Quito vs Cusco
In short
Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.
Family budget
✓in Quito cheaper — −21%
Internet
✓in Cusco cheaper — −23%
In numbers
Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.
Family groceries
per monthQuito$372$372✓Cusco≈ $273S/ 940cheaper by 27%Family budget
per month✓Quito$369.6$369.6cheaper by 21%Cusco≈ $470S/ 1,620Internet
per monthQuito$33.93$33.93✓Cusco≈ $26S/ 89.9cheaper by 23%Winter
averageQuito10–22 °C10–22 °CCusco0–19 °C0–19 °CPrecipitation
per yearQuito1,098 mm1,098 mmCusco708 mm708 mm
By topic
A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.
Housing
Quito
An apartment with three or more bedrooms on RE/MAX listings is mostly 460-1200 dollars a month, median 690. In the north by La Carolina park and Quito Tenis the median is 1200.
SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of apartments for rent (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026
A house with three or more bedrooms in the canton of Quito on RE/MAX listings is mostly 85-230k dollars, median 138k. An apartment with three or more bedrooms: median 112k.
SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of houses for sale (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Cusco
Nothing yet
Money and prices
Quito
In INEC's official basket for a family of four in Quito, food and drinks cost 372 dollars a month (August 2026), of which 48 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 Quito is 846, including 175 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
Quito
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
Quito
The public Eugenio Espejo hospital has 416 beds and 110 specialist consulting rooms. The Baca Ortiz children's hospital has 361 beds, paediatric ICU and neonatal intensive care.
OfficialEcuadorian Ministry of Public Health: Hospital de Especialidades Eugenio Espejo · 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
Quito
Mariscal Sucre international airport is in Tababela, 24 km from the city. From December 2026 Air Canada flies direct to Montreal and Toronto.
SpecialistQuiport: about the Quito airport concessionaire · checked 6 Oct 2026
Quito has a metro line with 15 stations. In July 2026 it carried 5.4 million trips, and 154 million since opening.
OfficialMetro de Quito: home page, "Metro en cifras" · 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
Quito
There is no winter as a season: all year round it is about 10 degrees at night and 21-22 by day. In June-August nights are 9.4-9.8 and days 21-22; this is the dry season.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Quito 1981-2010 · checked 6 Oct 2026
About 1100 mm a year. Dry in June-August, 22-40 mm and 7-10 rainy days a month. The wettest month is April: 171 mm and 20 days with rain.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Quito 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
Quito
Guagua Pichincha, 12 km to the west, covered Quito in ash in 1999-2000. Cotopaxi, 45 km away, could send mudflows into the Los Chillos valley.
OfficialIG-EPN: Guagua Pichincha volcano · checked 6 Oct 2026
Pichincha with Quito is on the list of provinces under a state of emergency from 15 Sep 2026. Pickpocketing and muggings are common, especially in the old town and at stations.
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
Quito
Netlife sells 850 Mbit/s fibre for 33.93 dollars a month including tax, 16.96 for the first 9 months. The provider has 16 service points in Quito.
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
Quito
Electricity is 0.078-0.105 dollars per kWh by block plus 1.41 a month. 300 kWh comes to about 28 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
As of 2024, a cubic metre of water in Quito cost 0.31 dollars for use up to 8 m³ and 0.40 at 16-30 m³. We could not open the utility's full tariff schedule.
SpecialistPrimicias: Quito municipality discusses a water tariff increase · 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

