Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Cusco vs Lima

Cusco vs Lima

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lima 3% cheaper Lima +19 Mbps N/A / Low

Cusco

Stefano Garay/Unsplash

Lima

Eduardo Flores/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,326

Cusco

$1,284

Lima

Internet

200

Mbps

219

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Cusco

Low

Lima

Air Quality

5/5

Cusco

5/5

Lima

Healthcare

N/A

Cusco

High

Lima

Population

427.2k

Cusco

8.9m

Lima

Cusco and Lima are both in Peru, making this one of the most common comparisons for digital nomads planning a base in the region. This guide breaks down the key differences across cost, internet, safety, weather, and quality of life.

Cost of Living

Both cities sit in a similar price range — Cusco at $1326/mo and Lima at $1284/mo — so cost alone is not a deciding factor here.

For families, Cusco costs $1784.117605566994/mo compared to Lima's $2188.437491200074/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Lima has a slight lead on internet at 219 Mbps (#26 globally) compared to Cusco's 200 Mbps (#0). Both support standard remote work.

Quality of Life

Both Cusco and Lima share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Cusco and Lima.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Cusco is June (around 13 degrees, 0mm rain, score 368), while Lima peaks in January (27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 454). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

CuscoLima

Nomad$1,326/mo$1,284/mo

Expat$714/mo$794/mo

Local$510/mo$625/mo

Family$1,784/mo$2,188/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

CuscoLima

City Speed

200 Mbps

219 Mbps#26

Country Speed200 Mbps200 Mbps

Environment & Health

CuscoLima

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AHigh

ClimateN/AHigh

Humidity8270

Quality of Life

CuscoLima

SafetyN/ALow

HealthcareN/AHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Cusco

Lima

Jan

14°

6mm148

27°

0mm454

Feb

14°

6mm194

29°

0mm454

Mar

14°

5mm255

28°

0mm454

Apr

14°

1mm286

25°

0mm434

May

14°

0mm353

21°

0mm414

Jun

13°

0mm368

18°

0mm414

Jul

12°

0mm368

17°

0mm414

Aug

13°

0mm356

17°

0mm414

Sep

15°

1mm344

18°

0mm414

Oct

15°

2mm286

19°

0mm414

Nov

14°

9mm171

23°

0mm434

Dec

14°

5mm178

25°

0mm434

Who Should Choose Cusco?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1326
Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 200 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1784.117605566994/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 427.2k residents
Peak season in June — 13 degrees, score 368

Who Should Choose Lima?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1284
Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 219 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2188.437491200074/mo for families
Major city energy with 8.9m residents
Peak season in January — 27 degrees, score 454

Overall Verdict

Overall, Lima edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1284/mo it runs 3% cheaper than Cusco's $1326/mo, with 219 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Cusco Lima

ItemCuscoLimaDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.96$3.92

50%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$26.11$22.19

15%

McMeal or equivalent combo$5.74$5.22

Cappuccino (regular)$1.57$2.66

41%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.09$2.09

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.92$3.92

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.67$0.86

22%

Water (0.33L)$0.48$0.57

16%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.2$1.22

White bread (500g)$1.82$1.83

White rice (1kg)$1.11$1.11

Eggs (12)$2.09$1.81

13%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$6.4$4.99

22%

Beef round (1kg)$6.13$8.2

25%

Local cheese (1kg)$4.96$6.89

28%

Apples (1kg)$1.65$1.54

Bananas (1kg)$1.24$1.02

18%

Oranges (1kg)$1.7$0.93

45%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.49$0.98

34%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.37$0.74

46%

Onions (1kg)$1.27$0.89

30%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.91$0.72

21%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.92$0.72

22%

Wine, mid-range bottle$9.01$7.83

13%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.19$1.6

27%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.44$2.33

32%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$4.57$5.22

12%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.26$0.52

50%

Monthly transport pass$15.66$15.66

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.31$2.61

50%

Taxi per 1km$1.17$1.44

19%

Taxi 1hr waiting$5.22$6.27

17%

Gasoline (1L)$1.13$1.31

14%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$19,006.4$18,274.38

Toyota Corolla (new)$19,506.51$21,697.31

10%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$60.83$71.32

15%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$35.68$30.91

13%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.19$0.18

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$33.07$37.19

11%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$5.22$12.4

58%

Cinema, 1 ticket$5.22$5.48

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$130.53$213.5

39%

International primary school/yr$6,056.65$5,851.01

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$48.64$43.81

10%

Summer dress (chain store)$20.8$28.35

27%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$82.67$71.57

13%

Men's leather business shoes$69.18$68.37

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$358.96$511.24

30%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$254.54$349.69

27%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$663.1$954.12

31%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$475.13$701.14

32%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$3,959.45$1,962.17

50%

Price per m², outside centre$2,339.76$1,483.1

37%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$435.1$489.76

11%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$11$8.29

25%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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