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 $980 per month in Lima vs $517 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,520 per month in Lima vs $842 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,061 per month in Lima vs $1,166 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

$4.12 PEN 14.05

$2.86 PEN 9.73

44.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 PEN 113

$28.10 PEN 95.8

18.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 PEN 23.14

$6.76 PEN 23.03

0.44%

Cappuccino

$2.63 PEN 8.98

$1.96 PEN 6.69

34.18%

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

$0.94 PEN 3.19

$0.68 PEN 2.31

38.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 PEN 2.04

$0.44 PEN 1.50

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 PEN 7.68

$2.17 PEN 7.38

3.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PEN 13.02

$3.77 PEN 12.87

1.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 5.03

$1.42 PEN 4.85

3.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 PEN 8.86

$2.25 PEN 7.66

15.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.47

$1.25 PEN 4.26

4.80%

Eggs

$2.87 PEN 9.78

$2.37 PEN 8.07

21.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 PEN 26.73

$7.79 PEN 26.55

0.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 PEN 18.80

$5.52 PEN 18.80

-0.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.60 PEN 36.15

$7.86 PEN 26.81

34.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 PEN 7.03

$1.96 PEN 6.68

5.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.84

$0.67 PEN 2.28

68.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 PEN 3.77

$0.43 PEN 1.47

155.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.25

$1.13 PEN 3.86

10.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.48

$0.71 PEN 2.42

43.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.17

$0.49 PEN 1.66

89.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$0.82 PEN 2.79

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 PEN 3.03

$0.80 PEN 2.73

11.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 PEN 18.70

$5.68 PEN 19.37

-3.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.64 PEN 29.44

$7.27 PEN 24.77

18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 PEN 5.99

$1.77 PEN 6.04

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 PEN 10.17

$2.45 PEN 8.34

21.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 PEN 2.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.53 PEN 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 PEN 11.39

$3.27 PEN 11.16

2.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 PEN 7.34

$2.13 PEN 7.25

0.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.49 PEN 28.93

$8.13 PEN 27.72

4.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.42

$1.36 PEN 4.65

-4.41%

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

$19.2K PEN 65.5K

$19.3K PEN 65.9K

-0.68%

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

$24.1K PEN 82.2K

$24.6K PEN 84.0K

-2.10%

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

$55.8 PEN 190

$56.2 PEN 191

-0.66%

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

$12.35 PEN 42.10

$12.81 PEN 43.66

-3.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.96 PEN 81.7

$24.12 PEN 82.2

-0.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.52 PEN 104

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.57 PEN 63.3

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 PEN 23.06

$6.84 PEN 23.30

-1.17%

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

$220 PEN 751

$218 PEN 742

1.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,863 PEN 26.8K

$7,847 PEN 26.8K

0.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 PEN 174

$50.1 PEN 171

1.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 PEN 121

$35.67 PEN 122

-0.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 PEN 309

$89.6 PEN 305

1.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 PEN 304

$89.5 PEN 305

-0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 PEN 2,120

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 PEN 1,200

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 PEN 3,474

$382 PEN 1,304

166.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 PEN 2,171

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,318 PEN 7,903

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,411 PEN 4,811

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 PEN 2,211

$472 PEN 1,611

37.27%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 37% 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 $33.00 in Lima versus $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $191 – 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 $1,469 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 $33.00 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 $980. 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.