Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cookeville, TN and Lima

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $1,042 a month against $2,401 in Cookeville, TN, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cookeville, TN, United States
Lima, Peru
Cookeville, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,401
/mo nomad
Lima
🇵🇪 Peru
$1,042
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,401 per month in Cookeville, TN vs $1,042 in Lima, rent included.

  • Cookeville, TN $2,401
  • Lima $1,042

A couple spends around $3,600 per month in Cookeville, TN vs $1,651 in Lima, rent included.

  • Cookeville, TN $3,600
  • Lima $1,651

A family of three spends $4,799 per month in Cookeville, TN vs $2,259 in Lima, rent included.

  • Cookeville, TN $4,799
  • Lima $2,259

Cookeville, TN costs about 130% more than Lima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Cookeville, TN sits 78% above the global median, while Lima is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cookeville, TN
Lima
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.14 $21.14
$4.64 PEN 15.95
355.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.23 $49.23
$34.34 PEN 118
43.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.79 $7.79
$7.01 PEN 24.12
11.13%
Cappuccino
$4.07 $4.07
$3.22 PEN 11.09
26.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 $2.72
$1.13 PEN 3.90
140.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$0.61 PEN 2.09
180.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.04 $5.04
$2.93 PEN 10.07
72.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 $4.61
$4.25 PEN 14.63
8.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cookeville, TN
Lima
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.82 $0.82
$1.58 PEN 5.44
-48.10%
White Bread (500g)
$2.65 $2.65
$2.61 PEN 8.98
1.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.66 $7.66
$1.30 PEN 4.46
489.23%
Eggs
$3.21 $3.21
$2.92 PEN 10.04
9.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.04 $20.04
$9.54 PEN 32.82
110.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.87 $8.87
$5.71 PEN 19.66
55.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.92 $17.92
$9.47 PEN 32.57
89.23%
Apples (1kg)
$9.91 $9.91
$2.01 PEN 6.91
393.03%
Banana (1kg)
$2.17 $2.17
$1.02 PEN 3.52
112.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.45 PEN 4.99
53.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 $2.18
$1.49 PEN 5.14
46.31%
Potato (1kg)
$2.23 $2.23
$0.91 PEN 3.14
145.05%
Onion (1kg)
$2.16 $2.16
$0.89 PEN 3.07
142.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.94 $2.94
$0.86 PEN 2.97
241.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.03 $3.03
$0.89 PEN 3.05
240.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.10 $9.10
$5.47 PEN 18.83
66.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.37 $12.37
$10.17 PEN 34.99
21.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.81 PEN 6.21
-5.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.21 $8.21
$3.15 PEN 10.83
160.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Cookeville, TN
Lima
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.66 PEN 2.28
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$31.89 PEN 110
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 $6.10
$3.43 PEN 11.79
77.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 $0.64
$1.98 PEN 6.80
-67.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$9.60 PEN 33.03
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.73 $0.73
$1.71 PEN 5.89
-57.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K $27.5K
$21.9K PEN 75.2K
25.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$29.0K PEN 99.9K
-7.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cookeville, TN
Lima
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$298 $298
$65.8 PEN 227
353.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$45.01 $45.01
$15.26 PEN 52.5
194.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.4 $85.4
$26.87 PEN 92.5
217.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cookeville, TN
Lima
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.46 $34.46
$32.91 PEN 113
4.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.56 $37.56
$20.12 PEN 69.2
86.68%
Cinema Ticket
$14.18 $14.18
$7.12 PEN 24.49
99.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cookeville, TN
Lima
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$824 $824
$309 PEN 1,063
166.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.3K $15.3K
$21.4K PEN 73.5K
-28.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cookeville, TN
Lima
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.85 $44.85
$52.0 PEN 179
-13.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.85 $45.85
$35.69 PEN 123
28.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$133 $133
$81.8 PEN 281
62.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 $140
$78.0 PEN 268
79.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cookeville, TN
Lima
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,142 $1,142
$727 PEN 2,501
57.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,016 $1,016
$373 PEN 1,284
172.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,493 $2,493
$1,249 PEN 4,296
99.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,961 $1,961
$739 PEN 2,543
165.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,257 $2,257
$2,380 PEN 8,190
-5.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,258 $2,258
$1,365 PEN 4,696
65.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cookeville, TN
Lima
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$650 PEN 2,237
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.59
8.38
-21.36%

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

Last update for Cookeville, TN: October 31, 2026

Last update for Lima: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cookeville, TN
$1K
Lima
$373 63.3% $643
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cookeville, TN
$429
Lima
$108 74.8% $321
Groceries & Markets
Cookeville, TN
$428
Lima
$228 46.6% $199
Eating Out
Cookeville, TN
$293
Lima
$127 56.8% $167
Clothing & Footwear
Cookeville, TN
$164
Lima
$111 31.9% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Cookeville, TN
$63
Lima
$47 25% $16
Getting Around
Cookeville, TN
$9.3 *
Lima
$48 413% $39

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,142 in Cookeville, TN versus $727 in Lima. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Cookeville, TN versus $34 in Lima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $428 vs $228 – making Lima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Cookeville, TN
🇵🇪 Lima
🕒 Local time
10:48 10:48 AM
11:48 11:48 AM
1 h ahead of Cookeville, TN
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
28,340
9,989,369 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.44 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cookeville, TN Lima 5,440 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cookeville, TN
  • 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
Cookeville, TN vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cookeville, TN or Lima?
Cookeville, TN costs about 130% more than Lima, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 Cookeville, TN and in Lima?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,601 per month in Cookeville, TN and $1,564 in Lima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Cookeville, TN or Lima?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lima, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $727 there versus $1,142 in Cookeville, TN.
How do dining costs compare in Cookeville, TN and in Lima?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Cookeville, TN and $34 in Lima. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Cookeville, TN or in Lima?
Groceries cost about 87% more in Cookeville, TN, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Cookeville, TN or in Lima?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lima, where all-in costs run around $1,042, than in Cookeville, TN at $2,401. In Lima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cookeville, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Lima – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Cookeville, TN vs other spots: cost of living compared

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