Lima vs Cusco
In short
Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.
Family budget
✓in Cusco cheaper — −29%
Internet
✓in Cusco cheaper — −25%
In numbers
Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.
Family groceries
per monthLima≈ $359S/ 1,228✓Cusco≈ $273S/ 940cheaper by 24%Family budget
per monthLima≈ $665S/ 2,272✓Cusco≈ $470S/ 1,620cheaper by 29%Internet
per monthLima≈ $29–41S/ 99–139✓Cusco≈ $26S/ 89.9cheaper by 25%Winter
averageLima15–18 °C15–18 °CCusco0–19 °C0–19 °CPrecipitation
per yearLima13 mm13 mmCusco708 mm708 mm
By topic
A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.
Housing
Lima
Apartment price per m²: San Isidro 2605 dollars, Barranco 2556, Miraflores 2464, Surco 1818, La Molina 1510 (Q1 2026, central bank BCRP).
OfficialBCRP: apartment sale prices by district of Lima, dollars per m², Q1 2025 - Q1 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
A 100 m² three-bedroom apartment: Barranco 4345 soles a month, San Isidro 4182, Miraflores 3864, Surco 3070, La Molina 2509 (July 2026).
SpecialistInfobae: Urbania Index, apartment rents by district of Lima, July 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
Cusco
Nothing yet
Money and prices
Lima
The INEI minimum food basket for Lima is 307 soles per person a month, about 1228 for a family of four. Figures for 2025.
OfficialINEI: Perú, evolución de la pobreza monetaria 2016-2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026
A family of four in Lima counts as poor at spending below 2272 soles a month. The average Lima resident spends 1014 soles, about 4056 for four.
OfficialINEI: Perú, evolución de la pobreza monetaria 2016-2025 · checked 29 Sep 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
Lima
Well-known private schools in Lima for 2026: 1600–4426 soles a month plus an entrance fee. The American School Roosevelt: from 1747 dollars a month.
SpecialistInfobae: cost of private schools in Lima for 2026 based on the list by Padres magazine · checked 29 Sep 2026
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
Lima
With a foreigner's card (carné de extranjería), a family can take the public insurance SIS Independiente: 39 soles a month for one person, 115 for a family of four or more. There is also a free plan.
OfficialSIS: questions and rates of the SIS Independiente plan · checked 29 Sep 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
Lima
The new terminal opened on 30 May 2025: 30 million passengers in the first year, up to 40 million by 2026. The first flights were LATAM to Atlanta and Iberia from Madrid.
OfficialMTC: opening of the new terminal at Jorge Chávez airport · checked 29 Sep 2026
The Metropolitano with a feeder route across the whole city is 3.50 soles; short trips on corridor buses are 1–1.50. The second metro line is free for now.
OfficialATU: how to save money on the Metropolitano and corridor buses · checked 29 Sep 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
Lima
The coldest month is August: average minimum 14.6 degrees, maximum 18.4. July and September are almost the same; in February it is 19.4 and 26.5.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Lima · checked 29 Sep 2026
There is almost no rain: about 13 mm a year, and no month above 5.4 mm. In winter, instead of rain there is garúa drizzle, which wets the streets but barely shows up in millimetres.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Lima · checked 29 Sep 2026
In winter humidity is above 90% and reaches 99%: fog, garúa drizzle, dense cloud cover by the sea. Because of the dampness, 15 degrees feels like 13–14.
SpecialistAndina: winter 2025 in Lima, SENAMHI forecast for temperature and humidity · checked 29 Sep 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
Lima
In 2025, 27.6% of Lima residents aged over 15 were victims of crime. In the zone with Miraflores and San Isidro it was 21.5%, in the east with La Molina 31.3%.
OfficialINEI: Victimización en el Perú 2025, ENAPRES survey · checked 29 Sep 2026
The IGP geophysical institute expects an earthquake stronger than M8.8 near Lima with a tsunami above 8 m. The last one like that was in 1746; when the next will come is unknown.
OfficialIGP: the 1746 earthquake and the expected seismic scenario for Lima · checked 29 Sep 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
Lima
WIN fibre in Lima: 500 Mbit/s for 99 soles a month, 850 for 119, 1000 for 139. The line is symmetric, traffic is unlimited, and the first month is cheaper.
SpecialistWIN: home fiber-optic internet plans for Lima and Callao · checked 29 Sep 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
Lima
Luz del Sur from August 2026: 75.56 centimos per kWh for consumption above 140 kWh and 2.66 soles a month. For 300 kWh the bill comes to about 229 soles.
OfficialLuz del Sur: electricity tariffs including IGV, pliego of 4 August 2026 (document “Tarifas - Setiembre 2026”) · checked 29 Sep 2026
Water and sewerage: the first 10 m³ at 3.58 soles, more after that. A bill for 15 m³ is about 72 soles with IGV tax; this is a calculation based on the Sedapal tariff.
OfficialSunass: resolution 00145-2025-SUNASS-CD, Sedapal tariff structure for year 5 of the 2022-2027 period · checked 30 Sep 2026
Piped gas from Cálidda, September 2026: about 1.73 soles per m³ with tax and 1.29 soles a month. For 30 m³ it comes to about 53 soles. The network is not available everywhere.
OfficialCálidda: tariff table for piped gas in Lima and Callao, service for September 2026 (Osinergmin) · checked 30 Sep 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

