Colegio San Carlos de Puno
National
Fee not published
Confirmed on its own website
Cost of Living inPuno, Peru
Puno, Peru129KUpper middle incomeRemote-work friendly
Image credit: Diego Delso
Purchasing Power vs. United States
Your money goes 2.53x further
Based on GDP per capita (PPP). Peru: $16,079/capita.
How Far Your Money Goes
Prices are 68% lower than the global benchmark (New York City = 100).
Using the country-level NYC comparison for now. We do not have a defensible city-level aggregate cost index for this city yet.
Overall
3.1x further
Prices are 68% lower than the global benchmark (New York City = 100).
Rent
10x further
Prices are 90% lower than the global benchmark (New York City = 100).
Groceries
2.7x further
Prices are 64% lower than the global benchmark (New York City = 100).
Restaurants
3.8x further
Prices are 74% lower than the global benchmark (New York City = 100).
Income Category
Upper Middle
World Bank GNI
GDP per Capita
$16,079
PPP, International $
City Population
129K
Child Education
Public-school quality + expat access, alongside international and private school cost — the two paths a relocating family weighs.
Public schools
This describes Peru as a whole. Enrollment rules and school quality can vary within the country, so check with schools in Puno.
Quality
Mixed public-school option
Expat access
Available to residents
conditionalInstruction
Spanish
Local-language fluency usually matters.
PISA / outcomes
Qualitative only
Using curated quality notes for now.
Why this quality rating
Peru's public schools can work for local families, but quality varies and most expat households still prefer private or bilingual options.
Why the expat-access rating looks like this
Resident families can generally access public schools, but Spanish-medium instruction and uneven quality make the public route situational.
❓ Homeschooling
Not specifically regulatedMinimal requirements
Peru requires basic education but does not have specific homeschooling regulations. Some families use distance education or equivalency programs. Enforcement is limited. Growing expat homeschool community in Lima and Cusco.
Homeschool legality in Peru — check current regulations before committing.
Source: User-curated family relocation research (initial seed) (2026-04-14)
International & private schools
1 confirmed school
2 more suggested by AI, not verified
- National1
Schools' websites are found with Wikidata and OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), and each is checked on the school's own site.
Childcare & Domestic Help
Current nanny and household-help pricing snapshot for Puno, Peru.
Full-time nanny (5 days)
$425-$675
monthly · confidence 0.65
Live-in / 24-7 nanny
$750-$1,150
monthly · confidence 0.65
Source: curated family relocation research
Getting Around
The concrete mobility picture for Puno: airport access, urban transit, and rideshare practicality.
Walkability score: 42/100 (walkable core). This is derived from the verified mobility profile and is used by the walkability gate.
Walkability
42/100
mobility profile walkability mention
Airport
Juliaca airport access
The refreshed family mobility queue lists Puno as a Peru walkability gap; families typically use nearby Juliaca/Inca Manco Capac airport for air access.
Urban transit
Compact lakefront center, buses, and taxis
buswalking
MTC Promovilidad assistance for Puno’s urban transport supports a conservative bus-led profile, while the lakefront and central grid give families selected walkable errands.
Rideshare
Taxi-first mobility
Taxis and arranged rides are the dependable fallback for airport transfers, lake trips, and lower-frequency district movement.
Source: User-curated family relocation research (initial seed) (2026-04-14)
Healthcare
System strength, outcome signals, facility coverage, and self-pay visibility in Peru.
Method: country metrics come from public system indicators, facility coverage reflects mapped providers we can inventory, direct pricing only reflects observed self-pay pages, and relative care cost can fall back to broad cost-of-living healthcare indices. Sparse pricing does not imply sparse healthcare availability.
37 facilities tracked
Facilities updated 7 months ago
Healthcare system
MixedThis is a broad country-level read based on coverage, staffing, beds, and spending.
Public care
LimitedThis is an inferred read based on coverage, public spending, cost-sharing, and the public facility footprint we can see.
Private care
LimitedThe tracked private-style network still looks thin and self-pay pricing transparency is still sparse weigh on this rating.
UHC coverage
68/100
2023
Physicians
1.69/1k
2023
Hospital beds
1.56/1k
2023
Out of pocket
27%
2023
Outcome signals
Life expectancy
77.9 yrs
2024
Maternal mortality
51/100k
2023
Neonatal mortality
6.5/1k
2024
International patient readiness
LimitedPrice transparency is still sparse weigh on this rating.
Pricing transparency
LimitedPublished self-pay prices are scarce and few facilities expose web pages we can verify weigh on this rating.
Facility coverage
Pharmacy: 16Clinic: 10Hospital: 4Doctor: 4Dentist: 3
Self-pay pricing visibility
No verified self-pay prices are published for the tracked facilities in Peru yet.
This usually reflects low online price transparency rather than a lack of healthcare providers.
