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: $2,158 in Bristol, VA versus $1,016 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,220 in Bristol, VA versus $1,623 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,282 in Bristol, VA versus $2,229 in Lima.

Living in Bristol, VA is roughly 112% more expensive than in Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bristol, VA is 57% above, Lima is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.37 $22.37

$4.35 PEN 14.63

414.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.1 $66.1

$32.17 PEN 108

105.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$7.03 PEN 23.65

44.10%

Cappuccino

$3.93 $3.93

$3.23 PEN 10.87

21.67%

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

$1.90 $1.90

$1.13 PEN 3.81

68.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$0.62 PEN 2.08

179.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.68 PEN 9.02

69.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 $6.14

$4.53 PEN 15.24

35.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.64 PEN 5.51

-26.22%

White Bread (500g)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.60 PEN 8.75

63.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.34 PEN 4.51

187.31%

Eggs

$3.87 $3.87

$3.05 PEN 10.27

26.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.05 $18.05

$9.01 PEN 30.31

100.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.71 $13.71

$5.93 PEN 19.93

131.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.09 $27.09

$9.80 PEN 32.97

176.43%

Apples (1kg)

$7.73 $7.73

$2.10 PEN 7.05

268.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.05 PEN 3.54

24.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.94 $6.94

$1.45 PEN 4.89

378.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.32 $7.32

$1.50 PEN 5.04

388.00%

Potato (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$0.93 PEN 3.11

426.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$0.94 PEN 3.17

196.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 $2.88

$0.89 PEN 3.01

223.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$0.95 PEN 3.20

275.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.82 PEN 19.56

37.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.74 $14.74

$9.02 PEN 30.35

63.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.94 PEN 6.52

-16.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.23 PEN 10.85

41.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 PEN 2.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.19 PEN 91.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.15 $7.15

$3.90 PEN 13.11

83.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.03 PEN 6.83

10.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.71 $14.71

$7.45 PEN 25.05

97.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.71 PEN 5.77

-49.71%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$22.2K PEN 74.6K

59.91%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.7K PEN 89.9K

-3.82%

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

$176 $176

$71.1 PEN 239

147.22%

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

$50.8 $50.8

$16.93 PEN 56.9

200.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 $62.0

$28.29 PEN 95.2

119.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.77 $31.77

$33.80 PEN 114

-6.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.96 PEN 67.2

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 $12.18

$7.23 PEN 24.30

68.46%

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

$1,276 $1,276

$181 PEN 608

606.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,803 $9,803

$13.4K PEN 45.2K

-27.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.69 $39.69

$54.0 PEN 182

-26.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.66 $30.66

$35.57 PEN 120

-13.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 $64.4

$85.9 PEN 289

-25.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 $88.8

$81.0 PEN 273

9.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 $1,085

$759 PEN 2,551

43.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 $829

$346 PEN 1,165

139.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 $1,805

$1,254 PEN 4,218

43.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 $1,419

$646 PEN 2,172

119.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,789 $1,789

$2,479 PEN 8,338

-27.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,782 $1,782

$1,391 PEN 4,678

28.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,943 $2,943

$669 PEN 2,249

340.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.04

8.94

-32.44%

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

Last update for Bristol, VA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lima: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,085 in Bristol, VA and $759 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bristol, VA pays 340% 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: $66.0 in Bristol, VA vs $32.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $522 vs $230 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 112% in total monthly costs ($2,158 vs $1,016 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 340% higher in Bristol, VA, 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: $1,085 in Bristol, VA versus $759 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,276 in Bristol, VA versus $181 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 $32.00 versus $66.0 in Bristol, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,016 in Lima versus $2,158 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 112% less than in Bristol, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.