Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $565 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,014 in Lima, rent included.

A couple spends around $899 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,605 in Lima, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,233 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $2,196 in Lima, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 44% cheaper than Lima, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Cerro de Pasco and Lima are more affordable than the global median – Cerro de Pasco 59% lower, Lima 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 PEN 9.98

$4.36 PEN 14.71

-32.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.49 PEN 99.5

$35.98 PEN 121

-18.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.05 PEN 23.77

$7.14 PEN 24.09

-1.26%

Cappuccino

$2.10 PEN 7.08

$3.39 PEN 11.45

-38.05%

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

$0.75 PEN 2.54

$1.09 PEN 3.68

-31.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 PEN 1.56

$0.62 PEN 2.09

-25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 PEN 8.91

$2.72 PEN 9.16

-2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.30

$4.53 PEN 15.28

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 PEN 5.34

$1.62 PEN 5.48

-2.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 PEN 8.22

$2.70 PEN 9.11

-9.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.29

$1.38 PEN 4.65

-7.97%

Eggs

$2.42 PEN 8.16

$2.95 PEN 9.95

-17.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 PEN 32.06

$9.46 PEN 31.91

0.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 PEN 20.87

$6.05 PEN 20.41

2.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.39 PEN 28.30

$9.99 PEN 33.71

-16.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.78

$2.03 PEN 6.83

-0.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.53

$1.06 PEN 3.57

-29.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.47 PEN 1.57

$1.42 PEN 4.79

-66.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.98

$1.49 PEN 5.04

-20.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.43

$0.93 PEN 3.14

-22.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 PEN 1.79

$0.86 PEN 2.90

-38.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$0.84 PEN 2.84

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PEN 3.07

$0.94 PEN 3.16

-3.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 PEN 19.98

$6.04 PEN 20.39

-1.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.28 PEN 24.57

$8.99 PEN 30.34

-19.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.47

$1.92 PEN 6.49

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PEN 9.22

$3.25 PEN 10.97

-16.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.60 PEN 93.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 PEN 13.62

$4.05 PEN 13.67

-0.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.16

$2.03 PEN 6.83

4.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.51 PEN 25.35

$7.23 PEN 24.40

3.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 PEN 5.85

$1.73 PEN 5.83

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

$22.1K PEN 74.6K

$21.9K PEN 73.7K

1.20%

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

$26.1K PEN 87.9K

$26.3K PEN 88.8K

-0.91%

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

$70.7 PEN 239

$71.6 PEN 242

-1.23%

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

$17.03 PEN 57.5

$16.89 PEN 57.0

0.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.25 PEN 95.3

$27.92 PEN 94.2

1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.23 PEN 112

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.13 PEN 67.9

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 PEN 25.48

$7.52 PEN 25.37

0.40%

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

$181 PEN 609

$183 PEN 618

-1.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K PEN 45.8K

$13.5K PEN 45.7K

0.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 PEN 181

$55.0 PEN 186

-2.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.34 PEN 123

$36.32 PEN 123

0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 PEN 289

$87.4 PEN 295

-2.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 PEN 275

$79.8 PEN 269

2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 PEN 2,578

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 PEN 1,186

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 PEN 1,422

$1,277 PEN 4,308

-66.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 PEN 2,215

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 PEN 8,423

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,403 PEN 4,733

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$483 PEN 1,631

$656 PEN 2,214

-26.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

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

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lima: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 36% higher in Lima, 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 $29.00 in Cerro de Pasco versus $36.00 in Lima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $232 – making Cerro de Pasco the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Cerro de Pasco vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lima is pricier by about 80%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $847 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $1,521 in Lima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Cerro de Pasco and $36.00 in Lima. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Lima, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cerro de Pasco, where all-in costs run around $565, than in Lima at $1,014. In Cerro de Pasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cerro de Pasco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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