Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Arica

For one person, living is cheaper in Arica: $111 a month against $1,012 in Lima, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Arica
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Arica Living Index

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Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$1,012

/mo nomad

Arica

🇨🇱 Chile

$111

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Arica

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 Arica actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,012 per month in Lima vs $111 in Arica, rent included.

Lima $1,012
Arica $111

A couple spends around $1,589 per month in Lima vs $178 in Arica, rent included.

Lima $1,589
Arica $178

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Lima vs $246 in Arica, rent included.

Lima $2,167
Arica $246

Lima costs about 814% more than Arica, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lima and Arica are more affordable than the global median – Lima 25% lower, Arica 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 PEN 15.08

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.17 PEN 121

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 PEN 23.61

Cappuccino

$3.26 PEN 11.19

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

$1.12 PEN 3.83

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.11

$1.25 CLP 1,230

-50.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 PEN 9.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 PEN 15.12

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 PEN 5.60

$1.01 CLP 992

61.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PEN 8.76

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.64

Eggs

$2.90 PEN 9.94

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 PEN 30.33

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.98 PEN 20.49

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 PEN 33.54

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 PEN 7.01

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.65

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.63

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 PEN 5.14

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.02

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 PEN 3.15

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.07

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PEN 3.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 PEN 20.24

Wine (Bottle)

$8.52 PEN 29.21

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 PEN 6.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 PEN 11.03

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.33

$0.70 CLP 691

-2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.86 PEN 92.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 PEN 13.07

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 PEN 6.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.11 PEN 24.37

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 PEN 5.90

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

$22.3K PEN 76.5K

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

$25.5K PEN 87.4K

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

$73.1 PEN 251

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

$16.35 PEN 56.1

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.47 PEN 94.2

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.90 PEN 109

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.41 PEN 66.6

Cinema Ticket

$7.05 PEN 24.19

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

$182 PEN 626

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K PEN 44.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 PEN 184

$40.20 CLP 39.6K

33.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.32 PEN 118

$20.59 CLP 20.3K

66.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 PEN 284

$53.9 CLP 53.1K

53.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 PEN 268

$91.7 CLP 90.3K

-14.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 PEN 2,472

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 PEN 1,177

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 PEN 4,179

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 PEN 2,231

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,414 PEN 8,278

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,357 PEN 4,653

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$648 PEN 2,222

$504 CLP 496.1K

28.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

78.80%

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

Last update for Lima: October 11, 2026

Last update for Arica: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lima

$343 33.9%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Lima

$226 22.3%

Arica

$10 * 9.1% 95.5% $216

Eating Out

Lima

$124 12.3%

Arica

$5 * 4.5% 96% $119

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima

$117 11.6%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Clothing & Footwear

Lima

$112 11.1%

Arica

$93 83.9% 17.2% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Lima

$46 4.6%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Lima

$43 4.3%

Arica

$2.8 * 2.5% 93.5% $41

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 29% higher in Lima, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Lima

🇨🇱 Arica

🕒 Local time

04:26 4:26 AM

06:26 6:26 AM

2 h ahead of Lima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,989,369 Capital

202,131

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.292 USD

1 PEN = 0.26 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.15 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇪 Peruvian Sol (S/)

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.292 USD). 1 EUR = 3.84 PEN (1 PEN = 0.26 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 985 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,103 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.07 EUR).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lima Arica 1,010 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Lima
Arica

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 Arica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,012 in Lima, $111 in Arica – roughly 814% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,518 per month in Lima and $166 in Arica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,012 in Lima and $111 in Arica. That's a gap of about 814%.

Groceries cost about 2144% more in Lima, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $111, than in Lima at $1,012. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lima has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $111 in Arica to $1,012 in Lima. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Arica. 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.