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City comparison

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 month
    Cuenca$362$362
    Cusco≈ $273S/ 940
    cheaper by 25%
  • Family budget

    per month
    Cuenca$369.6$369.6
    cheaper by 21%
    Cusco≈ $470S/ 1,620
  • Internet

    per month
    Cuenca$33.93$33.93
    Cusco≈ $26S/ 89.9
    cheaper by 23%
  • Winter

    average
    Cuenca10–19 °C10–19 °C
    Cusco0–19 °C0–19 °C
  • Precipitation

    per year
    Cuenca876 mm876 mm
    Cusco708 mm708 mm

By topic

A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.

Housing

Cuenca

Buying a house

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

Long-term rent

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

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Cusco

Nothing yet

Money and prices

Cuenca

Groceries for a family

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

Family budget per month

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

Everything about money and prices in Cuenca →

Cusco

Family budget per month

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

Groceries for a family

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

Everything about money and prices in Cusco →

Family and kids

Cuenca

Nothing yet

Cusco

Private and public schools

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

Everything about family and kids in Cusco →

Healthcare

Cuenca

Social security hospital

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

Everything about healthcare in Cuenca →

Cusco

Hospitals in the region

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

Everything about healthcare in Cusco →

Transport

Cuenca

Airport in the city

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

Everything about transport in Cuenca →

Cusco

Airport and flights

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

Everything about transport in Cusco →

Climate

Cuenca

Winter climate

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

Precipitation and seasons

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

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Cusco

Precipitation and seasonality

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

Cold winter nights

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

Everything about climate in Cusco →

Safety

Cuenca

Safety and risks

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

Everything about safety in Cuenca →

Cusco

Altitude and ultraviolet

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

Everything about safety in Cusco →

Internet and phone

Cuenca

Fibre-optic internet

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

Everything about internet and phone service in Cuenca →

Cusco

Fibre-optic internet

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

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Services

Cuenca

Electricity at CENTROSUR tariff

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 and sewerage, ETAPA

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

Everything about services in Cuenca →

Cusco

Electricity from Electro Sur Este

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

Everything about services in Cusco →

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