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 $566 per month in La Merced vs $1,014 in Lima, rent included.

A couple spends around $926 per month in La Merced vs $1,605 in Lima, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,286 per month in La Merced vs $2,196 in Lima, rent included.

La Merced is about 44% cheaper than Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both La Merced and Lima are more affordable than the global median – La Merced 59% lower, Lima 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 PEN 15.15

$4.36 PEN 14.71

2.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 PEN 121

$35.98 PEN 121

-0.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 PEN 23.73

$7.14 PEN 24.09

-1.54%

Cappuccino

$3.42 PEN 11.53

$3.39 PEN 11.45

0.88%

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

$1.14 PEN 3.86

$1.09 PEN 3.68

4.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.10

$0.62 PEN 2.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 PEN 9.15

$2.72 PEN 9.16

-0.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 PEN 15.48

$4.53 PEN 15.28

1.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 PEN 5.67

$1.62 PEN 5.48

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 PEN 6.94

$2.70 PEN 9.11

-23.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.40

$1.38 PEN 4.65

-5.80%

Eggs

$2.42 PEN 8.16

$2.95 PEN 9.95

-17.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 PEN 25.31

$9.46 PEN 31.91

-20.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 PEN 20.12

$6.05 PEN 20.41

-1.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 PEN 30.66

$9.99 PEN 33.71

-9.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$2.03 PEN 6.83

-50.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.47 PEN 1.57

$1.06 PEN 3.57

-55.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$1.42 PEN 4.79

-78.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.38

$1.49 PEN 5.04

-53.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PEN 1.06

$0.93 PEN 3.14

-66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PEN 1.59

$0.86 PEN 2.90

-45.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.09

$0.84 PEN 2.84

-26.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 PEN 3.20

$0.94 PEN 3.16

1.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.94 PEN 20.05

$6.04 PEN 20.39

-1.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.64 PEN 25.76

$8.99 PEN 30.34

-15.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 PEN 6.68

$1.92 PEN 6.49

3.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 PEN 11.18

$3.25 PEN 10.97

1.85%

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)

$4.12 PEN 13.91

$4.05 PEN 13.67

1.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.93

$2.03 PEN 6.83

0.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 PEN 24.87

$7.23 PEN 24.40

1.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 PEN 5.81

$1.73 PEN 5.83

-0.58%

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

$22.3K PEN 75.3K

$21.9K PEN 73.7K

2.14%

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

$25.9K PEN 87.2K

$26.3K PEN 88.8K

-1.73%

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

$70.0 PEN 236

$71.6 PEN 242

-2.15%

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

$17.07 PEN 57.6

$16.89 PEN 57.0

1.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.18 PEN 95.1

$27.92 PEN 94.2

0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.23 PEN 112

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.13 PEN 67.9

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 PEN 25.64

$7.52 PEN 25.37

1.06%

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

$183 PEN 618

-0.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 44.9K

$13.5K PEN 45.7K

-1.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 PEN 184

$55.0 PEN 186

-0.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 PEN 119

$36.32 PEN 123

-3.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 PEN 286

$87.4 PEN 295

-3.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 PEN 272

$79.8 PEN 269

1.14%

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)

$1,277 PEN 4,308

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)

$656 PEN 2,214

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 La Merced: September 13, 2026

Last update for Lima: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in La Merced versus $36.00 in Lima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $232 – making La Merced 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

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

Lima costs about 79% 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 $849 per month in La Merced and $1,521 in Lima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $566 in La Merced and $1,014 in Lima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $183 per month in La Merced and $183 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 $566, than in Lima at $1,014. 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 $566 versus $1,014 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.