🇵🇪Peru
Inca stonework nobody has managed to replicate, a canyon twice the depth of the Grand Canyon, and a capital that quietly became one of the best places to eat on earth. Cheap, high, and a long way from anywhere.
Cities
A city built entirely from white volcanic stone under three volcanoes, with a walled convent the size of a neighbourhood inside it. Peru's second city, lower and sunnier than Cusco, and much less visited.
The Inca capital with a Spanish city built on top of it — colonial arcades sitting on stonework nobody can replicate. The gateway to Machu Picchu, at 3,400m, where the altitude is the first thing you'll notice.
A grey-skied capital of ten million on a desert cliff above the Pacific, and — genuinely — one of the best places to eat on earth. Most people transit through it. That's a mistake.
At a glance
How Peru’s cities compare. Rough 2025–2026 figures.
| City | Cheap meal | Mid-range hotel | Transit ride | Avg. monthly salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇵🇪 Arequipa | $2.50–5.00 | $35–75 | $0.30–0.50 | ≈ $610 |
| 🇵🇪 Cusco | $3.00–6.00 | $45–95 | $0.30–0.60 | ≈ $520 |
| 🇵🇪 Lima | $3.00–6.00 | $45–95 | $0.40–0.80 | ≈ $940 |