Cost of Living Comparison Between Bristol, VA and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between Bristol, VA and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,137 in Bristol, VA versus $985 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,076 in Bristol, VA versus $1,537 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,015 in Bristol, VA versus $2,089 in Lima.

Living in Bristol, VA is roughly 117% more expensive than Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bristol, VA is 60% above, Lima is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 $18.09

$4.11 PEN 13.98

340.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$32.93 PEN 112

131.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 $10.14

$7.00 PEN 23.81

44.86%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$2.54 PEN 8.64

96.06%

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

$2.29 $2.29

$0.92 PEN 3.13

148.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$0.61 PEN 2.06

183.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.24 PEN 7.62

118.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$3.84 PEN 13.07

86.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.41 PEN 4.79

-28.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.73 PEN 9.30

19.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.30 PEN 4.44

210.77%

Eggs

$4.43 $4.43

$2.96 PEN 10.06

49.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.82 $16.82

$7.97 PEN 27.11

111.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.98 $16.98

$5.67 PEN 19.30

199.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.22 $17.22

$10.58 PEN 36.00

62.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$2.02 PEN 6.87

186.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.07 PEN 3.65

22.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$1.13 PEN 3.85

482.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$1.25 PEN 4.26

209.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.03 PEN 3.51

261.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$0.96 PEN 3.25

191.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.87 PEN 2.96

108.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.88 PEN 3.00

111.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.46 PEN 18.58

43.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$8.98 PEN 30.55

69.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.75 PEN 5.96

21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.08 PEN 10.47

6.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.67 PEN 2.26

194.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 PEN 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.38 PEN 11.51

-10.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.21 PEN 7.53

2.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.96 $29.96

$8.22 PEN 27.96

264.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.35 PEN 4.60

-37.04%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

78.72%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

-3.24%

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

$138 $138

$56.7 PEN 193

143.18%

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

$54.2 $54.2

$12.64 PEN 43.00

328.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$24.00 PEN 81.7

191.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.68 $43.68

$30.10 PEN 102

45.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 PEN 64.5

Cinema Ticket

$13.81 $13.81

$6.74 PEN 22.92

104.90%

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

$1,314 $1,314

$218 PEN 740

504.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

212.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.23 $49.23

$49.95 PEN 170

-1.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.28 $36.28

$36.59 PEN 125

-0.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.48 $44.48

$89.7 PEN 305

-50.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 $90.9

$88.1 PEN 300

3.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$997 $997

$606 PEN 2,062

64.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$911 $911

$350 PEN 1,189

160.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 $1,644

$1,036 PEN 3,524

58.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 $1,264

$628 PEN 2,135

101.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,825 $1,825

$2,367 PEN 8,054

-22.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,791 $1,791

$1,434 PEN 4,880

24.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,970 $2,970

$626 PEN 2,131

374.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

10.11

-35.61%

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

Last update for Bristol, VA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $997 in Bristol, VA and $606 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bristol, VA pays 374% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $76.0 in Bristol, VA vs $33.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $440 vs $222 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

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

Bristol, VA vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bristol, VA and Lima differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($2,137 vs $985 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bristol, VA pays 374% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $997 in Bristol, VA versus $606 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,314 in Bristol, VA versus $218 in Lima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Lima – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $76.0 in Bristol, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $985 in Lima versus $2,137 in Bristol, VA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Bristol, VA. The gap between the two cities makes Lima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Bristol, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.