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 $1,014 per month in Lima vs $565 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,605 per month in Lima vs $899 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,196 per month in Lima vs $1,233 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Lima costs about 80% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Lima and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Lima 26% lower, Cerro de Pasco 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 PEN 14.71

$2.96 PEN 9.98

47.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.98 PEN 121

$29.49 PEN 99.5

22.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 PEN 24.09

$7.05 PEN 23.77

1.28%

Cappuccino

$3.39 PEN 11.45

$2.10 PEN 7.08

61.43%

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

$1.09 PEN 3.68

$0.75 PEN 2.54

45.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.09

$0.46 PEN 1.56

34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 PEN 9.16

$2.64 PEN 8.91

3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.28

$4.53 PEN 15.30

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 PEN 5.48

$1.58 PEN 5.34

2.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 PEN 9.11

$2.44 PEN 8.22

10.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 PEN 4.65

$1.27 PEN 4.29

8.66%

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 9.95

$2.42 PEN 8.16

21.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 PEN 31.91

$9.50 PEN 32.06

-0.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 PEN 20.41

$6.19 PEN 20.87

-2.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.99 PEN 33.71

$8.39 PEN 28.30

19.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 PEN 6.83

$2.01 PEN 6.78

1.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.57

$0.75 PEN 2.53

41.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.79

$0.47 PEN 1.57

202.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.04

$1.18 PEN 3.98

26.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.14

$0.72 PEN 2.43

29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$0.53 PEN 1.79

62.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 PEN 2.84

$0.90 PEN 3.05

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 PEN 3.16

$0.91 PEN 3.07

3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 PEN 20.39

$5.92 PEN 19.98

2.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 PEN 30.34

$7.28 PEN 24.57

23.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.49

$1.92 PEN 6.47

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 PEN 10.97

$2.73 PEN 9.22

19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.60 PEN 93.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 PEN 13.67

$4.04 PEN 13.62

0.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 PEN 6.83

$2.12 PEN 7.16

-4.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 PEN 24.40

$7.51 PEN 25.35

-3.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 PEN 5.83

$1.73 PEN 5.85

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

$21.9K PEN 73.7K

$22.1K PEN 74.6K

-1.18%

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

$26.3K PEN 88.8K

$26.1K PEN 87.9K

0.92%

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

$71.6 PEN 242

$70.7 PEN 239

1.24%

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

$16.89 PEN 57.0

$17.03 PEN 57.5

-0.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.92 PEN 94.2

$28.25 PEN 95.3

-1.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.23 PEN 112

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.13 PEN 67.9

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 PEN 25.37

$7.55 PEN 25.48

-0.40%

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

$183 PEN 618

$181 PEN 609

1.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K PEN 45.7K

$13.6K PEN 45.8K

-0.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 PEN 186

$53.8 PEN 181

2.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.32 PEN 123

$36.34 PEN 123

-0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 PEN 295

$85.5 PEN 289

2.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 PEN 269

$81.5 PEN 275

-2.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 PEN 2,578

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 PEN 1,186

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 PEN 4,308

$421 PEN 1,422

202.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 PEN 2,215

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 PEN 8,423

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,403 PEN 4,733

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 PEN 2,214

$483 PEN 1,631

35.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

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

Last update for Lima: September 12, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 36% 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 $36.00 in Lima versus $29.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $209 – 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 80%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,521 per month in Lima and $847 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 $36.00 in Lima and $29.00 in Cerro de Pasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $565, than in Lima at $1,014. 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.