Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Atotonilco el Alto

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $1,012 a month against $1,253 in Atotonilco el Alto, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Lima
🇵🇪 Peru
$1,012
/mo nomad
Atotonilco el Alto
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,253
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Atotonilco el Alto

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 Atotonilco el Alto actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,012 in Lima versus $1,253 in Atotonilco el Alto.

  • Lima $1,012
  • Atotonilco el Alto $1,253

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,589 in Lima versus $2,011 in Atotonilco el Alto.

  • Lima $1,589
  • Atotonilco el Alto $2,011

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Lima versus $2,770 in Atotonilco el Alto.

  • Lima $2,167
  • Atotonilco el Alto $2,770

Living in Lima costs roughly 19% less than in Atotonilco el Alto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 25% lower, Atotonilco el Alto 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lima
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 PEN 15.10
$11.18 MX$207
-60.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.17 PEN 121
$63.0 MX$1,164
-44.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.89 PEN 23.65
$9.61 MX$178
-28.30%
Cappuccino
$3.26 PEN 11.20
$3.67 MX$67.9
-11.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 PEN 3.84
$1.62 MX$29.99
-30.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 PEN 2.11
$1.04 MX$19.18
-40.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 PEN 9.09
$3.22 MX$59.5
-17.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 PEN 15.15
$5.42 MX$100
-18.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lima
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 PEN 5.61
$1.93 MX$35.71
-15.54%
White Bread (500g)
$2.56 PEN 8.78
$2.79 MX$51.6
-8.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.35 PEN 4.65
$2.00 MX$37.00
-32.50%
Eggs
$2.90 PEN 9.96
$2.64 MX$48.75
9.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.85 PEN 30.38
$8.82 MX$163
0.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.98 PEN 20.52
$8.89 MX$164
-32.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.78 PEN 33.59
$13.93 MX$257
-29.79%
Apples (1kg)
$2.05 PEN 7.02
$3.37 MX$62.3
-39.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 PEN 3.66
$1.59 MX$29.31
-33.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.35 PEN 4.64
$2.16 MX$39.90
-37.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 PEN 5.15
$1.95 MX$36.07
-23.08%
Potato (1kg)
$0.88 PEN 3.03
$1.77 MX$32.76
-50.28%
Onion (1kg)
$0.92 PEN 3.15
$1.76 MX$32.44
-47.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 PEN 3.07
$1.48 MX$27.36
-39.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 PEN 3.10
$1.19 MX$21.94
-24.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.90 PEN 20.27
$4.69 MX$86.7
25.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.52 PEN 29.26
$17.90 MX$331
-52.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 PEN 6.45
$2.18 MX$40.27
-13.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 PEN 11.05
$4.00 MX$73.8
-19.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Lima
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 PEN 2.33
$0.64 MX$11.75
6.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.86 PEN 92.2
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 PEN 13.09
$3.39 MX$62.6
12.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.02 PEN 6.93
$2.67 MX$49.41
-24.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.11 PEN 24.41
$11.15 MX$206
-36.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.72 PEN 5.91
$1.58 MX$29.15
8.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K PEN 76.6K
$21.6K MX$398.3K
3.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K PEN 87.6K
$24.0K MX$443.1K
6.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.1 PEN 251
$57.6 MX$1,065
26.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.35 PEN 56.2
$26.59 MX$491
-38.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.47 PEN 94.3
$24.26 MX$448
13.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lima
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.90 PEN 110
$31.31 MX$579
1.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.41 PEN 66.7
$21.29 MX$393
-8.83%
Cinema Ticket
$7.05 PEN 24.23
$7.32 MX$135
-3.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lima
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$182 PEN 627
$270 MX$4,997
-32.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.0K PEN 44.8K
$4,971 MX$91.9K
162.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lima
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 PEN 185
$53.6 MX$990
0.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.32 PEN 118
$44.97 MX$831
-23.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.8 PEN 284
$100.0 MX$1,848
-17.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.2 PEN 269
$98.8 MX$1,826
-20.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lima
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 PEN 2,476
$565 MX$10.4K
27.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$343 PEN 1,179
$438 MX$8,100
-21.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,219 PEN 4,186
$923 MX$17.1K
32.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$651 PEN 2,235
$775 MX$14.3K
-16.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,414 PEN 8,292
$1,790 MX$33.1K
34.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,357 PEN 4,660
$1,018 MX$18.8K
33.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lima
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$648 PEN 2,226
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.94
11.99
-25.44%

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

Last update for Lima: October 11, 2026

Last update for Atotonilco el Alto: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lima
$343
Atotonilco el Alto
$438 27.6% $95
Groceries & Markets
Lima
$226
Atotonilco el Alto
$307 35.8% $81
Eating Out
Lima
$124
Atotonilco el Alto
$200 61.3% $76
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$117
Atotonilco el Alto
$108 7.2% $8.4
Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$112
Atotonilco el Alto
$134 19.3% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$46
Atotonilco el Alto
$46 0.1% $0.1
Getting Around
Lima
$43
Atotonilco el Alto
$19 * 55.6% $24

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Lima and $565 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Lima vs $63.0 in Atotonilco el Alto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $307 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇪 Lima
🇲🇽 Atotonilco el Alto
🕒 Local time
22:00 10:00 PM
21:00 9:00 PM
1 h behind Lima
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,989,369 Capital
26,874
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lima Atotonilco el Alto 4,570 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lima
  • Atotonilco el Alto

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 Atotonilco el Alto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Atotonilco el Alto cheaper than Lima?
Lima is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,518 in Lima and $1,879 in Atotonilco el Alto to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Lima and Atotonilco el Alto?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Lima versus $565 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $182 in Lima versus $270 in Atotonilco el Alto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Lima or in Atotonilco el Alto?
Dining out is cheaper in Lima – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $63.0 in Atotonilco el Alto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Lima or in Atotonilco el Alto?
At $1,012 in Lima versus $1,253 in Atotonilco el Alto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Atotonilco el Alto. The gap between the two cities makes Lima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lima or Atotonilco el Alto more family-friendly?
For families, Lima is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Atotonilco el Alto, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lima or Atotonilco el Alto?
Safety-wise, Lima and Atotonilco el Alto are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Atotonilco el Alto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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