Teach English in Cusco
Gateway to Machu Picchu, surrounded by Inca ruins, at 3,400 metres above sea level — the world's most extraordinary place to teach English.
Teaching English in Cusco — the world's most extraordinary classroom
Cusco is unlike any other city in the world. At 3,400 metres above sea level, surrounded by Inca ruins, under skies that seem impossibly blue, it is the gateway to Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, and some of the world's most extraordinary trekking. Teaching English here is not the highest-paying option in Peru — but for many teachers, living in Cusco for six months or a year is among the most memorable experiences of their lives.
Cusco's Plaza de Armas is ringed by Inca stonework and colonial churches. Sacsayhuamán overlooks the city. The Sacred Valley is a 45-minute bus ride. You don't visit these places on holiday — you live alongside them.
Despite its size, Cusco has a well-established foreign teacher community. Language schools employ foreign teachers regularly, and the city's tourism industry creates demand for English instruction year-round.
The Inca Trail, Rainbow Mountain, Lake Titicaca, the Amazon headwaters, Colca Canyon — all accessible from Cusco. Teachers who base themselves here use it as a platform for exploring Peru and South America.
Rent in Cusco runs 40–60% cheaper than Lima. Food, transport, and entertainment are substantially lower. On a modest language school salary, life in Cusco is genuinely comfortable.
The English teaching market in Cusco
Cusco's teaching market is small but consistent. Tourism drives genuine demand for English — from hotel and restaurant staff wanting to serve international visitors, to guides preparing for certification, to local professionals working in Cusco's expanding business sector.
Several language institutes operate in Cusco serving local students, tourism professionals, and university students. Year-round hiring with tourism-driven peaks.
Hotels, restaurants, and tour agencies need English-speaking staff. Private tutoring and in-house training for hospitality workers is a good income supplement.
Building private students — particularly exam preparation and business English — offers the best hourly rates in Cusco. Takes time to build but rewards patience.
Cusco salary vs living costs
Cusco pays less than Lima in absolute terms — but costs significantly less to live. Most teachers in Cusco describe comfortable lives on modest salaries, with money to travel on weekends and explore Peru during school holidays.
Life outside the classroom in Cusco
A 3-hour train ride from Cusco. Teachers who live here visit multiple times — alone, with visiting friends, on different trails. It never stops being extraordinary.
A full-day hike from Cusco to Vinicunca — the multicoloured mountain that has become Peru's second most iconic image. Hard going at altitude, breathtaking at the top.
Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) happens in Cusco every June — an extraordinary spectacle. The city's Inca and colonial heritage is not a museum exhibit. It is the actual city you live in.
The bohemian heart of Cusco — narrow cobblestone streets, artisan workshops, small restaurants, and bars where foreign teachers and travellers mix with locals. The best social hub in the city.
A 45-minute drive from Cusco — Pisac market, Ollantaytambo, Moray, the salt pans of Maras. An extraordinary weekend destination, accessible on a teacher's budget.
Budget flights connect Cusco to Lima, Arequipa, and Puerto Maldonado (Amazon). Bus connections reach Lake Titicaca and Bolivia. Cusco is an exceptional base for exploring South America.
Altitude warning
3,400 metres is high. Most teachers experience altitude sickness (soroche) in their first 1–2 weeks — headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath. Drink coca tea, rest, avoid alcohol initially. It passes. After two weeks most teachers feel entirely normal. Don't let altitude put you off — virtually everyone adjusts.
Cusco FAQ
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