Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Ayacucho Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Ayacucho

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $999 in Lima versus $109 in Ayacucho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,561 in Lima versus $191 in Ayacucho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,124 in Lima versus $273 in Ayacucho.

Living in Lima is roughly 817% more expensive than in Ayacucho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 25% lower, Ayacucho 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 PEN 13.77

$1.70 PEN 5.78

138.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.99 PEN 115

$13.69 PEN 46.43

148.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 PEN 22.86

$4.13 PEN 14.00

63.20%

Cappuccino

$2.52 PEN 8.56

$2.17 PEN 7.38

16.13%

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

$0.94 PEN 3.18

$0.84 PEN 2.87

11.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.21

$0.29 PEN 0.99

124.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 PEN 7.35

$1.89 PEN 6.41

14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 PEN 13.39

$2.25 PEN 7.62

75.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.78

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 PEN 9.22

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.64

Eggs

$2.94 PEN 9.98

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 PEN 26.87

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 PEN 19.54

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.71 PEN 36.32

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 PEN 6.72

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 PEN 3.72

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.05

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.51

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 PEN 18.96

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 PEN 30.51

$5.94 PEN 20.16

51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 PEN 5.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 PEN 10.42

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.68 PEN 107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 PEN 11.43

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 PEN 7.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 PEN 28.00

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.58

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

$19.4K PEN 65.8K

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

$24.3K PEN 82.3K

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

$56.4 PEN 191

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

$12.57 PEN 42.63

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.66 PEN 80.3

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.04 PEN 105

$25.40 PEN 86.2

22.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 PEN 63.4

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 PEN 23.17

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

$219 PEN 743

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,096 PEN 27.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.58 PEN 168

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.59 PEN 121

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 PEN 303

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 PEN 302

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 PEN 2,115

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 PEN 1,167

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 PEN 3,484

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 PEN 2,098

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,315 PEN 7,852

$1,890 PEN 6,413

22.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,395 PEN 4,734

$1,764 PEN 5,983

-20.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 PEN 2,120

$481 PEN 1,631

30.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

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

Last update for Lima: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ayacucho: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lima pays 30% 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: $34.00 in Lima vs $14.00 in Ayacucho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $12.00 per month, with Ayacucho cheaper across the board.

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 Ayacucho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ayacucho wins on cost – living expenses run 817% lower than in Lima. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ayacucho the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Lima, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you'll spend $999 per month in Lima versus $109 in Ayacucho – a 817% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1765% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $109 in Ayacucho versus $999 in Lima, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ayacucho but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Ayacucho the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ayacucho delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $109 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ayacucho hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lima and Ayacucho 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 Ayacucho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 817% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.