For one person, living is cheaper in Assis: $862 a month against $1,014 in Lima, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Assis actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,014 in Lima versus $862 in Assis.
Lima $1,014
Assis $862
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,613 in Lima versus $1,343 in Assis.
Lima $1,613
Assis $1,343
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,211 in Lima versus $1,825 in Assis.
Lima $2,211
Assis $1,825
🌍
Living in Lima is roughly 18% more expensive than in Assis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Lima25% lower, Assis36% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Lima
Assis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.42PEN 15.19
$5.98R$30.31
-26.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.56PEN 119
$23.64R$120
46.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.80PEN 23.37
$5.92R$30.03
14.86%
Cappuccino
$3.30PEN 11.34
$2.01R$10.21
64.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06PEN 3.64
$1.18R$5.97
-10.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66PEN 2.26
$0.82R$4.14
-19.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.54PEN 8.71
$1.62R$8.21
56.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.24PEN 14.55
$2.02R$10.24
109.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lima
Assis
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.58PEN 5.43
$1.12R$5.68
41.07%
White Bread(500g)
$2.61PEN 8.97
$1.26R$6.40
107.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.34PEN 4.60
$1.30R$6.60
3.08%
Eggs
$2.93PEN 10.08
$1.53R$7.74
91.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.45PEN 32.45
$7.51R$38.09
25.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.75PEN 19.75
$5.24R$26.56
9.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.69PEN 33.29
$8.58R$43.50
12.94%
Apples(1kg)
$2.02PEN 6.95
$2.12R$10.76
-4.72%
Banana(1kg)
$1.07PEN 3.66
$1.17R$5.92
-8.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.37PEN 4.70
$1.22R$6.18
12.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.47PEN 5.05
$1.51R$7.63
-2.65%
Potato(1kg)
$0.95PEN 3.25
$1.15R$5.83
-17.39%
Onion(1kg)
$0.91PEN 3.14
$0.98R$4.98
-7.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90PEN 3.10
$0.91R$4.62
-1.10%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89PEN 3.04
$0.97R$4.92
-8.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.74PEN 19.71
$2.46R$12.47
133.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.21PEN 31.64
$6.21R$31.48
48.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84PEN 6.31
$1.44R$7.29
27.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11PEN 10.67
$2.02R$10.24
53.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Lima
Assis
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.72PEN 2.46
$1.01R$5.09
-28.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.03PEN 89.4
$44.54R$226
-41.56%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.54PEN 12.17
$2.37R$12.02
49.37%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.07PEN 7.12
$0.78R$3.94
165.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.75PEN 26.62
$2.85R$14.45
171.93%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.71PEN 5.86
$1.25R$6.33
36.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6KPEN 74.1K
$35.3KR$178.8K
-38.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.6KPEN 98.2K
$32.8KR$166.0K
-12.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
Assis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$68.2PEN 234
$86.7R$439
-21.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.73PEN 54.0
$10.97R$55.6
43.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.48PEN 90.9
$23.00R$117
15.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lima
Assis
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.94PEN 117
$26.07R$132
30.19%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.10PEN 69.0
$28.03R$142
-28.29%
Cinema Ticket
$7.22PEN 24.80
$5.89R$29.85
22.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lima
Assis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201PEN 689
$212R$1,074
-5.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.9KPEN 44.3K
$7,614R$38.6K
69.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lima
Assis
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7PEN 184
$43.34R$220
23.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.88PEN 123
$58.9R$299
-39.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.8PEN 288
$86.0R$436
-2.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.8PEN 271
$60.1R$305
31.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lima
Assis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$729PEN 2,505
$359R$1,817
103.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$349PEN 1,197
$243R$1,234
43.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,186PEN 4,073
$677R$3,432
75.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$696PEN 2,391
$471R$2,385
47.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,360PEN 8,105
$1,718R$8,708
37.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,356PEN 4,657
$1,206R$6,112
12.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lima
Assis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$663PEN 2,278
$594R$3,011
11.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.78
10.5
-16.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lima: October 17, 2026
Last update for Assis: October 19, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lima
$349 34.4%
Assis
$243 28.2% ↓ 30.2%$105
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lima
$227 22.4%
Assis
$184 21.3% ↓ 19%$43
🍽Eating Out
Lima
$123 12.2%
Assis
$110 12.7% ↓ 11%$14
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$113 11.2%
Assis
$112 13% ↓ 1.5%$1.7
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$110 10.9%
Assis
$121 14% ↑ 9.3%$10
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$48 4.8%
Assis
$38 4.4% ↓ 21.8%$11
🚌Getting Around
Lima
$43 4.2%
Assis
$55 6.4% ↑ 28%$12
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lima
$696 31.5%
Assis
$471 25.8% ↓ 32.4%$226
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lima
$519 23.5%
Assis
$422 23.1% ↓ 18.7%$97
🍽Eating Out
Lima
$413 18.7%
Assis
$337 18.5% ↓ 18.5%$76
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$252 11.4%
Assis
$248 13.6% ↓ 1.5%$3.8
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$126 5.7%
Assis
$132 7.2% ↑ 4.4%$5.5
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$117 5.3%
Assis
$104 5.7% ↓ 11.2%$13
🚌Getting Around
Lima
$87 3.9%
Assis
$112 6.1% ↑ 28.2%$25
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Lima and $359 in Assis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lima pays 12% 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 $24.00 in Assis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $184 per month, with Assis cheaper across the board.
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 Assis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Assis cheaper than Lima?
Assis is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lima or Assis?
Average pay runs 12% higher in Lima, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Lima and Assis?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Lima versus $359 in Assis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Assis runs roughly 71% less than in Lima. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $201 in Lima versus $212 in Assis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lima or in Assis?
At $862 in Assis versus $1,014 in Lima, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assis but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Assis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lima or Assis more family-friendly?
For families, Assis is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lima, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Assis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.