Poverty and living standards in Cusco, Peru: official figures
18.8% of the people of Cusco lived in monetary poverty in 2025, according to INEI's National Household Survey (8th lowest of 26 areas INEI reports; Peru 25.7%).
Is poverty falling in Cusco?
Monetary poverty in Cusco was 18.8% in 2025 against 18.5% in 2024, up 0.3 percentage points (not a statistically significant change by INEI's test); it was 23.0% in 2019, before the pandemic, and 20.4% in 2016.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copyHow precise is the poverty figure for Cusco?
The 95% confidence interval of INEI's 2025 poverty estimate for Cusco runs from 15.2% to 22.3% (coefficient of variation 9.7%). The highest rate in the 2016-2025 series was 32.1% in 2020.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copyHow does poverty in Cusco compare with other departments?
INEI places Cusco in group 3 of 5 groups of departments (group 1 is the poorest) whose 2025 poverty rates are statistically similar; INEI gives the group a 95% confidence range of 19.4% to 22.3%, together with Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, the Lima region, San Martin, Tacna and Ucayali.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copyHow much extreme poverty is there in Cusco?
For extreme poverty (household spending below the cost of a basic food basket), INEI places Cusco in group 4 of 5 for 2025 (group 1 is the poorest), with a 95% confidence range of 1.3% to 2.2% for the group.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copyWhat is the average income in Cusco?
Average real income per person in Cusco was 1,087 soles a month in 2025, in constant 2025 soles at Lima Metropolitana prices (10th lowest of 26 areas INEI reports; Peru 1,252).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copyHas income recovered since the pandemic in Cusco?
Real income per person in Cusco was 1,087 soles a month in 2025 against 1,052 in 2019 and 1,088 in 2016 (constant 2025 soles), a change of +3.3% since 2019 (Peru -5.2%).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copyHow Cusco compares with other departments
People in monetary poverty (2025)
Cusco ranks 17 of 24, highest first. Lima Metropolitana and the Lima region are reported separately by INEI and are not ranked here
| Rank | Region | People in monetary poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | San Martin | 21.3% |
| 15 | Apurimac | 20.9% |
| 16 | Amazonas | 20.4% |
| 17 | Cusco | 18.8% |
| 18 | Tacna | 17.4% |
| 19 | Lambayeque | 14.5% |
| 20 | Junin | 13.5% |
Average real income per person a month (soles) (2025)
Cusco ranks 15 of 24, highest first. Constant 2025 soles at Lima Metropolitana prices; Lima Metropolitana and the Lima region are reported separately by INEI and are not ranked here
| Rank | Region | Average real income per person a month (soles) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Piura | 1,130 |
| 13 | Amazonas | 1,122 |
| 14 | Tumbes | 1,094 |
| 15 | Cusco | 1,087 |
| 16 | Apurimac | 1,076 |
| 17 | Ayacucho | 1,000 |
| 18 | Pasco | 991 |
More on Cusco: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · Peru
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI): Peru: Evolucion de la Pobreza Monetaria 2016-2025, Informe Tecnico (ENAHO): cuadros III.1 (poverty incidence by department), I.15 (real income per person by department), 4.2 and 4.4 (groups of departments with statistically similar total and extreme poverty), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 475cc9c6b9c3…)
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