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: $2,136 in Bristol, VA versus $999 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,052 in Bristol, VA versus $1,561 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,968 in Bristol, VA versus $2,124 in Lima.

Living in Bristol, VA is roughly 114% more expensive than in Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bristol, VA is 60% above, Lima is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 $17.85

$4.06 PEN 13.77

339.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 $76.4

$33.99 PEN 115

124.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 $9.98

$6.74 PEN 22.86

48.07%

Cappuccino

$4.99 $4.99

$2.52 PEN 8.56

98.02%

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

$2.34 $2.34

$0.94 PEN 3.18

148.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.65 PEN 2.21

173.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.17 PEN 7.35

123.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$3.95 PEN 13.39

73.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.41 PEN 4.78

-25.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.72 PEN 9.22

17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$1.37 PEN 4.64

181.75%

Eggs

$4.66 $4.66

$2.94 PEN 9.98

58.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 $16.65

$7.92 PEN 26.87

110.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.71 $16.71

$5.76 PEN 19.54

190.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.29 $17.29

$10.71 PEN 36.32

61.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$1.98 PEN 6.72

187.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.08 PEN 3.66

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$1.10 PEN 3.72

506.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$1.19 PEN 4.05

240.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.04 PEN 3.51

257.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.00 PEN 3.38

179.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.87 PEN 2.94

108.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.86 PEN 2.93

126.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.24 $8.24

$5.59 PEN 18.96

47.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$8.99 PEN 30.51

69.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.77 PEN 5.99

20.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.07 PEN 10.42

5.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.68 PEN 2.29

197.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.68 PEN 107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.37 PEN 11.43

-10.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.22 PEN 7.54

6.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.31 $30.31

$8.26 PEN 28.00

266.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.35 PEN 4.58

-38.52%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$19.4K PEN 65.8K

82.04%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$24.3K PEN 82.3K

-2.76%

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

$139 $139

$56.4 PEN 191

145.71%

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

$54.3 $54.3

$12.57 PEN 42.63

332.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 $69.2

$23.66 PEN 80.3

192.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.65 $43.65

$31.04 PEN 105

40.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 PEN 63.4

Cinema Ticket

$14.20 $14.20

$6.83 PEN 23.17

107.91%

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

$1,338 $1,338

$219 PEN 743

511.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$8,096 PEN 27.5K

200.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.77 $49.77

$49.58 PEN 168

0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.57 $35.57

$35.59 PEN 121

-0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.57 $45.57

$89.3 PEN 303

-48.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 $91.5

$88.9 PEN 302

2.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 $1,008

$623 PEN 2,115

61.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$913 $913

$344 PEN 1,167

165.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 $1,660

$1,027 PEN 3,484

61.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 $1,292

$618 PEN 2,098

108.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,801 $1,801

$2,315 PEN 7,852

-22.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,798 $1,798

$1,395 PEN 4,734

28.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,946 $2,946

$625 PEN 2,120

371.39%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lima: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,008 in Bristol, VA and $623 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bristol, VA pays 371% 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 $34.00 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 114% in total monthly costs ($2,136 vs $999 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 371% 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: $1,008 in Bristol, VA versus $623 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,338 in Bristol, VA versus $219 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 $34.00 versus $76.0 in Bristol, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $999 in Lima versus $2,136 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 114% less than in Bristol, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.