Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cholula and Lima

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $1,012 a month against $1,092 in Cholula, rent and utilities included – about $960 less a year. The total is higher in Cholula despite lower rent and utilities.

Cholula
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,092
/mo nomad
Lima
🇵🇪 Peru
$1,012
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cholula 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 Cholula and in Lima actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,092 per month in Cholula vs $1,012 in Lima, rent included.

  • Cholula $1,092
  • Lima $1,012

A couple spends around $1,727 per month in Cholula vs $1,589 in Lima, rent included.

  • Cholula $1,727
  • Lima $1,589

A family of three spends $2,363 per month in Cholula vs $2,167 in Lima, rent included.

  • Cholula $2,363
  • Lima $2,167

Cholula costs about 8% more than Lima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cholula and Lima are more affordable than the global median – Cholula 19% lower, Lima 25% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cholula
Lima
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.89 MX$201
$4.40 PEN 15.10
147.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.62 MX$898
$35.17 PEN 121
38.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.45 MX$175
$6.89 PEN 23.65
37.16%
Cappuccino
$3.17 MX$58.7
$3.26 PEN 11.20
-2.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.38
$1.12 PEN 3.84
41.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19 MX$21.99
$0.62 PEN 2.11
91.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.68 MX$49.45
$2.65 PEN 9.09
1.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59 MX$84.8
$4.41 PEN 15.15
4.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cholula
Lima
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.93 MX$35.73
$1.63 PEN 5.61
18.40%
White Bread (500g)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$2.56 PEN 8.78
19.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.84 MX$33.93
$1.35 PEN 4.65
36.30%
Eggs
$2.77 MX$51.1
$2.90 PEN 9.96
-4.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.48 MX$120
$8.85 PEN 30.38
-26.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.46 MX$101
$5.98 PEN 20.52
-8.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.89 MX$201
$9.78 PEN 33.59
11.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.69 MX$49.74
$2.05 PEN 7.02
31.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 MX$31.44
$1.06 PEN 3.66
60.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.37
$1.35 PEN 4.64
49.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.89 MX$34.87
$1.50 PEN 5.15
26.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$34.27
$0.88 PEN 3.03
110.23%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 MX$33.47
$0.92 PEN 3.15
96.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.52 MX$28.04
$0.89 PEN 3.07
70.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.89
$0.90 PEN 3.10
31.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.57 MX$84.5
$5.90 PEN 20.27
-22.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.43 MX$248
$8.52 PEN 29.26
57.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 MX$27.06
$1.88 PEN 6.45
-22.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 MX$47.31
$3.22 PEN 11.05
-20.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Cholula
Lima
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.49 MX$9.01
$0.68 PEN 2.33
-27.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.51 MX$361
$26.86 PEN 92.2
-27.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.49 MX$64.5
$3.81 PEN 13.09
-8.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.66 MX$49.13
$2.02 PEN 6.93
31.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.63 MX$289
$7.11 PEN 24.41
119.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 MX$26.92
$1.72 PEN 5.91
-15.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K MX$392.9K
$22.3K PEN 76.6K
-4.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.1K MX$445.6K
$25.5K PEN 87.6K
-5.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cholula
Lima
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$58.7 MX$1,084
$73.1 PEN 251
-19.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.03 MX$352
$16.35 PEN 56.2
16.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.10 MX$445
$27.47 PEN 94.3
-12.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cholula
Lima
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$72.2 MX$1,335
$31.90 PEN 110
126.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.23 MX$374
$19.41 PEN 66.7
4.22%
Cinema Ticket
$5.54 MX$102
$7.05 PEN 24.23
-21.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cholula
Lima
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$270 MX$4,992
$182 PEN 627
48.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,569 MX$84.4K
$13.0K PEN 44.8K
-64.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cholula
Lima
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.7 MX$973
$53.8 PEN 185
-2.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.40 MX$820
$34.32 PEN 118
29.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 MX$1,913
$82.8 PEN 284
25.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.8 MX$1,845
$78.2 PEN 269
27.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cholula
Lima
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$445 MX$8,227
$721 PEN 2,476
-38.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$288 MX$5,326
$343 PEN 1,179
-16.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$592 MX$10.9K
$1,219 PEN 4,186
-51.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$472 MX$8,723
$651 PEN 2,235
-27.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,907 MX$35.2K
$2,414 PEN 8,292
-21.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,132 MX$20.9K
$1,357 PEN 4,660
-16.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cholula
Lima
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.4K
$648 PEN 2,226
28.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.96
8.94
22.60%

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

Last update for Cholula: October 13, 2026

Last update for Lima: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cholula
$288
Lima
$343 19.1% $55
Groceries & Markets
Cholula
$258
Lima
$226 12.3% $32
Eating Out
Cholula
$187
Lima
$124 33.8% $63
Clothing & Footwear
Cholula
$135
Lima
$112 17.1% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cholula
$102
Lima
$117 14.8% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Cholula
$83
Lima
$46 44.8% $37
Getting Around
Cholula
$38
Lima
$43 13.7% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Cholula versus $721 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 28% higher in Cholula, 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 $49.00 in Cholula versus $35.00 in Lima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $226 – making Lima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Cholula
🇵🇪 Lima
🕒 Local time
03:25 3:25 AM
04:25 4:25 AM
1 h ahead of Cholula
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
908
9,989,369 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cholula Lima 4,170 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cholula
  • 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
Cholula vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cholula or Lima?
Cholula costs about 8% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cholula and in Lima?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,638 per month in Cholula and $1,518 in Lima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Cholula or Lima?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Cholula and in Lima?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Cholula and $35.00 in Lima. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Cholula compared to Lima?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,092 in Cholula and $1,012 in Lima. That's a gap of about 8%.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Cholula or in Lima?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lima, where all-in costs run around $1,012, than in Cholula at $1,092. In Lima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cholula it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cholula or Lima?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lima costs $1,012 versus $1,092 in Cholula. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Cholula compared to Lima?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Cholula or to Lima?
If budget matters most, go with Lima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cholula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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