Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $996 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

Jump to prices

Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$996

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Budapest

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

A single person spends $996 per month in Lima vs $1,621 in Budapest, rent included.

Lima $996
Budapest $1,621

A couple spends around $1,594 per month in Lima vs $2,555 in Budapest, rent included.

Lima $1,594
Budapest $2,555

A family of three spends $2,191 per month in Lima vs $3,489 in Budapest, rent included.

Lima $2,191
Budapest $3,489

Lima is about 39% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lima sits 26% below the global median, while Budapest is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 PEN 15.21

$13.99 Ft 4,555

-68.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 PEN 121

$60.3 Ft 19.7K

-41.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 PEN 23.52

$9.96 Ft 3,244

-31.33%

Cappuccino

$3.27 PEN 11.26

$3.38 Ft 1,102

-3.25%

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

$1.10 PEN 3.80

$2.13 Ft 693

-48.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.23

$1.87 Ft 609

-65.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 PEN 8.88

$3.75 Ft 1,222

-31.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 PEN 15.39

$3.57 Ft 1,163

25.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 PEN 5.48

$1.13 Ft 369

40.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 PEN 8.89

$1.84 Ft 600

40.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.67

$2.39 Ft 777

-43.10%

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 10.14

$3.83 Ft 1,246

-22.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 PEN 31.30

$11.33 Ft 3,689

-19.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 PEN 19.98

$6.74 Ft 2,194

-13.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 PEN 33.80

$14.69 Ft 4,784

-33.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.92

$1.84 Ft 598

9.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.70

$2.01 Ft 654

-46.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.71

$2.36 Ft 767

-41.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 PEN 5.08

$3.77 Ft 1,227

-60.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.32

$0.96 Ft 314

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.93

$1.03 Ft 335

-17.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 3.03

$1.56 Ft 509

-43.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.98

$0.66 Ft 216

31.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 PEN 20.31

$7.96 Ft 2,594

-25.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 PEN 30.31

$6.01 Ft 1,956

46.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.59

$1.30 Ft 422

47.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 PEN 11.02

$2.08 Ft 677

53.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.33

$1.50 Ft 490

-54.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 PEN 92.0

$27.61 Ft 8,991

-3.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 PEN 13.10

$3.30 Ft 1,075

15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 7.02

$1.30 Ft 424

56.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.14 PEN 24.57

$19.78 Ft 6,442

-63.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 PEN 5.67

$1.81 Ft 591

-8.84%

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

$22.2K PEN 76.3K

$29.3K Ft 9.6M

-24.38%

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

$25.7K PEN 88.3K

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

-24.75%

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

$73.0 PEN 251

$170 Ft 55.3K

-57.02%

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

$16.26 PEN 55.9

$23.98 Ft 7,809

-32.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.60 PEN 94.9

$23.42 Ft 7,628

17.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.07 PEN 114

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

-50.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.49 PEN 67.1

$19.18 Ft 6,245

1.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 PEN 25.41

$9.52 Ft 3,101

-22.37%

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

$182 PEN 626

$537 Ft 174.8K

-66.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 45.8K

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

-19.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 PEN 181

$101 Ft 33.0K

-48.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 PEN 118

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

-20.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 PEN 288

$113 Ft 36.7K

-25.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 PEN 272

$119 Ft 38.7K

-33.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 PEN 2,488

$805 Ft 262.2K

-10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 PEN 1,170

$629 Ft 204.9K

-45.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 PEN 4,074

$1,549 Ft 504.6K

-23.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 PEN 2,183

$1,167 Ft 380.1K

-45.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 PEN 8,423

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

-56.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 PEN 4,718

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

-65.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 PEN 2,245

$1,626 Ft 529.5K

-59.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

6.43

39.04%

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

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lima

$340 33.6%

Budapest

$629 38.7% 85% $289

Groceries & Markets

Lima

$226 22.4%

Budapest

$258 15.8% 13.8% $31

Eating Out

Lima

$124 12.3%

Budapest

$224 13.8% 80.8% $100

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima

$117 11.6%

Budapest

$217 13.4% 85.9% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Lima

$112 11.1%

Budapest

$169 10.4% 50.6% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Lima

$48 4.7%

Budapest

$85 5.2% 78.2% $37

Getting Around

Lima

$43 4.3%

Budapest

$43 2.7% 0.1% $0

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $723 in Lima versus $805 in Budapest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 149% higher in Budapest, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Lima versus $60.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $258 – making Lima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Lima

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

20:53 8:53 PM

03:53 3:53 AM

7 h ahead of Lima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,989,369 Capital

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇪 Peruvian Sol (S/)

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.44 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 326 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Lima Budapest 11,450 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Lima
Budapest

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 Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 63%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,494 per month in Lima and $2,432 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Lima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $182 per month in Lima and $537 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lima, where all-in costs run around $996, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Lima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lima – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.