEN 11.56

$2.02 PEN 6.87

68.32%

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

$1.71 PEN 5.81

$1.21 PEN 4.12

41.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 PEN 1.79

$0.78 PEN 2.66

-32.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.45

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 PEN 9.73

$4.09 PEN 13.92

-30.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 PEN 3.89

$1.44 PEN 4.90

-20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 PEN 10.61

$2.89 PEN 9.83

7.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.84

$1.28 PEN 4.35

10.94%

Eggs

$2.11 PEN 7.16

$3.93 PEN 13.37

-46.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 PEN 28.18

$4.60 PEN 15.64

80.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 PEN 24.71

$4.96 PEN 16.87

46.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 PEN 32.96

$6.91 PEN 23.49

40.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.43

$2.34 PEN 7.95

-44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 PEN 2.77

$0.73 PEN 2.47

12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.94

$1.29 PEN 4.38

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 PEN 3.81

$0.97 PEN 3.28

15.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.31

$1.05 PEN 3.56

20.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.94

$0.99 PEN 3.37

-42.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 PEN 1.98

$0.69 PEN 2.36

-15.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 PEN 2.68

$0.70 PEN 2.38

12.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.41 PEN 28.60

$4.97 PEN 16.90

69.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 PEN 37.00

$5.82 PEN 19.78

86.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 PEN 5.97

$1.99 PEN 6.77

-11.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 PEN 9.25

$3.18 PEN 10.82

-14.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 PEN 1.37

$0.29 PEN 0.99

37.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 PEN 5.81

$1.70 PEN 5.78

0.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 PEN 5.65

$1.66 PEN 5.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 PEN 18.82

$2.74 PEN 9.30

102.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 PEN 4.89

$1.50 PEN 5.10

-4.00%

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

$18.8K PEN 64.0K

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

$22.3K PEN 75.8K

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

$39.79 PEN 135

$33.90 PEN 115

17.37%

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

$8.43 PEN 28.64

$13.93 PEN 47.35

-39.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 PEN 103

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.53 PEN 93.6

$30.36 PEN 103

-9.32%

Cinema Ticket

$2.19 PEN 7.44

$4.79 PEN 16.30

-54.28%

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

$187 PEN 635

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,195 PEN 7,462

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.97 PEN 139

$35.64 PEN 121

14.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.56 PEN 42.70

$28.22 PEN 95.9

-55.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.1 PEN 187

$63.1 PEN 214

-12.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 PEN 232

$70.9 PEN 241

-3.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$138 PEN 469

$311 PEN 1,057

-55.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 PEN 420

$247 PEN 841

-50.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,124

$584 PEN 1,985

-43.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 PEN 1,327

$419 PEN 1,426

-6.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,667 PEN 12.5K

$3,773 PEN 12.8K

-2.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,760 PEN 5,985

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$426 PEN 1,447

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Piura: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cusco: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $138 in Piura and $311 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Piura vs $28.00 in Cusco. Groceries flip the comparison at $220 vs $194, 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.

You'd need roughly $944 in Piura and $1,143 in Cusco to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $138 in Piura versus $311 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cusco pay roughly 14% 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.