Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Aguascalientes

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $996 a month against $1,113 in Aguascalientes, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Aguascalientes
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Aguascalientes Living Index

Jump to prices

Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$996

/mo nomad

Aguascalientes

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,113

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Aguascalientes

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lima and in Aguascalientes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Lima versus $1,113 in Aguascalientes.

Lima $996
Aguascalientes $1,113

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,594 in Lima versus $1,744 in Aguascalientes.

Lima $1,594
Aguascalientes $1,744

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,191 in Lima versus $2,375 in Aguascalientes.

Lima $2,191
Aguascalientes $2,375

Living in Lima costs roughly 11% less than in Aguascalientes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 26% lower, Aguascalientes 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 PEN 15.16

$12.50 MX$229

-64.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 PEN 120

$44.72 MX$821

-21.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 PEN 23.44

$7.00 MX$129

-2.29%

Cappuccino

$3.27 PEN 11.22

$3.86 MX$70.9

-15.28%

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

$1.10 PEN 3.78

$1.64 MX$30.09

-32.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.22

$1.21 MX$22.21

-46.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 PEN 8.85

$2.18 MX$40.03

18.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 PEN 15.34

$3.26 MX$59.8

37.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 PEN 5.46

$1.47 MX$26.98

8.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 PEN 8.86

$2.22 MX$40.72

16.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.65

$1.56 MX$28.69

-12.82%

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 10.11

$2.45 MX$45.02

20.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 PEN 31.19

$8.03 MX$147

13.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 PEN 19.91

$8.61 MX$158

-32.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 PEN 33.68

$11.47 MX$211

-14.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.89

$2.32 MX$42.51

-13.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.69

$1.33 MX$24.38

-18.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.70

$1.54 MX$28.29

-11.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 PEN 5.06

$1.76 MX$32.37

-15.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.30

$1.62 MX$29.66

-40.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.92

$1.36 MX$25.03

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 3.02

$0.99 MX$18.21

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.97

$0.83 MX$15.18

4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 PEN 20.24

$4.38 MX$80.4

34.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 PEN 30.21

$8.88 MX$163

-0.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.57

$1.81 MX$33.32

6.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 PEN 10.98

$3.42 MX$62.8

-6.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.33

$0.59 MX$10.78

15.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 PEN 91.7

$24.33 MX$447

9.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 PEN 13.06

$1.22 MX$22.36

212.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 7.00

$1.16 MX$21.37

75.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.14 PEN 24.49

$10.96 MX$201

-34.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 PEN 5.65

$1.54 MX$28.21

7.14%

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

$22.2K PEN 76.0K

$21.7K MX$397.6K

2.41%

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

$25.7K PEN 88.0K

$23.9K MX$438.9K

7.37%

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

$73.0 PEN 250

$55.6 MX$1,021

31.39%

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

$16.26 PEN 55.7

$24.71 MX$454

-34.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.60 PEN 94.6

$24.50 MX$450

12.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.07 PEN 113

$31.42 MX$577

5.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.49 PEN 66.8

$22.39 MX$411

-12.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 PEN 25.33

$5.16 MX$94.7

43.22%

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

$182 PEN 624

$220 MX$4,039

-17.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 45.7K

$2,916 MX$53.5K

356.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 PEN 180

$55.6 MX$1,021

-5.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 PEN 117

$37.98 MX$697

-9.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 PEN 287

$104 MX$1,916

-19.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 PEN 271

$69.9 MX$1,284

13.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 PEN 2,479

$516 MX$9,475

40.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 PEN 1,166

$361 MX$6,620

-5.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 PEN 4,060

$810 MX$14.9K

46.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 PEN 2,176

$642 MX$11.8K

-1.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 PEN 8,394

$1,183 MX$21.7K

107.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 PEN 4,702

$1,176 MX$21.6K

16.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 PEN 2,237

$884 MX$16.2K

-26.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

11.2

-20.18%

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

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Last update for Aguascalientes: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lima

$340 33.6%

Aguascalientes

$361 32.7% 6% $20

Groceries & Markets

Lima

$226 22.4%

Aguascalientes

$244 22.2% 7.9% $18

Eating Out

Lima

$124 12.3%

Aguascalientes

$196 17.8% 58.1% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima

$117 11.6%

Aguascalientes

$105 9.5% 10.4% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Lima

$112 11.1%

Aguascalientes

$121 10.9% 7.3% $8.2

Sport & Entertainment

Lima

$48 4.7%

Aguascalientes

$42 3.8% 12.8% $6.1

Getting Around

Lima

$43 4.3%

Aguascalientes

$34 3.1% 22.5% $9.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $723 in Lima and $516 in Aguascalientes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aguascalientes pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Lima vs $45.00 in Aguascalientes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $244 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Lima

🇲🇽 Aguascalientes

🕒 Local time

02:27 2:27 AM

01:27 1:27 AM

1 h behind Lima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,989,369 Capital

863,893

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.292 USD

1 PEN = 0.26 EUR

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇪 Peruvian Sol (S/)

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.292 USD). 1 EUR = 3.84 PEN (1 PEN = 0.26 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lima Aguascalientes 4,670 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Lima
Aguascalientes

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

Lima vs Aguascalientes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Aguascalientes. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $723 in Lima versus $516 in Aguascalientes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lima runs roughly 10% less than in Aguascalientes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $182 in Lima versus $220 in Aguascalientes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $996 in Lima versus $1,113 in Aguascalientes, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Aguascalientes. The gap between the two cities makes Lima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lima is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Aguascalientes, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lima and Aguascalientes are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Aguascalientes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.