Cuenca vs Cusco
In short
Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.
Family budget
✓in Cuenca cheaper — −21%
Internet
✓in Cusco cheaper — −23%
In numbers
Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.
Family groceries
per monthCuenca$362$362✓Cusco≈ $273S/ 940cheaper by 25%Family budget
per month✓Cuenca$369.6$369.6cheaper by 21%Cusco≈ $470S/ 1,620Internet
per monthCuenca$33.93$33.93✓Cusco≈ $26S/ 89.9cheaper by 23%Winter
averageCuenca10–19 °C10–19 °CCusco0–19 °C0–19 °CPrecipitation
per yearCuenca876 mm876 mmCusco708 mm708 mm
By topic
A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.
Housing
Cuenca
A house with three or more bedrooms in the canton of Cuenca on RE/MAX listings is mostly 121-285k dollars, median 180k. An apartment with three or more bedrooms: median 192k.
SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of houses for sale (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026
A three-bedroom apartment on RE/MAX listings is 350-540 dollars a month, a furnished two-bedroom up to 720. There are few listings, only 8 apartments.
SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of apartments for rent (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Cusco
Nothing yet
Money and prices
Cuenca
In INEC's official basket for a family of four in Cuenca, food and drinks cost 362 dollars a month (August 2026), of which 42 is eating out.
OfficialINEC: basic family consumption basket (CFBC) by city, August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
INEC's poverty line for a family of four is 370 dollars a month. INEC's basic basket for four in Cuenca is 894, the dearest in the country, with 219 for rent.
OfficialINEC: bulletin on income poverty, ENEMDU, December 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Cusco
A family of four in highland cities counts as poor with spending below 1,620 soles a month (INEI line, 2025). In the Cusco department 18.8% are poor.
OfficialINEI: Peru, evolution of monetary poverty 2016-2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026
The INEI minimum food basket for highland cities is 235 soles per person a month, 940 soles for a family of four. Figures for 2025.
OfficialINEI: Peru, evolution of monetary poverty 2016-2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Family and kids
Cuenca
Nothing yet
Cusco
In the Cusco department about 18% of children attend private schools: 27 thousand of 152 thousand in primary school and 22 of 122 thousand in secondary (2024).
OfficialINEI: Cusco, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Healthcare
Cuenca
The IESS social security Hospital José Carrasco Arteaga is a third-level hospital with adult and paediatric ICU. It treats IESS members and patients of the public network.
OfficialIESS: Hospital de Especialidades José Carrasco Arteaga, home page · checked 6 Oct 2026
Cusco
The Cusco department has 24 hospitals, including private clinics, and 2,504 hospital beds (2024). The social insurer EsSalud has 5 hospitals in the region.
OfficialINEI: Cusco, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Transport
Cuenca
Mariscal La Mar airport is right in the city, on Avenida España. The flight to Quito takes about 55 minutes, to Guayaquil 35. Runway 1900 m at about 2530 m altitude.
OfficialCuenca airport (CORPAC): technical data · checked 6 Oct 2026
Cusco
In 2025 Cusco airport handled 4.57 million domestic passengers and only 203 thousand international ones, 22 times fewer.
OfficialCORPAC: passenger movement at network airports, domestic flights, 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Climate
Cuenca
In June-August nights are 9-10 degrees and days 19-20. These are the coolest months; the rest of the year days are 20-22 and nights 10-11.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cuenca 1981-2010 · checked 6 Oct 2026
About 880 mm a year, and it rains often: 12 to 21 days a month. Driest in July-August (20-28 mm), wettest in March-April.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cuenca 1981-2010 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Cusco
About 710 mm a year, almost three quarters of it from December to March. From May to August it is dry: 1.5-9 mm a month.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cusco · checked 6 Oct 2026
In June-July it averages about 0 degrees at night and 19-20 during the day. Daytime temperature is almost the same all year, but winter nights are 6 degrees colder than summer ones.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cusco · checked 6 Oct 2026
Safety
Cuenca
Cuenca is not in the state of emergency zone from 15 Sep 2026: in Azuay province only the canton of Camilo Ponce Enríquez is included. Forest fires are frequent in Azuay.
OfficialUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: travel advice for Ecuador · checked 6 Oct 2026
Cusco
The city stands at 3,414 m above sea level. Even in winter SENAMHI forecasts an ultraviolet index of 8-12 for Cusco, from "very high" to "extremely high".
OfficialINEI: Cusco, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Internet and phone
Cuenca
Netlife sells 850 Mbit/s fibre for 33.93 dollars a month including tax, 16.96 on promotion. The municipal ETAPA sells plans from 19.99 dollars plus taxes.
SpecialistNetlife: home fibre-optic internet plans · checked 6 Oct 2026
Cusco
Movistar sells home fibre at 400 Mbit/s for 89.90 soles a month, 79.90 for the first two months. The Cusco department is on the list of fibre coverage areas.
SpecialistMovistar Perú: "Solo internet" plans and fibre coverage areas · checked 6 Oct 2026
Services
Cuenca
Electricity is 0.091-0.105 dollars per kWh by block plus 1.41 a month. 300 kWh comes to about 30 dollars before the street lighting and fire service charges.
OfficialRegistro Oficial No. 380, 9th supplement: resolution ARCONEL-009/2026, electricity tariffs for October-December 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Water is 0.60 dollars per m³ up to 10 m³, then 0.70, plus 3.32 a month; sewerage is half the water bill. 15 m³ comes to about 19 dollars (2024 tariff).
OfficialETAPA EP: water and sewerage tariffs 2024 (brochure "Conoce nuestras tarifas") · checked 6 Oct 2026
Cusco
For consumption above 140 kWh, electricity costs 0.82 soles per kWh plus 4 soles a month, without IGV. 300 kWh comes to about 250 soles before tax, about 295 with IGV.
OfficialElectro Sur Este: tariff schedule for end users from 4 August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