Notable facilities
Hospital Veterinario UNA
Hospital · Emergency
EsSalud Hospital III Puno
Hospital · Emergency
Hospital Manuel Núñez Butrón
Hospital · Emergency
Hospital I Clinica Universitaria UNA - EsSalud
Hospital · Emergency
Clinica Las Kalas
Clinic
Simon Bolivar
Clinic
System metrics: World Bank WDI · Updated 2026-11-01
Safety & Governance
City-level perceived-crime data is not sourced for Puno yet. Showing Peru national safety and governance signals until a matched city row lands.
Street Safety
Safety Index43/100
Crime Index57/100
Source: Numbeo where a city row is matched; otherwise World Bank WGI and country-level safety context.
Political Stability
Political Stability-0.28
World Bank WGI scale: -2.5 to +2.5.
Wages by Sector
| Sector | Median |
|---|---|
| Administrative & Support Services | — |
| Agriculture & Farming | — |
| Arts, Entertainment & Recreation | — |
| Construction | — |
| Education | — |
| Finance & Insurance | — |
| Healthcare & Social Work | — |
| Hospitality & Food Service | — |
| Information & Technology | — |
| Manufacturing | — |
| Mining & Quarrying | — |
| Other Services | — |
| Professional & Scientific Services | — |
| Public Administration & Defence | — |
| Real Estate | — |
| Retail & Wholesale Trade | — |
| Transport & Logistics | — |
| Utilities | — |
2025 annual wages in Puno, Peru · Source: INEI (region-adjusted)
Price Comparison vs. US
beer
$2.00Estimated74% cheaper
big mac
$4.90Estimated21% cheaper
bread 500g
$2.68Estimated21% cheaper
budget hotel
$94.88Survey-verified161% more
childcare preschool
$1036.01Estimated33% cheaper
cinema
$5.00Estimated70% cheaper
coca cola
$0.70Estimated67% cheaper
eggs dozen
$4.13Estimated14% cheaper
gasoline liter
$1.09Estimated6% more
inexpensive meal
$12.00Estimated43% cheaper
internet 60mbps
$47.09Estimated30% cheaper
iphone
$1099.00Estimated10% more
jeans
$35.00Estimated32% cheaper
latte
$2.80Estimated47% cheaper
luxury hotel
$94.88Survey-verified80% cheaper
mcmeal
$4.50Estimated56% cheaper
milk liter
$1.50Estimated23% more
monthly pass
$46.50Estimated33% cheaper
nike shoes
$65.00Estimated29% cheaper
rent 1br
$1485.63Estimated18% cheaper
rent 2br
$725.00Estimated83% cheaper
rent 3br
$2835.76Estimated11% cheaper
subway fare
$0.45Estimated81% cheaper
taxi km
$2.38Estimated27% more
utilities basic
$114.95Estimated46% cheaper
Visa Information (US passport)
Short-stay entry
visa freeUp to 180 days
US passport holders can stay up to 180 days without a visa.
Quick comparison FAQ
Structured from the deltas already shown on this page — no invented facts, no extra data sources.
How far does your money go in Puno compared with the US?
Your money goes about 2.5x further in Puno than in the US, based on the current PPP estimate. We are using the country-level cost index for Peru here because a defensible city-level aggregate index is not available yet.
Is Puno cheaper or more expensive overall than New York City?
Puno is cheaper overall than New York City — overall living costs are about 68% cheaper than the global benchmark (New York City) for Puno. We are using the country-level cost index for Peru here because a defensible city-level aggregate index is not available yet.
How does rent in Puno compare with New York City?
Rent in Puno is about 90% cheaper than the global benchmark (New York City). We are using the country-level cost index for Peru here because a defensible city-level aggregate index is not available yet.
How expensive are groceries and restaurants in Puno?
Groceries in Puno are about 64% cheaper than the global benchmark (New York City), and restaurant prices are about 74% cheaper than the same benchmark. We are using the country-level cost index for Peru here because a defensible city-level aggregate index is not available yet.
About Puno
Puno sits on the western shore of Lake Titicaca in southern Peru, on the high Altiplano at about 3,800 meters elevation — making it one of the highest substantial cities in the Americas. Population is about 130,000, and the city is the main administrative center for the Puno region, with an economy built on lake-shore tourism — gateway access to the Uros floating islands and Taquile and Amantaní — alongside trade with Bolivia across the border at Desaguadero. Aymara and Quechua communities surround the city, with Spanish dominant in commerce. Climate is alpine: cold thin air year-round with very cold nights, intense daytime sun, a wet season from December to March, and the altitude sickness risk that affects most arriving visitors for the first few days. Relocation is rare outside Peruvians on government postings; foreign expats in Peru cluster in Lima, Arequipa, and Cusco rather than the Altiplano.
Altitude sickness is a major hurdle (12,500+ ft)Cold highland climate year-round (50-60°F avg)Internet connection unreliable; mobile data better than WiFiVery small expat community; largely Quechua/Aymara speakingHighly walkable city center with colorful colonial architectureAuthentic regional food scene; limited international diningLimited nightlife; quieter than tourist hubs like CuscoAffordable cost of living; budget accommodations and foodFew dedicated coworking spaces; cafes not ideal for workGenerally safe for tourists and expats in central areas
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