Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boise, ID and Lima

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $996 a month against $2,555 in Boise, ID, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Boise, ID
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Boise, ID Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index

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Boise, ID

🇺🇸 United States

$2,555

/mo nomad

Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$996

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boise, ID and in Lima

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Boise, ID and in Lima actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,555 per month in Boise, ID vs $996 in Lima, rent included.

Boise, ID $2,555
Lima $996

A couple spends around $3,640 per month in Boise, ID vs $1,594 in Lima, rent included.

Boise, ID $3,640
Lima $1,594

A family of three spends $4,725 per month in Boise, ID vs $2,191 in Lima, rent included.

Boise, ID $4,725
Lima $2,191

Boise, ID costs about 157% more than Lima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Boise, ID sits 91% above the global median, while Lima is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.91 $19.91

$4.42 PEN 15.16

350.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 $71.3

$35.04 PEN 120

103.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$6.84 PEN 23.44

87.87%

Cappuccino

$6.00 $6.00

$3.27 PEN 11.22

83.49%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.10 PEN 3.78

146.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.65 PEN 2.22

203.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.62 $6.62

$2.58 PEN 8.85

156.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.62 $6.62

$4.47 PEN 15.34

48.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.59 PEN 5.46

-42.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.58 PEN 8.86

43.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$1.36 PEN 4.65

356.62%

Eggs

$4.40 $4.40

$2.95 PEN 10.11

49.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.99 $15.99

$9.10 PEN 31.19

75.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 $11.14

$5.81 PEN 19.91

91.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.52 $17.52

$9.83 PEN 33.68

78.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$2.01 PEN 6.89

136.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.08 PEN 3.69

61.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.37 PEN 4.70

185.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$1.48 PEN 5.06

241.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$0.96 PEN 3.30

202.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$0.85 PEN 2.92

208.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 $2.39

$0.88 PEN 3.02

171.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.87 PEN 2.97

189.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.07 $9.07

$5.90 PEN 20.24

53.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.45 $15.45

$8.81 PEN 30.21

75.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.92 PEN 6.57

6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.20 PEN 10.98

0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.68 PEN 2.33

123.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.11 $42.11

$26.74 PEN 91.7

57.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.81 PEN 13.06

-31.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.04 PEN 7.00

-26.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.80 $23.80

$7.14 PEN 24.49

233.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.65 PEN 5.65

-27.27%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.7K $35.7K

$22.2K PEN 76.0K

60.97%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.3K $25.3K

$25.7K PEN 88.0K

-1.27%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$173 $173

$73.0 PEN 250

136.71%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$57.8 $57.8

$16.26 PEN 55.7

255.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 $76.9

$27.60 PEN 94.6

178.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.56 $40.56

$33.07 PEN 113

22.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.63 $37.63

$19.49 PEN 66.8

93.07%

Cinema Ticket

$12.34 $12.34

$7.39 PEN 25.33

66.98%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$979 $979

$182 PEN 624

437.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$13.3K PEN 45.7K

81.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 $55.0

$52.6 PEN 180

4.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.53 $40.53

$34.23 PEN 117

18.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 $87.8

$83.8 PEN 287

4.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$79.0 PEN 271

39.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 $1,604

$723 PEN 2,479

121.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 $1,297

$340 PEN 1,166

281.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,398 $2,398

$1,184 PEN 4,060

102.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,795 $1,795

$635 PEN 2,176

182.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,339 $7,339

$2,449 PEN 8,394

199.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,076 $3,076

$1,372 PEN 4,702

124.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,367 $4,367

$653 PEN 2,237

569.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

8.94

-25.28%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Boise, ID: October 6, 2026

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Boise, ID

$1.3K 49.6%

Lima

$340 33.6% 73.8% $956

Groceries & Markets

Boise, ID

$421 16.1%

Lima

$226 22.4% 46.3% $195

Eating Out

Boise, ID

$335 12.8%

Lima

$124 12.3% 63% $211

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boise, ID

$308 11.8%

Lima

$117 11.6% 62% $191

Clothing & Footwear

Boise, ID

$132 5.1%

Lima

$112 11.1% 15% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Boise, ID

$65 2.5%

Lima

$48 4.7% 26.7% $17

Getting Around

Boise, ID

$58 2.2%

Lima

$43 4.3% 25.3% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Boise, ID versus $723 in Lima. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 569% higher in Boise, ID, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Boise, ID versus $35.00 in Lima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $421 vs $226 – making Lima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Boise, ID

🇵🇪 Lima

🕒 Local time

00:20 12:20 AM

01:20 1:20 AM

1 h ahead of Boise, ID

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

235,684

9,989,369 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 PEN = 0.292 USD

1 PEN = 0.26 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇪 Peruvian Sol (S/)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.292 USD). 1 EUR = 3.84 PEN (1 PEN = 0.26 EUR).

PEN to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Boise, ID Lima 7,350 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Boise, ID
Lima

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Boise, ID vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boise, ID costs about 157% more than Lima, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,833 per month in Boise, ID and $1,494 in Lima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $979 per month in Boise, ID and $182 in Lima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% more in Boise, ID, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lima, where all-in costs run around $996, than in Boise, ID at $2,555. In Lima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boise, ID it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lima costs $996 versus $2,555 in Boise, ID. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Lima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boise, ID makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.