Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $525 per month in La Merced vs $967 in Lima, rent included.

A couple spends around $867 per month in La Merced vs $1,518 in Lima, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,209 per month in La Merced vs $2,069 in Lima, rent included.

La Merced is about 46% cheaper than Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both La Merced and Lima are more affordable than the global median – La Merced 61% lower, Lima 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 PEN 14.06

$4.09 PEN 13.89

1.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.61 PEN 114

$33.09 PEN 113

1.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 PEN 24.13

$7.02 PEN 23.87

1.14%

Cappuccino

$2.65 PEN 9.00

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

$0.99 PEN 3.36

$0.96 PEN 3.27

3.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.22

$0.66 PEN 2.25

-1.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 PEN 7.66

$2.16 PEN 7.34

4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 PEN 13.31

$3.98 PEN 13.53

-1.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 5.01

$1.48 PEN 5.02

-0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 PEN 6.65

$2.67 PEN 9.09

-26.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.33

$1.31 PEN 4.44

-3.05%

Eggs

$2.28 PEN 7.74

$2.93 PEN 9.96

-22.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 PEN 22.89

$7.78 PEN 26.46

-13.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 PEN 18.79

$5.73 PEN 19.48

-3.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.41 PEN 28.60

$10.80 PEN 36.71

-22.13%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.19

$2.04 PEN 6.93

-53.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.41 PEN 1.39

$1.09 PEN 3.70

-62.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$1.14 PEN 3.88

-74.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.27

$1.20 PEN 4.09

-44.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.99 PEN 3.36

-70.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.47

$0.98 PEN 3.34

-56.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$0.87 PEN 2.95

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PEN 3.18

$0.88 PEN 2.98

5.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 PEN 18.79

$5.59 PEN 19.02

-1.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.03 PEN 23.91

$8.75 PEN 29.76

-19.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 PEN 6.04

$1.70 PEN 5.79

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 PEN 10.17

$3.09 PEN 10.49

-3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 PEN 2.25

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.56 PEN 107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 PEN 11.22

$3.36 PEN 11.44

-1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 PEN 7.47

$2.12 PEN 7.21

3.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.45 PEN 28.73

$8.24 PEN 28.00

2.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 PEN 4.57

$1.36 PEN 4.62

-1.47%

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

$19.2K PEN 65.3K

$19.1K PEN 65.1K

0.26%

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

$24.7K PEN 84.1K

$24.8K PEN 84.5K

-0.44%

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

$56.7 PEN 193

$57.3 PEN 195

-1.03%

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

$12.69 PEN 43.15

$12.39 PEN 42.13

2.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.14 PEN 82.1

$23.34 PEN 79.4

3.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.84 PEN 105

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.08 PEN 64.9

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 PEN 23.34

$7.09 PEN 24.12

-3.10%

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

$215 PEN 731

$217 PEN 737

-0.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,905 PEN 26.9K

$7,885 PEN 26.8K

0.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.51 PEN 168

$49.27 PEN 168

0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.14 PEN 123

$36.56 PEN 124

-1.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 PEN 304

$89.4 PEN 304

-0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 PEN 310

$88.4 PEN 300

3.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 PEN 2,123

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 PEN 1,175

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 PEN 3,589

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 PEN 2,164

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,329 PEN 7,917

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,403 PEN 4,771

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 PEN 2,093

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

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

Last update for La Merced: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lima: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in La Merced versus $33.00 in Lima. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in La Merced vs $221 in Lima – so La Merced wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

La Merced vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima costs about 84% more than La Merced, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $787 per month in La Merced and $1,450 in Lima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $525 in La Merced and $967 in Lima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $215 per month in La Merced and $217 in Lima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in La Merced, where all-in costs run around $525, than in Lima at $967. In La Merced it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Merced costs $525 versus $967 in Lima. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with La Merced. 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.