Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Cerro de Pasco Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Cerro de Pasco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $975 per month in Lima vs $517 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,515 per month in Lima vs $845 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,055 per month in Lima vs $1,173 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Lima costs about 89% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lima and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Lima 27% lower, Cerro de Pasco 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.24 PEN 14.40

$2.75 PEN 9.34

54.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.85 PEN 115

$27.91 PEN 94.8

21.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 PEN 24.11

$6.80 PEN 23.10

4.41%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.77

$1.91 PEN 6.49

35.08%

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

$0.90 PEN 3.07

$0.68 PEN 2.31

32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 PEN 2.19

$0.40 PEN 1.36

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.60

$2.21 PEN 7.50

1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 PEN 13.30

$3.95 PEN 13.42

-0.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 4.99

$1.40 PEN 4.77

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 PEN 8.91

$2.28 PEN 7.76

15.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.46

$1.19 PEN 4.05

10.08%

Eggs

$2.96 PEN 10.06

$2.36 PEN 8.03

25.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.03 PEN 27.26

$8.09 PEN 27.47

-0.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.59 PEN 18.97

$5.57 PEN 18.91

0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 PEN 35.86

$7.66 PEN 26.02

37.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 PEN 6.77

$1.96 PEN 6.65

2.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.78

$0.70 PEN 2.38

58.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.86

$0.40 PEN 1.36

185.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 PEN 4.28

$1.08 PEN 3.68

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 PEN 3.33

$0.71 PEN 2.40

38.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 PEN 3.42

$0.51 PEN 1.73

98.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 PEN 2.80

$0.87 PEN 2.94

-5.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.97

$0.82 PEN 2.77

6.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 PEN 18.62

$5.61 PEN 19.06

-2.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 PEN 30.06

$7.30 PEN 24.78

21.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PEN 5.80

$1.75 PEN 5.94

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 PEN 9.93

$2.57 PEN 8.71

14.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 PEN 2.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.86 PEN 105

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 PEN 11.49

$3.37 PEN 11.45

0.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.20

$2.21 PEN 7.51

-4.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.48 PEN 28.80

$8.21 PEN 27.87

3.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PEN 4.48

$1.30 PEN 4.41

1.54%

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

$19.7K PEN 66.8K

$19.4K PEN 65.9K

1.34%

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

$24.9K PEN 84.7K

$24.8K PEN 84.1K

0.65%

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

$57.0 PEN 194

$56.7 PEN 192

0.62%

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

$12.83 PEN 43.54

$12.80 PEN 43.46

0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.68 PEN 80.4

$23.55 PEN 80.0

0.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.09 PEN 106

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.87 PEN 64.1

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 PEN 23.22

$6.78 PEN 23.01

0.88%

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

$223 PEN 757

$220 PEN 748

1.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,847 PEN 26.6K

$8,048 PEN 27.3K

-2.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 PEN 171

$49.80 PEN 169

1.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.93 PEN 122

$35.60 PEN 121

0.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 PEN 307

$91.2 PEN 310

-0.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 PEN 307

$88.0 PEN 299

2.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 PEN 2,109

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 PEN 1,197

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 PEN 3,519

$389 PEN 1,321

166.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 PEN 2,113

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 PEN 8,023

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,424 PEN 4,836

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$636 PEN 2,160

$472 PEN 1,604

34.67%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 35% higher in Lima, 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 $34.00 in Lima versus $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $192 – making Cerro de Pasco the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cerro de Pasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lima is pricier by about 89%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,463 per month in Lima and $775 in Cerro de Pasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Lima and $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cerro de Pasco, where all-in costs run around $517, than in Lima at $975. In Cerro de Pasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Cerro de Pasco. 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.