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Cusco vs Lima cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ต๐ช Cusco
๐ต๐ช Lima
At a glance
- Where Lima is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (58%โ), Taxi (20%โ)
- Where Cusco is clearly cheaper: Transit (53%โ), Haircut (50%โ), Street food (44%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Lima is easier to travel (3.0 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Cusco 4 vs Lima 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Cusco | Lima | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | S/ 15$4.05 | S/ 20$5.41 | Cusco โ25% |
| Street food1 item | S/ 5$1.35 | S/ 9$2.43 | Cusco โ44% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | S/ 55$14.9 | S/ 59$15.9 | Cusco โ7% |
| Coffeeone cup | S/ 9$2.43 | S/ 12$3.24 | Cusco โ25% |
| Beerone bottle | S/ 9$2.43 | S/ 10$2.7 | Cusco โ10% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | S/ 20$5.41 | S/ 26$7.03 | Cusco โ23% |
| Bottled water | S/ 2.5$0.68 | S/ 2.2$0.59 | Lima โ12% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | S/ 3.5$0.95 | S/ 3.5$0.95 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | S/ 15$4.05 | S/ 12$3.24 | Lima โ20% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | S/ 7$1.89 | S/ 8$2.16 | Cusco โ12% |
| Transitone ride | S/ 1.5$0.41 | S/ 3.2$0.86 | Cusco โ53% |
| Scooter rentalper day | S/ 120$32.4 | S/ 50$13.5 | Lima โ58% |
| Hotel night3-star | S/ 230$62.2 | S/ 200$54.1 | Lima โ13% |
| Studio rent (month) | S/ 1,000$270 | S/ 1,750$473 | Cusco โ43% |
| Laundry | S/ 8$2.16 | S/ 8$2.16 | similar |
| SIM card1 week data | S/ 30$8.11 | S/ 30$8.11 | similar |
| Haircutcut | S/ 15$4.05 | S/ 30$8.11 | Cusco โ50% |
| Massage1 hour | S/ 60$16.2 | S/ 90$24.3 | Cusco โ33% |
| Half-day tourper person | S/ 60$16.2 | S/ 100$27 | Cusco โ40% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | S/ 40$10.8 | S/ 37$10 | Lima โ7% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Cusco or Lima?
Cusco is 12% cheaper than Lima. Daily budget $107 vs $103; a month $1,383 vs $1,835.
Which is easier to travel, Cusco or Lima?
Lima is easier: Lima 3.0/5 vs Cusco 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Cusco and Lima?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Cusco is about $1,383 and Lima about $1,835 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.